to be - Present Simple
By learning "to be", you open the door to creating simple, clear, and useful sentences. It's the first step to speaking English!
1.Forms
1.1Forms of the Verb to be
The verb to be is one of the first things you should learn in English because it helps you create basic sentences.
Many languages have no verb in such sentences at all - they simply put the two parts together (Stacy - student).
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | I am | We are |
| 2nd person | You are | You are |
| 3rd person | He/She/It is | They are |
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1.2How to Form a Sentence
To form a sentence with the verb to be, do this:
QW = question word (where, why, what, when, how, etc.)
| Structure | Examples | |
|---|---|---|
| + Positive | Subject + am/is/are + ... | I am always at home on Sunday. |
| - Negative | Subject + am/is/are + not + ... | He is not/isn't at work now. |
| ? Question | (QW) + am/is/are + Subject + ...? | Where are you? Are you at the railway station? |
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2.Use
2.1Basic Information about a Person
You give the main information about a person with the verb to be.
| Example |
|---|
| I am Stacy. |
| I am a student. |
| I am 20 years old. |
| He is Paul. |
| He is a teacher. |
| We are friends. |
| They are students. |
| You are 35 years old. |
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2.2Information about Things or People
You give more information about people, things, or places with the verb to be.
| Example |
|---|
| He is tall and strong. |
| They are polite. |
| The sky is blue today. |
| My dog is small. |
| The book is interesting. |
| She is kind. |
| My table is red. |
| They are clever. |
| The phrase to be (am/is/are) + adjective is very common in English. People use it every day. |
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2.3Location
We use to be to say where someone or something is.
| Example |
|---|
| I am at home. |
| She is in the park. |
| The books are on the table. |
| They are at school. |
| We are in the kitchen. |
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2.4Feelings
You tell others how you feel or ask them about their feelings. You use the verb to be to describe emotions or moods in a simple way.
| Example |
|---|
| I am happy. |
| She is tired. |
| We are excited. |
| He is sad. |
| They are nervous. |
| They are angry. |
| He is bored. |
Test yourself
3.Frequently asked questions
When do you use the verb to be (am, is, are) in English?
You use am, is and are to say who someone is, what someone or something is like, where they are, and how they feel. For example: "I am a student" (who), "The book is interesting" (what it is like), "She is in the park" (where) and "We are excited" (feelings). You also use to be for age: "I am 20 years old".
Am, is or are: when do you use each form of the verb to be?
Use am with I, is with he, she, it and one person or thing, and are with you, we, they and plural nouns. So you say "I am tired", "My dog is small" and "My friends are at school". You always takes are, even when you talk to one person: "You are my friend", not "You is my friend".
Is it correct to say 'I be happy' with the verb to be?
No, in a present simple sentence the verb to be changes to am, is or are: say "I am happy", not "I be happy". Be is only the name of the verb. The same goes for to be and being: say "They are at school", not "They be at school" or "They being at school".
Is it correct to say 'I have 20 years', or do you use to be for age?
No, English uses the verb to be for age, not have: say "I am 20 years old" or simply "I am 20". "I have 20 years" is a common mistake, because many languages use have for age. To ask about age, use to be too: "How old are you?" or "How old is your brother?"
How do you make negatives and questions with the verb to be?
For a negative, put not after am, is or are; for a question, put am, is or are before the subject. Say "He is not at work" or "He isn't at work", not "He not is at work". For a question, say "Are you tired?" or "Where are you?", not "Do you are tired?" You don't need do with the verb to be.
