The Verb "Be": Am, Is, Are (Present and Past)
The verb "be" is one of the most important verbs in English. We use it all the time! Let's learn how to use it in the present and past.
What is the verb "be"?
The verb "be" tells us about a state or condition. It describes what something is, where it is, or how it is.
The verb "be" has different forms. We must use the correct form with each subject.
Present Simple: Am, Is, Are
Here are the present forms of "be":
- I am (I'm)
- You are (You're)
- He is (He's)
- She is (She's)
- It is (It's)
- We are (We're)
- They are (They're)
Examples in present:
- I am a student.
- You are very kind.
- He is from Spain.
- She is happy today.
- It is cold outside.
- We are at home.
- They are my friends.
Past Simple: Was, Were
In the past, "be" has only two forms: was and were.
- I was
- You were
- He was
- She was
- It was
- We were
- They were
Examples in past:
- I was a student last year.
- You were very kind yesterday.
- He was in Spain last month.
- She was happy on her birthday.
- It was cold last winter.
- We were at home last night.
- They were my classmates in 2020.
Easy rule to remember
Use WAS with: I, he, she, it
Use WERE with: you, we, they
When do we use the verb "be"?
1. To describe people or things:
- I am tall.
- The book is interesting.
- They were tired yesterday.
2. To say where someone or something is:
- She is at work.
- We are in the park.
- The keys were on the table.
3. To talk about jobs or nationalities:
- He is a doctor.
- I am German.
- She was a teacher before.
4. To describe feelings:
- I am happy.
- They are excited.
- He was sad last week.
Negative sentences
To make negative sentences, add not after the verb "be".
Present negative:
- I am not (I'm not) busy.
- You are not (aren't) late.
- He is not (isn't) at home.
- We are not (aren't) students.
Past negative:
- I was not (wasn't) tired.
- You were not (weren't) there.
- She was not (wasn't) happy.
- They were not (weren't) ready.
Questions
To make questions, put the verb "be" before the subject.
Present questions:
- Am I late?
- Are you okay?
- Is he your brother?
- Are they from Italy?
Past questions:
- Was I right?
- Were you at the party?
- Was she angry?
- Were they at school yesterday?
Common mistakes to avoid
Incorrect: I are happy.
Correct: I am happy.
Incorrect: He are my friend.
Correct: He is my friend.
Incorrect: They was at home.
Correct: They were at home.
Incorrect: She were tired yesterday.
Correct: She was tired yesterday.
Quick comparison: Present vs. Past
| Subject | Present | Past |
|---|---|---|
| I | am | was |
| You | are | were |
| He/She/It | is | was |
| We | are | were |
| They | are | were |
Practice tip
Every day, try to describe yourself using "be":
- Today: I am happy. I am at home.
- Yesterday: I was busy. I was at work.
The more you practice, the easier it becomes!
