“there be...”句型是存在句的常用基本结构,there在句中处于主语位置,起形式主语的作用,真正的主语是随后的名词词组.其谓语动词通常是be的各种时、体等形式.如：
There is ice on the lake. 湖上有冰.
There were three students in the classroom then. 当时教室有三个学生.
There has never been anybody like you. 从来还没有像你这样的人.
There will be snow on high ground.在高地上将会有雪.
除此之外, there be句型还有一些特殊的结构：
1. there + 情态助动词 + be表示 “预见”、“可能”、“必然”或“过去习惯存在”等.如：
There might be some desserts if you wait a bit. 如果你等一会儿,可能会有甜点.
There ought to have been someone on duty all the time. 本来应该有人全天值班.
There shall be no more wars. 再也不会打仗了.
也可以用there + 某些半助动词 + be(很少使用完成体形式),如：be going to, be certain to, be sure to, be likely to, have to be等.
There is going to be a rain. 要下雨了.
There's likely to be an interview.可能会有一场面试.
There has to be a mistake. 必定有错.
2. 在正式文体中,某些表示存在、发生、出现、坐落等意义的不及物动词也可以与there连用,如：appear, seem, come, remain, exist, live, stand, lie, arise, enter, follow, occur, rise, grow, happen, belong, arrive, fly, flash, sail, pass, run, spring up, emerge等.如：
There exist many ancient temples in the country. 那个国家有很多古老的寺庙.
There lies a small village in the mountain.山里有个小村子.
Once upon a time, there lived an old queer man in the city. 从前,城里住着个怪老头.
There remains nothing more to be done. 没有什么别的事可做了.
There followed the first world war. 接着就是第一次世界大战.
There flashed through his mind the image of a heroic fighter.他的头脑中闪过英雄战士的形象.
There sprang up a wild gale.突然刮起一阵狂风.
偶尔也能见到there后接及物动词：
There struck me a sudden idea. 突然我有了一个主意.
如果句中的地点状语前移就可以省略there. 如：
Behind the house (there) is a small river.
3. there + 不定式 to be 或there + being形式,称为非限定存在句,可以作主语、宾语、介词补足成分.
1) 作主语
There being a railway station in the town is a great advantage. 镇上有个火车站,真方便呀!
“there to be+NP”作主语时,通常用for作引导词:
For there to be a mistake in a computer's arithmetic is impossible. 计算机计算错误是不可能的.
It was seldom for there to be no late comers. 新来者很少没有迟到的.
2) 作宾语
The committee anticipated there being less debate in the second discussion. 委员会期望在第二次讨论中争议能少一些.
We expect there to be no objections. 我们希望不会有人反对.
I'd prefer there to be more cooperation. 我希望有更多的合作.
3) 作介词补足成分： 介词是for, 用there to be形式； 介词不是for,则用there being形式.
What's the chance of there being an election this year?今年进行选举的可能性有多大?
We have no objection to there being a meeting here. 在这儿举行会议,我们不反对.
Jill is waiting for there to be a big party.吉尔等着举行一次盛大的晚会.
此外,there + being形式还可以用作状语分句,形成独立主格结构：
There being no further discussion, the chairman stood up and left the meeting-room.没有可讨论的了,主席站了起来,离开了会议室.
There having been no rain,the stream was dry. 一直没有下雨,小溪都干涸了.
“there be...”句型的难点在于它的非限定形式, 怎样分辨使用there to be 和there being 呢? 两个要点是关键：它们在句子中的成分及与句子中其他成分的搭配关系.如非限定形式的第2小点中的例句：anticipate与there being搭配,而expect 和prefer与there to be配伍.
