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Blewin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

To be a policeman? What grammar is this?

I don't know how to define when to use "to be". I don't mean is/am/are.

e.g. I want to be a policeman.
He pretends to be asleep.
I want to be sure.
The house seems to be in bad repair.

What rule explains this usage? I can't find much information online.

thanks for the help.
  

Top answer

Some verbs take the infinitive as a complement: want to be seem to be pretend to be hope to be care to be Other verbs take the '-ing' form as a complement: enjoy being resist being (not) help being Still other verbs take both (sometimes with different meanings): like to be like being try to be try being Each verb must be learned individually.

— Mister Micawber

  • Some verbs take the infinitive as a complement: want to be seem to be pretend to be hope to be care to be Other verbs take the '-ing' form as a complement: enjoy being resist being (not) help being Still other verbs take both (sometimes with different meanings): like to be like being try to be try being Each verb must be learned individually.
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1 Answers
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Some verbs take the infinitive as a complement:

want to be
seem to be
pretend to be
hope to be
care to be

Other verbs take the '-ing' form as a complement:

enjoy being
resist being
(not) help being

Still other verbs take both (sometimes with different meanings):

like to b
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