These verbs have nearly the same meaning as be: appear, feel, look, seem, smell, sound, taste,and alsochance/ happen/prove to be.

2 When we are certain about something, we use be or an ordinary verb: He is ill. He knows the answer.

3 When we are uncertain about something, we can use:

- 'modal verbs' [> 11.1c, 11.4]: He may/might/could be ill. He may/might/could know the answer.

- Or we can use verbs related to be: He is ill. > He seems/ appears (to be) ill. He was rich. > He seemed/appeared (to be) rich. He knows the answer. > He seems/appears to know the answer. He is working hard > He seems/appears to be working hard. He was working hard. > He seemed/appeared to be working hard. He has been hurt. > He seems to have been/ appears to have been hurt.

Write: Rewrite these sentences using appropriate forms of seem. 1 They are very happy. They seem (to be) very happy. 2 He was a genius at maths 3 She's finding the job difficult 4 They were looking for something 5 He's been knocked out 6 It's very dark outside. 7 It's raining very hard outside. 8 My watch has stopped

10.4B 'To be' or not 'to be'? [> LEG 10.25]

1 We can leave out/omit to be after appear and seem in the simple present and simple past: He appears/seems (to be) ill. He seemed (to be) a fool.

2 We usually include to be before adjectives like afraid, asleep and awake: They seem to be asleep. He seems to be afraid.

3 We cannot use to be after feel, look, smell, sound or taste:

He feels hot. You look cold. (Not *He feels to be hot. * *You look to be cold. *)

Write: Add to be where necessary in these sentences. Where you can't use to be, put a dash (-). Where to be is optional, put brackets (to be).

1 It seemed (to be) a good idea at the time. 2 These things often appear … a little strange. 3 All the old people seem … asleep. 4 Doesn't he look … stupid in that hat? 5 I think it feels … quite hot in here. 6 That goulash smells... good, doesn't it? 7 The choir sounded … very good to me.8 She seemed to me … too young for the job.

10.4C 'Process verbs' related to 'be' and 'become' [> LEG 10.26]

1 Process verbs describe a change in state: When I asked him about it, he grew angry. Typical process verbs are: become, come, fall, go, get, grow, run, turn, wear.

2 The most common process verbs are get, become and grow. I'm getting tired. You're becoming lazy. It's growing dark.

We often use other verbs in fixed phrases: e.g. come true, fall ill, go bad, run dry, turn sour.

3 We often use get + adjective: get annoyed, get bored, get depressed, get ill, get wet.

4 Nouns are not so common after process verbs, but note become and make: The ugly frog became a handsome prince. Cynthia will make a good nurse one day.

Write: Supply suitable forms of verbs other than be in these sentences.

1 When I grow old, I hope I'll have lots of grandchildren. 2 You must be very careful you don't … ill when you're travelling. 3 I think this milk …sour. 4 Food … bad very quickly in hot weather. 5 It hasn't rained for months and our local river … dry. 6 It's no good… impatient every time I ask you a question. [> 16.7C] 7 She always wanted to retire before the age of 40 and her dream … true. 8 I had to cut my trip short because I … ill. 9 I must get these shoes repaired. The soles … rather thin. 10 Don't you … bored listening to political broadcasts? 11 My son is determined to … a pilot when he grows up. 12 Personally, I think he'll … a very good pilot.

10.4D Write: Put in appeared, became, feel, got, looked, looks, proves, seemed, seems or smell. NOT AS INNOCENT AS IT SEEMS TO BE! It was Katy's birthday last Thursday. Her husband, Paul, bought her a beautiful bouquet with what 1 seemed to be an unusual flower as the centre piece. Katy was delighted with the flowers. They 2 … wonderful and 3 … wonderful, too. Katy 4 … very excited when she saw the beautiful flower in the centre of the bouquet. She bent over to smell it when it 5 … to punch her in the nose! Paul was amazed. He 6 … so interested in the flower that he took it to the botanical gardens at Kew to find out about it. An expert examined the flower and told him that it was a kind of orchid['ɔːkɪd] орхідея) called a Cymbidium. This flower seizes anything that 7 … like an insect so that it will carry its pollen. If you try to smell it, the Cymbidium will try to grab your nose! So next time you 8 …like sniffing a rare orchid, hold your nose -just in case it 9 … to be a Cymbidium. It's not as innocent as it 10 … to be!

10.5 'Have' as a full verb = 'possess'; 'have got' = 'possess’

10.5A 'Have got' = 'own' and 'have got' = 'obtain' [> LEG 10.30]

1 In British English, we often use have or have got to mean 'possess': I have a new car. I have got a new car. (= I own, I possess a new car)

2 In British English, we also use have (just) got (American English have gotten) as the normal present perfect form of the verb get to mean 'have obtained' or 'have received': I've just got(ten) a letter from Pam. (= I have just received)

Write: What does have got mean in these sentences? Tick the choice between: 'possess or have received/obtained': 1 V 2…3… 4…5…6… or possess/own': 1… 2…3…4…5…6.. 1 I've just got a letter from Pam. (have received) 2 I've got a black sweater. 3 They've got a villa near the beach. 4 They've just got a puppy. 5 Don't come near me. I've got a bad cold. 6 I think I've just got a cold!

10.5B Uses of 'have' and 'have got' to mean 'possess' [> LEG 10.30]

1 We often use have got in place of have in the present:

I've got a good job. Have you got a good job? I haven't got a good job.

2 Do you have? and I don't have are also common especially in American English:

Do you have a good job? I don't have a good job.

3 We use the correct forms of have, not have got, in other tenses to mean 'possess':

I have had this car for three years. By June, I will have had this car for three years.

4 In other tenses, have got means 'obtained': When I saw him, he had just got a new car. By May I will have got a new car.

 

Write: Replace the phrases in italics by a phrase with have or have got. If you think it is possible to use have and have got, give two versions.

1 They own an apartment near the beach. They have/They’ve got an apartment. 2 I don't possess a party dress …3 Do you possess a motorbike?... 4 My uncle owned a Rolls Royce once… 5 I've owned this bike for five years… 6 We'll possess a new apartment soon…7 I will have owned this suit for ten years by my next birthday… 8 She said she had possessed the car for some time… 9 That's a marvellous little invention. I must own one… 10 If he can't hear very well, he should own a hearing-aid… 11 Does your brother possess a bicycle?.. 12 Will you own this house one day?... 13 Have you owned this house for a long time?... 14 Do you own a car?

10.5C Common uses of 'have' and 'have got' [> LEG 10.31]

1 We can use have and have got to say we own or possess something (I have/I've got a car).

2 But note how we can extend this idea of 'possession':

I have/I've got a good dentist. I have/I've got an appointment at 4.30. etc.

Write: Supply correct forms of have and have got. Give alternatives where possible.

1 Have you got a new car yet? 2 They… a nice apartment …3 … you… any spare pencils? 4 … you… today's newspaper? 5 She … ten dresses … 6 He … plenty of money … 7 He … long black hair … 8 This tree … red leaves in autumn … 9 I (not) … any faith in him … 10 She (not) … much patience … 11 How many sisters … you…? 12 They … three sons … 13 I … a good accountant … 14 We … a very good butcher … 15 That's a smart suit he … on … 16 What … she … on last night? 17 I … a temperature, I think. 18 When … you last … a cold? 19 I … a meeting in town today. 20 She … a date tonight … 21 I … no idea what to do... 22 … you … a better suggestion? 23 You… mud on your shoes. 24 She … something in her eye.