There was this headline today on Yahoo!news that linked to a Redbook magazine story about parenting:
“Should mom be selling girl scout cookies for her daughter?”
Why “be selling”? What is wrong with “Should mom sell Girl Scout cookies for her daughter?”
There’s a growing, and annoying, prevalence of “be” in language, and I’m not sure why or where it’s coming from. Well, I think I know where, but I’m not sure, and I’m not happy about my theory. It’s all about tense.
I sell. You sell. He sells. They sell.
I be selling. You be selling. He be selling. They be selling.
If I use “be selling” then I’ll always be correct. I don’t have to worry about sold, has sold, had sold, will sell, will have sold, etc.
This is the theory which is mine.
brainsnorts inc. 
Yep ,,, if one can take a logical defense on something incorrect, they must be correct … that tis today’s world.
I be taking this theory and claiming it for my own. No one can stop me.
Sounds kind of like pirate talk.
Aye t’is a wee bit, ya wench!
Listen to a lot of Black Eyed Peas song and your grammar is doomed.
zzzactly!
Yah, grammar, never my strong suit. I always do marvel at those who are much more articulate than myself…
nobody has to be perfect. however, nobody really thinks the language says “ima be.” we all know it’s “i am going to be.” you might not know everything, but i’m sure you’re not as lazy and phony as the “ima be” kids.
So, what’s your theory?
The last paragraph is my theory. It’s about laziness.