Present Simple of "be"
Learn the English present simple forms of the verb be, am, is, and are, used with different subjects to describe people, things, and situations.
What Is the Verb “Be”?
The verb be is one of the most common verbs in English. We use it to describe people, things, and situations.
In the present simple, be has three forms:
- am
- is
- are
The correct form depends on the subject.
- I am
- He is
- She is
- It is
- You are
- We are
- They are
When Do We Use "Be"?
We use am / is / are in many everyday situations.
| We use be for... | Example |
|---|---|
| Job | I am a teacher. |
| Name | I am Sam. |
| Feelings | She is happy. |
| Description | Our car is white. |
| Age | He is 10 years old. |
| Place | We are at home. |
| Weather | It is sunny today. |
| Time | It is four o'clock. |
| Nationality | He is Spanish. |
After be, we often use:
- a noun (a person, thing, or idea)
- an adjective (a describing word)
- a place (for example, at home, in Paris, here)
Noun: She is a teacher.
Adjective: He is happy.
Place: We are at home.
Do not use be before an ordinary main verb:
- ✓ “I work in a shop.”
- ✗ “I am work in a shop.”
Choosing the Correct Form
Choose the form of be that matches the subject.
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| I | am |
| He / She / It | is |
| You / We / They | are |
I am tired.
He is my brother.
The weather is nice.
You are welcome.
We are ready.
They are friends.
My parents are teachers.
The books are on the table.
You always uses are.
This is true for one person and more than one person.
- You are my friend.
- You are all welcome.
Positive Sentences
The basic pattern is:
Subject + am / is / are + information
Common short forms:
| Long form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I am | I'm |
| He is | He's |
| She is | She's |
| It is | It's |
| You are | You're |
| We are | We're |
| They are | They're |
- I'm a student.
- He's 10 years old.
- She's Spanish.
- It is sunny today.
- You are at home.
- We are neighbours.
- They are in the park.
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Negative Sentences
To make a sentence negative, add not after am, is, or are.
The basic pattern is:
Subject + am / is / are + not + information
Common short forms:
| Long form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I am not | I'm not |
| He is not | He isn't / He's not |
| She is not | She isn't / She's not |
| It is not | It isn't / It's not |
| You are not | You aren't / You're not |
| We are not | We aren't / We're not |
| They are not | They aren't / They're not |
There is no short form amn't in standard English. Say I’m not.
- I’m not a teacher.
- He isn’t at school today.
- She’s not from France.
- It isn’t sunny today.
- You aren’t late.
- We’re not at work.
- They aren’t in the classroom.
Questions with “Be”
To make a question, put am, is, or are before the subject.
The basic pattern is:
Am / Is / Are + subject + information?
Questions and Answers:
- Am I late? → Yes, you are. / No, you aren't.
- Is she ready? → Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
- Is it cold? → Yes, it is. / No, it isn't.
- Are you hungry? → Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
- Are we late? → Yes, we are. / No, we aren't.
- Are they ready? → Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.
When someone asks Am I…?, the answer uses you:
- Am I right? → Yes, you are.
When someone asks Are you…?, the answer uses I:
- Are you ready? → Yes, I am.
Wh-questions with “be”
Put the question word before am / is / are:
Wh-question word + am / is / are + subject + information?
- “What's your name?”
- “Where are you from?”
- “How old are you?”
- “Where's the station?”
- “How's your family?”
- “Who is that?”
- “What are these?”
Common mistakes with be:
- ✗ “I have 20 years.” → ✓ “I am 20 years old.”
- ✗ “You is late.” → ✓ “You are late.”
Quick Summary
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am / I'm | I'm not | Am I...? |
| He | He is / He's | He isn't / He's not | Is he...? |
| She | She is / She's | She isn't / She's not | Is she...? |
| It | It is / It's | It isn't / It's not | Is it...? |
| You | You are / You're | You aren't / You're not | Are you...? |
| We | We are / We're | We aren't / We're not | Are we...? |
| They | They are / They're | They aren't / They're not | Are they...? |
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Present Simple (be)
41 wordsLast updated October 14, 2026