/bi;strong form bi: ||; bɪ; bi/verb1 linking verb there is/are to exist; to be present 存在；有: I tried phoning them but there was no answer. 我尝试打电话给他们，但是没有人接。There are some people outside. 有些人在外面。There are a lot of trees in our garden. 我们的花园里有许多树。
2 [I] used to give the position of sb/sth or the place where sb/sth is situated （用于表示位置）: Katrina's in her office. 卡特里娜在她的办公室里。Where are the scissors? 剪刀在哪里？The bus stop is five minutes' walk from here. 公共汽车站从这里去要走五分钟的路。St Tropez is on the south coast. 圣特罗佩位于南岸。
3 linking verb used to give the date or age of sb/sth or to talk about time （用于表示日期、年岁或时间）: My birthday is on April 24th. 我的生日在4月24日。It's 6 o'clock. 现在是6点钟。It was Tuesday yesterday. 昨天是星期二。Sue'll be 21 in June. 苏到六月就满21岁。He's older than Miranda. 他的年龄比米兰达大。It's ages since I last saw him. 我上次见他以来已经很久了。
4 linking verb used when you are giving the name of people or things, describing them or giving more information about them （用于提及名字或名称、形容或描述人或事物）: This is my father, John. 这是我的父亲约翰。I'm Alison. 我是艾莉森。He's Italian. He's from Milan. 他是意大利人，来自米兰。He's a doctor. 他是个医生。What's that? 那是什么？A lion is a mammal. 狮子是哺乳动物。‘What colour is your car?’ ‘It's green.’ “你的汽车是什么颜色的？”“绿色。”How much was your ticket? 你的票多少钱？The film was excellent. 那部电影好极了。She's very friendly. 她很友善。‘How is your wife?’ ‘She's fine, thanks.’ “你的妻子怎么样？”“她很好，谢谢。”
5 [I] (only used in the perfect tenses 只用于完成时) to go to a place (and return) 去某地（又回来）；去过: Have you ever been to Japan? 你去过日本吗？
Compare has/have gone Julia's gone to the doctor's(= she hasn't returned yet). Julia's been to the doctor's today(= she has returned). 与 has／have gone 比较：Julia's gone to the doctor's. 朱莉娅看医生去了（她还没有回来）。Julia's been to the doctor's today. 朱莉娅今天去看过医生了（她已经回来了）。 be yourself to act naturally 行事自然:
Don't be nervous; just be yourself and the interview will be fine. 别紧张，只要尽量自然一些，面试就不会有问题。 -to-be (used to form compound nouns 用于构成复合名词) future 未来的:
his bride-to-be 他的未婚妻mothers-to-be(= pregnant women) 快做妈妈的妇女（孕妇）