The Verb “To Be”: I am, You are…

Hook

“I am a student. You are my teacher. It is Monday.” Almost every first sentence you say in English uses the verb be. It is the most important verb to learn first, and it is a little irregular, so let’s look at it carefully.

Notice

  • I am Ana. I‘m from Spain.
  • You are my friend.
  • He is a doctor. She‘s a nurse.
  • It is cold today.
  • We are students. They‘re teachers.
  • I‘m not tired. He isn’t at home.
  • Are you ready? — Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.

Which subjects use am? Which use is? Which use are?

Rule

SubjectPositiveShort formNegativeQuestion
IamI’mI’m notAm I…?
you / we / theyareyou’re / we’re / they’rearen’tAre you…?
he / she / itishe’s / she’s / it’sisn’tIs she…?

Questions: put the verb first: You are ready → Are you ready?

Short answers: Yes, I am. / No, I’m not. · Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t. (Don’t use the short form in a “yes” short answer: Yes, I am, not Yes, I’m.)

We use be for names, age, jobs, nationality, feelings and places: I’m 25. She’s a teacher. We’re Brazilian. I’m happy. They’re at school.

Watch Out

  • ✗ I have 25 years. → ✓ I’m 25 (years old). (age uses be)
  • ✗ She teacher. → ✓ She’s a teacher. (don’t forget the verb and a/an)
  • ✗ You are ready? → ✓ Are you ready? (questions start with the verb)
  • ✗ Yes, I’m. → ✓ Yes, I am.

Practice

  1. I ___ from Bangladesh.
  2. She ___ a doctor.
  3. They ___ students.
  4. Make it negative: “He is tired.”
  5. Make a question: “You are ready.”
  6. Short answer: “Is it cold?” (no)
  7. Correct the mistake: “My brother have 18 years.”
  8. Write the short form: “We are late.”
Show the answers
  1. am
  2. is
  3. are
  4. He isn’t tired. / He’s not tired.
  5. Are you ready?
  6. No, it isn’t.
  7. My brother is 18 (years old).
  8. We’re late.

Your Turn

Write six true sentences with be: your name, your age, your nationality, your job or school, how you feel today, and one person you know (My sister is…). Make one of them negative.

Connect

Our Grammar Quiz has quick questions on everyday grammar with an explanation after each answer. Choose A1.

Try our Grammar Quiz →

Our Error Correction tool shows sentences with one mistake, like “She teacher”. Can you fix them?

Try Error Correction →

CEFR A1 — Spoken Production: I can use simple phrases and sentences to describe myself and people I know.

Azizul Hakim
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