Verb "To Be"
Formula
Examples
Usage
- •Identity and profession
- •Location and position
- •Feelings and condition
More Examples
I am hungry.
Current feeling or state
They are from Brazil.
Where someone is from
The keys are on the table.
Location of an object
Is it cold outside?
Question about weather/condition
Common Mistakes
- ✗❌ "I are happy" → ✓ "I am happy" (I always takes "am")
- ✗❌ "He are tall" → ✓ "He is tall" (he/she/it takes "is")
- ✗❌ "They is students" → ✓ "They are students" (they/we/you takes "are")
Tips
- ✓"To be" is used as a main verb (She is a nurse) and as an auxiliary (She is working).
- ✓Contractions are common: I'm, you're, he's, she's, we're, they're.
Advanced Notes
"To be" is the most irregular and most frequent verb in English — mastering it unlocks both simple sentences and all continuous/passive constructions where it acts as auxiliary. Learners whose first language omits linking verbs (Russian, Arabic, Mandarin) commonly drop "is/are" entirely: "She teacher" instead of "She is a teacher". Unlike action verbs, "to be" never takes "do/does" in questions or negatives.
Compare With
Other A1 Topics
Present Simple
Used for habits, facts, and permanent states
Past Simple
Used for completed actions at a specific past time
Future with Will
Used for predictions, promises, and spontaneous decisions
Articles: A, An, The
Used for specific vs general reference with nouns
Have Got
Used for possession and characteristics in informal British English
Plural Nouns
Forms plurals for more than one countable noun
Possessive Adjectives
Used for showing ownership or relationship before a noun
Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those
Used for pointing to near or far people, things, or ideas
There Is / There Are
Used for stating existence or presence of something in a place
Imperative
Used for commands, instructions, requests, or advice
Question Words: What, Where, When, Why, How, Who
Used for asking specific information using what, where, when, why, how, who