Yes / No Questions with the verb "to be" (A1)

1. What Are Yes/No Questions?

Yes/No questions are questions that can be answered with Yes or No.

In this lesson, you will learn how to make Yes/No questions with the verb be.

Is she happy?

Yes, she is.

No, she isn't.

2. How to Make Yes/No Questions with "Be"

The verb be is different from most other verbs.

To make a question, move am, is, or are before the subject.

Statement	Question
She is happy.	Is she happy?
They are at home.	Are they at home?
I am late.	Am I late?

The information after the subject can be:

an adjective (happy, ready)
a noun (a teacher, your friend)
a place (at home, in the office)
a time expression (late, early)

Do not use do or does with the verb be.

✗ Does she is happy?

✓ Is she happy?

3. How to Answer Yes/No Questions

Short answers always use:

Yes / No + subject + be

Positive answers

Question	Short answer
Am I early?	Yes, you are.
Is she happy?	Yes, she is.
Are they ready?	Yes, they are.

When the question uses I, the answer uses you — because the speaker and listener swap roles.

Am I early? → Yes, you are.

Do not contract affirmative short answers: say Yes, she is, not Yes, she’s.

Negative answers

Question	Short answer
Am I early?	No, you are not. / No, you're not. / No, you aren't.
Is she happy?	No, she is not. / No, she's not. / No, she isn't.
Are they ready?	No, they are not. / No, they're not. / No, they aren't.

The long and short forms are both correct.

For A1, use No, she isn’t as the easiest default negative answer. Other negative forms are also correct.

4. Past Questions with Was/Were

Use the same word order in the past: was/were + subject + information?

Statement	Question	Short answer
She was tired.	Was she tired?	Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.
They were at home.	Were they at home?	Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t.

5. Questions with There Is/Are

Move is/are before there:

Is there a café near here? — Yes, there is.
Are there any buses today? — No, there aren’t.

6. Common Mistakes

Incorrect	Correct
She is happy?	Is she happy?
Does she is happy?	Is she happy?
Are you a teacher? Yes, you are.	Are you a teacher? Yes, I am.
Is she happy? Yes, she happy.	Is she happy? Yes, she is.

Quick check

Try one question now

you tired after work today?

Check your answer when you are ready.

7. Quick Summary

Move am, is, or are before the subject to make a question.
Do not use do or does with the verb be.
Answer with Yes / No + subject + be.