To show the status or characteristics of something or someone.
We will explain its different forms and uses. Take into account that The Infinitive form of the verb is To Be.
Conjugated in Simple Past, "Was - Were".
Conjugated in Participle, "Been".
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In the Indicative form, this verb has 3 forms...
Am – Is – Are.
Each form belongs to different Pronouns.
PRONOUN |
TO BE |
CONTRACTION |
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 |
That is to say that, when the Personal Pronoun "I" appears in a sentence, we must use "Am".
When the Pronoun is
He - She - It
we use "Is".
When the Pronoun is
You - We - They
we use "Are".
The short form (or contraction) is often used in conversations or informal texts.
-
Examples
I am interested.
She is tall and pretty.
They are students.
Emily is my sister.
("Emily" equals the personal pronoun "She", so we write "Emily Is").Tom and Emily are friends.
("Tom and Emily" equals the personal pronoun "They", so we write "Tom and Emily Are").I'm 23 years old.
Manny is 3 years old.
To negate the verb "To Be" we do not need an auxiliary.
PRONOUN |
TO BE |
CONTRACTION |
I |
Am not |
I'm not |
You |
Are not |
You aren't |
He |
Is not |
He isn't |
She |
Is not |
She isn't |
It |
Is not |
It isn't |
We |
Are not |
We aren't |
They |
Are not |
They aren't |
That is to say that, to write the negative form of the verb "To Be", we add "Not" after the verb (or the short form or contraction).
In the Interrogative form, the verb "To Be" is written before the Pronoun or Subject of the sentence and it can't be contracted.
TO BE |
PRONOUN |
Am |
I |
Are |
You |
Is |
He |
Is |
She |
Is |
It |
Are |
We |
Are |
They |
Conjugated in the Simple Past, the form of the verb changes.
PRONOUN |
TO BE |
I |
Was |
You |
Were |
He |
Was |
She |
Was |
It |
Was |
We |
Were |
They |
Were |
In the Simple Past, the Negative form of the verb "To Be" can be contracted.
PRONOUN |
TO BE |
CONTRACTION |
I |
Was not |
Wasn't |
You |
Were not |
Weren't |
He |
Was not |
Wasn't |
She |
Was not |
Wasn't |
It |
Was not |
Wasn't |
We |
Were not |
Weren't |
They |
Were not |
Weren't |
Like in the Present, the verb "To Be" is written before the Pronoun or Subject of the sentence.
TO BE |
PRONOUN |
Was |
I |
Were |
You |
Was |
He |
Was |
She |
Was |
It |
Were |
We |
Were |
They |
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Answer
Correct Answer
The verb To Be hasn't got a negative form.
True
Try again
False
Great!
Bob _ _ _ _ _ my doctor.
Good!
aren't
Keep trying
doesn't is
Try again
_ _ _ _ _ she at work yesterday?
Did
Wrong answer
Was
You did it!
Were
Keep trying
My grandparents _ _ _ _ _ driving home.
is
Try again
be
Wrong answer
weren't
Great!
I _ _ _ _ _ going with you.
Keep trying
Cool!
is
Try again
The Verb To be has 3 forms in the Present Tense.
True
You did it!
False
Wrong answer
The Past form of the Verb To be is only WAS.
True
Try again
False
That´s it!
The Past Participle of the Verb To be is BEEN.
True
Correct answer!
False
Try again
She _ _ _ _ _ so pretty!
is
Well done!
are
Keep trying
am
Try again
They _ _ _ _ _ my parents.
isnt's
Keep trying
aren't
Cool!
am
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I _ _ _ _ _ as tall as you.
'm
Great!
is
Try again
ar
Wrong answer
Emily _ _ _ _ _ studying yesterday.
were
Keep trying
am
Try again
was
Cool!
Tom and Peter _ _ _ _ _ friends.
was
Wrong answer
were
You did it!
been
Keep trying
My mom _ _ _ _ _ at work.
wasn't
That´s it!
weren't
Try again
were
Wrong answer
_ _ _ _ _ she your sister?
Be
Keep trying
Is
Correct answer!
Am
Try again