Which present form of be matches each subject?

Use I am, he/she/it is, and you/we/they are. For example: I am ready., She is a teacher., They are at home.

Do I use do or does to make questions with be?

No. Move am/is/are before the subject: Are you tired? or Is he at home?. Use not after the verb for negatives: She is not tired.

What are the past forms of be?

Use was with I/he/she/it and were with you/we/they: I was late., They were ready. For questions, move the verb first: Were you late?

Sunny Academy

Loading page…

Sunny Academy for Android

Practise English on your Android device.

Download Android app

Verb To Be (am / is / are) - Forms, Usage & Common Mistakes

← Back to grammar

VerbsLevel A1 - Level A2

Verb To Be (am / is / are)

The verb 'to be' is essential for building basic English sentences. We use different forms—'am', 'is', and 'are'—to match the subject and show identity, characteristics, or location.

💡 Tips

Practice contractions regularly: I'm, she's, we're, isn't, aren't. This sounds more natural in conversation.
In questions, always put the verb to be at the start, before the subject: Are you...?, Is it...?, not You are...? or `It is...?'

Grammar Rules

✅

Positive form

Use am with I, is with he, she, it, and are with you, we, they.

Formulas:

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

Examples:

I am Anna.
She is a teacher.
They are students.

❌

Negative form

Make negatives by adding not after the verb: am not, is not (isn't), are not (aren't).

Examples:

I am not a doctor.
He isn't from Spain.
We aren't late.

❓

Question form

For yes/no questions, put the verb before the subject: Am I?, Is he/she/it?, Are you/we/they?

Examples:

Are you a student?
Is she from Armenia?
Am I late?

📝

Short answers

Use only the verb and subject for short answers.

Examples:

Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
Yes, he is. / No, he isn't.
Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.

📝

Present Simple and 'to be' doesn’t use do/does

Do not add do or does in questions or negatives with to be.

Correct: Are you tired? Not: Do you are tired?
Correct: He isn’t ready. Not: He doesn’t is ready.

📝

Subject/verb agreement is essential

Always match the form of to be with the subject.

I am
You/we/they are
He/she/it is

Mistakes like She am or They is are incorrect.

📝

Contractions in speaking and writing

Native speakers use contractions in everyday conversation and informal writing: I'm, you're, he's, it's, we're, they're, isn't, aren't.

Examples

EN"I am a student."

positive — I + am

EN"She is a teacher."

positive — she + is

EN"They are from Armenia."

positive — they + are

EN"I am not a doctor."

negative — am not

EN"Are you a student?"

question — are + you

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Wrong:

She am a doctor.

✅ Correct:

She is a doctor.

💡 Note:

Use is with he/she/it, never am.

❌ Wrong:

I is happy.

✅ Correct:

I am happy.

💡 Note:

am is only for I.

❌ Wrong:

He not is here.

✅ Correct:

He is not here. / He isn't here.

💡 Note:

not comes after the verb to be, never before.

❌ Wrong:

Are you student?

✅ Correct:

Are you a student?

💡 Note:

Add a before a singular, countable noun.

Practice Quiz 1 / 10

Choose the correct form of 'to be'.

I ____ a student.

Practice this lesson with Sunny

Answer a question using what you just learned and receive a suggested correction.

Start speaking

Write about it — Sunny checks it

Write a few English sentences using what you just learned. Get an estimated level for your sample, explanations of key errors and a suggested revision.

Write a short paragraph introducing yourself. Include your name, where you are from, your age, and two things about yourself (for example: job, hobby, or something you like/dislike). Use positive, negative, and question forms of to be.

Check the text

Frequently asked questions

Which present form of be matches each subject?: Use I am, he/she/it is, and you/we/they are. For example: I am ready., She is a teacher., They are at home.

Do I use do or does to make questions with be?: No. Move am/is/are before the subject: Are you tired? or Is he at home?. Use not after the verb for negatives: She is not tired.

What are the past forms of be?: Use was with I/he/she/it and were with you/we/they: I was late., They were ready. For questions, move the verb first: Were you late?

Related lessons

Dive deeper with another lesson that reinforces this grammar point.

Subject & Object Pronouns→Present Simple→Imperatives (Commands & Instructions)→

Share this lesson

Help us improve this topic

Share feedback to improve this topic. This is anonymous.

Grammar Level Test

Take a short test to get your estimated grammar level (A1–C2). Sign in from the result page to save it. Certificate availability and requirements are shown there.

Start test