The Verb
To Be
The verb “to be” is one of the most important verbs in English. We use it to:
- Talk about who we are
- Describe people and things
- Say where things are
1. Forms of “To Be”
Affirmative Sentences
- I am (I’m) from Indiana.
- He/She/It is (He’s/She’s/It’s) my roommate.
- You/We/They are (You’re/We’re/They’re) close friends.
Negative Sentences
- I am not (I’m not) from Florida.
- He/She/It is not (isn’t/He’s not/She’s not/It’s not) my boyfriend.
- You/We/They are not (aren’t/You’re not/We’re not/They’re not) close friends.
Questions
- Am I late?
- Is he/she/it from Indiana?
- Are they your neighbors?
Short Answers
- Yes, I am. / No, I am not (I’m not).
- Yes, he/she/it is. / No, he/she/it is not (isn’t).
- Yes, you/we/they are. / No, you/we/they are not (aren’t).
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am | I am not | Am I? |
| You | You are | You are not / You aren't | Are you? |
| He | He is | He is not / He isn't | Is he? |
| She | She is | She is not / She isn't | Is she? |
| It | It is | It is not / It isn't | Is it? |
| We | We are | We are not / We aren't | Are we? |
| They | They are | They are not / They aren't | Are they? |
2. WH Questions with To Be
WH Questions are used to ask for specific information.
A) Common WH Question Words
Who: asks about people
Who is she?
What: asks about things
What is this?
Where: asks about places
Where are you?
Why: asks for reasons
Why are you sad?
How: asks about manner or condition
How are you?
B) Structure for WH Questions
WH word + am/is/are + subject?
Who is he?
What is this?
Where are we?
Examples:
Who is that man?
(Answer: He is my teacher.)
Where are the keys?
(Answer: They are on the table.)
Why is she late?
(Answer: She missed the bus.)
3. Examples
- I am a student. I’m not a teacher.
- She is my friend. She isn’t my sister.
- They are at home. They aren’t at school.
- Is he your brother? Yes, he is.
- Are you hungry? No, I am not.
