Introduction

We use the verb "to be" with

• adjectives (for example; to describe people and things)
• nouns (for example; jobs)
• locations (nouns / adverbs to say where)

For example:

Present	Past
I am tired. / I'm tired.	I was tired.
She is a doctor. / She's a doctor.	She was a doctor.
They are students. / They're students.	They were students.
I am here.	I was here.
We are at the hospital.	We were at the hospital.

Part 1 - "be" (positive)

We use:
"am", "is", "are" / "'m", "'s", "'re"
or "was" / "were".

For example - present:

I	am (I'm)	happy.
She / He / It	is (She's / He's / It's)
You We They	are (You're We're They're)

I	am (I'm)	an engineer.
She / He / It	is (She's / He's / It's)
You	are (You're We're They're)	an engineer. engineers.
We They		engineers.

For example - past:

I She / He / It	was	happy.
You We They	were

I She / He / It	was	an engineer.
You	were	an engineer. engineers.
We They		engineers.

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Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct positive form of the verb "be".

Present

• I hungry.
   
• My sister and I singers.
   
• My dog very young.
   

Past

• It a dangerous mountain.
   
• They late for work.
   
• The house very old.
   

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Part 2 - "be" (negative)

To make a negative sentence use
"am not", "is not", "are not" / "'m not", "isn't", "aren't"
or "wasn't" / "weren't".


For example - present:

I	am not 'm not	happy.
She / He / It	is not isn't
You We They	are not aren't

I	am not 'm not	an engineer.
She / He / It	is not isn't
You	are not aren't	an engineer. engineers.
We They	are not aren't	engineers.

For example - past:

I She / He / It	was not wasn't	happy.
You We They	were not weren't

I She / He / It	was not wasn't	an engineer.
You	were not weren't	an engineer. engineers.
We They		engineers.

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Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct negative form of the verb "be".

Present

• Polly an actress.
   
• David and Jim fat.
   
• I a good swimmer.
   

Past

• The weather good yesterday.
   
• My parents poor.
   
• We at the cinema last night.
   

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Part 3 - "be" (questions)

To make questions we put
"am", "is", "are" or "was", "were" before the subject.


For example - present:

Am	I	happy?
Is	she / he / it
Are	you we they

Am	I	an engineer?
Is	she / he / it
Are	you	an engineer? engineers?
	we they	engineers?

For example - past:

Was	I she / he / it	happy?
Were	you we they

Was	I she / he / it	an engineer?
Were	you	an engineer? engineers?
	we they	engineers?

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Practice

Complete the questions with the correct form of the verb "be".

Present

• Pierre French?
   
• the books on the shelf?
   
• I late?
   

Past

• your parents at home?
   
• he a fireman.
   
• I right?
   

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Further practice

Choose the correct answer to complete the sentence: a, b, c or d.

• My sister ____ a famous sportswoman.


aren't is weren't am



• The supermarket ____ open today.


isn't aren't weren't am



• ____ you upset?


Is Am Are Was



• ____ a dentist?


Was Tom Tom are Were Tom Are Tom



• We ____ excited about the trip.


isn't wasn't is were 



• I ____ there.


aren't isn't wasn't weren't

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Further reading

The verb "be" is also an auxiliary (helping) verb and is used to make continuous tenses:

• Beginner:
  • present continuous
  • past continuous
  • be going to
• Intermediate:
  • future continuous
  • present perfect continuous
• Advanced:
  • future perfect continuous
  • past perfect continuous

Please see separate worksheets for an explanation of these tenses.