顾名思义，“非谓语动词”（non-predicate verb），就是“不作谓语”的一种动词形式。它属于动词的一个语法范畴，也是英语中最常见的语法现象之一。它包括：动词不定式、动名词、现在分词、过去分词。

在现实语言中，英语存在句“there be句型”也有着各种非谓语形式。本文拟对对此作一探讨。

“There be结构”的非谓语形式，主要有以下几种：

1. 不定式：There to be

2. 动名词：There being

3. 现在分词：There being

【注意】在上述3个结构中，there充当“非谓语动词的逻辑主语”。

我们通常说的There be存在句，一般都认为，there只是起引导作用，没有实际意义。因为句子的主语在be之后，而且be的单复数是由后面的主语决定，而非由there决定。剑桥出版的《当代英语语法》(English Grammar Today)把there称为dummy subject（虚拟主语）：

English clauses which are not imperatives must have a subject. Sometimes we need to use a “dummy” or “empty” or “artificial” subject when there is no subject attached to the verb, and where the real subject is somewhere else in the clause. “It” and “there” are the two dummy subjects used in English.

It’s always interesting to find out about your family history.

To find out about your family history is always interesting. (The real subject is “to find out about your family history”. )

There are five Dutch people in our village. (The real subject is the Dutch people