受験目的っぽいのであまり用いたくないというのが本音ではありますが、実は英文法のほとんどの表現には「be動詞」と「have動詞」が頻繁に使われます。これはコミュニケーション目的の英会話なら特にです。
一般動詞の活用というのは、書いて覚えてしまうと事足りますが、beとhaveだけは日本語の「する」という単語に匹敵するぐらいに頻繁に用います。
beとhaveの意味というのわけではなく、あくまで「何かの表現をするのに必ず伴って使う動詞」と捉えてもらうといいでしょう。
2*3グラフを活用して主語と連携して活用を覚える
「人称を簡単に理解しましょう」を見ていただくと分かりますが、ここで出てくる「2*3」のグラフにbe動詞を当てはめる形で覚えてしまうと、非常にその後の表現力や今後話す予定の「パターンプラクティス」と呼ばれる方法と合わせて相乗効果を生むことが可能です。
be動詞(現在の表現)
Single | Plural | |
1st | I am | We are |
2nd | You are | You are |
3rd | She/He/It is | They are |
be動詞(過去の表現)
Single | Plural | |
1st | I was | We were |
2nd | You were | You were |
3rd | She/He/It was | They were |
have動詞(現在の表現)
Single | Plural | |
1st | I have | We have |
2nd | You have | You have |
3rd | She/He/It has | They have |
have動詞(過去の表現)
Single | Plural | |
1st | I had | We had |
2nd | You had | You had |
3rd | She/He/It had | They had |
上記の活用を覚えておくだけで、後は「書いて覚える(動詞編)」で推奨する単語の覚え方を実践すると、様々な表現をすることが出来ます。例えば、「その音楽を聴いたことがある」をいう表現を2*3で表すと、
Single | Plural | |
1st | I have listened to the music | We have listened to the music |
2nd | You have listened to the music | You have listened to the music |
3rd | She/He/It has listened to the music | They have listened to the music |
つまり、「have」の活用さえ覚えていれば、覚えた同士と組み合わせて自由に表現できるのです。
「その時運転していたよ」であれば、
Single | Plural | |
1st | I was driving a car at that time. | We were driving a car at that time. |
2nd | You were driving a car at that time. | You were driving a car at that time. |
3rd | She/He/It was driving a car at that time. | They were driving a car at that time. |
be動詞の過去の表現の活用を覚えていれば、こんな表現ができるのです。
beとhaveこと細かに頻繁に使うことになりますので、ぜひとも先に活用を覚えてしまいましょう。