有一读者问： 有这样一道选择题：
(1)The business of each day,_________selling goods or shipping them, went quite smoothly.
A. it being B. be it C. was it D. it was
答案是 be it, 为什么？
be it...or... 是一种倒装的省略结构，等于whether it be...or... （但省去 whether 时 it be 即须倒装），其意是“不管（或无论）是...或是...”。再如：
(2)Be he friend or foe, the law regards him as a criminal. （亦可说 Whether he be friend or foe）
亦可用 be they...or..., 如：
(3)In the case of opera, the composers wrote their music following the original texts, be they in Italian, French or German.
下面是用 whether it be...or...的一例：
(4)Nothing, whether it be wars or political campaigns, had separated them. But today they were to part company for ever.
在语法上，这种 be 被称作“现在虚拟式”，当今比较少用，一般只用在较正式的书面语中，现将现在虚拟式 be 的一些其它用法举几例如下：
(5)Be it so. （或 So be it.）
(6)Home is home be it ever so homely.
(7)She has beauty still, be it not in its heyday, it is not yet in its autumn.
(8)Far be it from me to come between Grimshaw and his pleasures.
(9)To her credit, be it said, she never once counted on Hurstwood.
(10)If it will add anything to your happiness, I shall go through it, be it to my death.
(11)I'll work all night if need be .
(12)It is vital that we be present.
(13)In order that this measure be useful, it must be put into force at once.
