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
.

1)

I    hungry.

 

2)

My sister and I    singers.

 

3)

My dog    very young.

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

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Past
.

1)

It    a dangerous mountain.

 

2)

They    late for work.

 

3)

The house    very old.

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

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
.

1)

Polly    an actress.

 

2)

David and Jim    fat.

 

3)

I    a good swimmer.

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

Past
.

1)

The weather    good yesterday.

 

2)

My parents    poor.

 

3)

We    at the cinema last night.

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

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
.

1)

   Pierre French?

 

2)

   the books on the shelf?

 

3)

   I late?

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

Past
.

1)

   your parents at home?

 

2)

   he a fireman.

 

3)

   I right?

 

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

Further practice

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

1)

My sister ____ a famous sportswoman.
 

is

aren't

am

weren't

 

---

2)

The supermarket ____ open today.
 

am

isn't

aren't

weren't

 

---

3)

____ you upset?
 

is

Are

Am

Was

 

---

4)

____ a dentist?
 

Tom are

Was Tom

Were Tom

Are Tom

 

---

5)

We ____ excited about the trip.
 

wasn't

were

isn't

is

 

---

6)

I ____ there.
 

wasn't

weren't

aren't

isn't

 

---

Please submit the missing answers shown in red
 

Submit

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.