Connect a person with information
English normally needs both a subject and a verb in a complete statement. A name followed only by a job, with no verb, is not a complete sentence. The verb be connects the person to information about that person. It can introduce a job, a feeling, an origin, or a location. English uses the same verb for permanent and temporary qualities. A person can be a teacher for a short period or tired for a long period, and the same verb still works. Decide who the subject is before you choose the form of be.
I am a student.
The speaker is a student.
The speaker is the subject, so the sentence uses I. The verb am goes only with I. Student is a singular count noun (a noun for one person or thing that you can count), so it needs the article a.
Nora is tired.
Nora feels tired.
One person’s name takes the same verb form as a singular third person pronoun. The adjective describes her condition. There is no article before this adjective because it is not a singular count noun.
Match the verb to the subject, not the nearest word
First, find the subject: the person or thing that the sentence is about. The basic forms are I am, you are, he is, she is, it is, we are, and they are. Use are with you for one person and for a group. Two subjects joined by and usually make a plural subject, which takes are. Other words can come between the subject and the verb. In The box of pencils is blue, the subject is the box, so it takes is. The word pencils is nearer to the verb, but it is not the subject.
You are early.
The listener has arrived early.
Here the speaker is talking to one person. Use are with you for one person and for a group. Never use is with you.
Lena and Omar are here.
Both Lena and Omar are here.
Two names joined by and make a plural subject, which takes are. The sentence says where both people are. Here does not need an article. Do not leave out the verb between the subject and here.
Follow a complete example
Build a sentence with this meaning: The listener has arrived early. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: The listener has arrived early. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- Here the speaker is talking to one person. Use are with you for one person and for a group. Never use is with you.
- Now read the complete sentence: You are early. Check the words around your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change with a different subject or a different message. Then cover this example and rebuild the sentence from its meaning.
You are early. The listener has arrived early.
Use contractions inside a complete statement
Contractions combine a pronoun with a form of be. The apostrophe (’) shows where letters are missing: I’m, you’re, he’s, she’s, it’s, we’re, and they’re. They are ordinary in conversation and many informal messages. A contraction is not a different tense or a weaker statement. Always write the apostrophe, because without it some contractions become other words: it’s becomes its, and we’re becomes were. Your shows possession, but you’re means you are. To check a contraction, write it as two full words. If those words do not make sense in the sentence, the spelling is probably wrong.
You’re in room six.
You are in room six.
The full form is you are: a subject and a present verb, followed by a place. The sentence tells the listener where they are. Do not forget the apostrophe, because your is a different word that shows possession.
They’re my neighbors.
They are my neighbors.
They’re contains both the plural subject and its verb: they are. The phrase my neighbors says who those people are. In many accents, they’re sounds like their, which shows possession, and there, which refers to a place. They are different words with different spellings.
References for this explanation
Make the verb negative without adding do
Put not after am, is, or are. You can keep the words separate or use a standard contraction. She is not, she’s not, and she isn’t express the same basic negative meaning. With I, the usual contracted version is I’m not. Standard American English does not normally use amn’t. Do not build these sentences with do or does. Those helpers belong to another pattern, used with ordinary verbs such as work. Compare She isn’t tired with She doesn’t work here.
I am not late.
The speaker denies being late.
Not comes right after am. Keep both the subject and the verb. The order stays the same when a longer phrase follows not, such as a feeling, a job, or a place.
The shops aren’t open.
The shops are closed.
The subject refers to several shops, so the negative contraction contains the plural form. The adjective has the same spelling whether one shop or several shops are described. English adjectives do not take a plural ending.
References for this explanation
Turn a statement into a question
For a basic question, place the form of be before the subject. You are ready becomes Are you ready? The remaining description stays in place. Use a question mark in writing and a natural question intonation when speaking. Question words such as where come before the verb: Where are you? These are questions about a state or location, so there is no additional do. In conversation, people sometimes keep statement order and use a rising voice to show surprise or to check something. The neutral question pattern in this lesson puts the verb before the subject.
Is the room quiet?
Ask whether the room is quiet.
One room is the subject, so the question begins with the singular form Is. The adjective quiet stays after the subject. When the subject and the verb change places, the statement The room is quiet becomes a question about the same idea.
Where are the tickets?
Ask for the location of the tickets.
The question word Where comes first. Next comes the verb, and then the plural subject the tickets. A plural subject takes are. The answer is a place, not yes or no.
References for this explanation
Keep the full verb in positive short answers
A short answer repeats the subject and the relevant verb rather than the whole description. When someone asks Are you ready? you can reply Yes, I am or No, I’m not. Notice that the pronoun changes with the speaker’s point of view. Positive short answers never end with a contraction: say Yes, she is, not Yes, she’s. Negative short answers can end with a contraction such as isn’t or aren’t. Learn these replies as fixed patterns, not as a longer sentence cut off at any point.
Yes, I am.
Answer yes when asked whether you are ready.
The question addresses you, but you answer about yourself. The reply therefore uses the first person subject and its verb. A positive short answer ends with the full verb, even when a longer statement could contain a contraction.
No, she isn’t.
Answer no when asked whether Nora is at home.
A negative short answer can end with the contraction isn’t. The pronoun she refers back to Nora. You can leave out at home because the question already mentioned it.
Try the reasoning with less help
Build a sentence with this meaning: Answer yes when asked whether you are ready. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: Answer yes when asked whether you are ready. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The question addresses you, but you answer about yourself. The reply therefore uses the first person subject and its verb. A positive short answer ends with the full verb, even when a longer statement could contain a contraction.
- Now read the complete sentence: Yes, I am. Check the words around your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change with a different subject or a different message. Then cover this example and rebuild the sentence from its meaning.
Compare your reasoning
Yes, I am. Answer yes when asked whether you are ready.
References for this explanation
Use be for age and put frequency words after it
Use be to give a person’s age in English: I am twenty. Some languages use a verb meaning have for age, but English does not. Descriptions can include a singular profession with an article, an adjective without an article, or a place phrase. Put a frequency word such as usually after be, as in We are usually early. With an ordinary verb, it normally comes before the verb. This lesson concerns present forms used as the main verb. Later you will also meet be as a helper in is working and passive constructions. Those patterns need their own explanation.
She is twenty.
State that she is twenty years old.
English uses be for age. The number can stand alone when the meaning is clear, or you can add years old. The subject she is third person singular, so it takes is.
We are usually early.
Say that your group tends to arrive early.
A frequency word such as usually normally comes after the main verb be. The sentence describes a habit, but the verb form does not change. For a group that includes the speaker, the subject is we, which takes are.
Notice the difference
Common mistakes
Keep the subject
Instead ofAm ready.
For this meaningI am ready.
A complete English statement needs a subject. The verb am goes only with I, but English still needs the word I in the sentence. Some informal notes leave out the subject, but practice the complete sentence here. Put the subject back before you choose a contraction or add a description.
Use an article with a job
Instead ofShe is teacher.
For this meaningShe is a teacher.
Teacher is a singular count noun for a job, so it normally needs a determiner: a word such as a, the, or my. The verb itself is correct. Add the indefinite article a. An adjective such as tired takes no article. The rule depends on the kind of word after the verb, not on which job it is.
Use an action verb without be
Instead ofI am work here.
For this meaningI work here.
An action verb in the simple present does not need be before it. Decide whether you are describing a state with an adjective or stating an action with a verb such as work. For an action in progress, English uses be with the ing form of a verb, but that is a different pattern with a different meaning.
From understanding to using
Make your own example.
Try these without answer choices. Say your answer aloud or write it below, then compare your reasoning with the model.
Your turn 1
Introduce yourself as a student, say where you are (the library), and deny being tired. Write three complete statements before opening the model.
Compare with a model
I am a student. I am in the library. I am not tired.
The speaker identifies their role and location and denies feeling tired.
All three sentences have the same subject, I, so the verb stays am. The words after the verb follow different patterns: student needs an article, a place uses a preposition such as in, and an adjective such as tired has no article. The negative adds not after the verb. You could use the contraction I’m in each sentence without changing the message.
- Does your answer say what the task asked for?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Your turn 2
Ask whether two friends are ready. Then give two short answers about them, first with yes and then with no.
Compare with a model
Are they ready? Yes, they are. No, they are not.
Ask about the friends and give both possible replies.
The two friends are represented by the plural pronoun. The question puts the verb before that subject. Both short replies return to statement order, and the positive reply keeps its final verb uncontracted. In the negative reply, a contraction of the verb and negative word is also possible. Keep the adjective unchanged when shifting between one friend and two friends.
- Does your answer say what the task asked for?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Put it into practice
Make the next choice.
Choose a response and learn why it works. Your score reflects your first answer to each question. You can revisit anything you miss.
Choose an answer, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.
Question 1
Complete the sentence for this meaning: The speaker studies at a school.
I ___ a student.
- am
- is
Check the answer
Answer: am
am: The speaker is the subject, so the sentence uses I. The verb am goes only with I. Student is a singular count noun (a noun for one person or thing that you can count), so it needs the article a.
is: This form belongs with a third person singular subject, such as a name or she. It does not agree with the subject I.
Question 2
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Nora feels tired.
Nora ___ tired.
- are
- is
Check the answer
Answer: is
are: This form would match a plural subject or you. A single person’s name needs the singular third person form here.
is: One person’s name takes the same verb form as a singular third person pronoun. The adjective describes her condition. There is no article before this adjective because it is not a singular count noun.
Question 3
Complete the sentence for this meaning: The listener has arrived early.
You ___ early.
- are
- is
Check the answer
Answer: are
are: Here the speaker is talking to one person. Use are with you for one person and for a group. Never use is with you.
is: Even when you speak to only one person, use are with you, never is. With you, the verb does not change with the number of people.
Question 4
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Lena and Omar have both arrived here.
Lena and Omar ___ here.
- am
- are
Check the answer
Answer: are
am: This form goes only with I. It cannot agree with two named people.
are: Two names joined by and make a plural subject, which takes are. The sentence says where both people are. Here does not need an article. Do not leave out the verb between the subject and here.
Question 5
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Tell the listener that they have reached room six.
___ in room six.
- You’re
- Your
Check the answer
Answer: You’re
You’re: The full form is you are: a subject and a present verb, followed by a place. The sentence tells the listener where they are. Do not forget the apostrophe, because your is a different word that shows possession.
Your: Your shows possession and needs a noun after it. It cannot mean you are, so the sentence would have no verb.
Question 6
Complete the sentence for this meaning: The speaker explains that those people live nearby.
___ my neighbors.
- Their
- They’re
Check the answer
Answer: They’re
Their: Their shows possession. It cannot mean they are, so the sentence would have no verb.
They’re: They’re contains both the plural subject and its verb: they are. The phrase my neighbors says who those people are. In many accents, they’re sounds like their, which shows possession, and there, which refers to a place. They are different words with different spellings.
Question 7
Complete the sentence for this meaning: The speaker denies being late.
I ___ late.
- am not
- don’t am
Check the answer
Answer: am not
am not: Not comes right after am. Keep both the subject and the verb. The order stays the same when a longer phrase follows not, such as a feeling, a job, or a place.
don’t am: Do is not used to make a negative with be. Keep am and put not right after it.
Question 8
Complete the sentence for this meaning: The shops have closed.
The shops ___ open.
- isn’t
- aren’t
Check the answer
Answer: aren’t
isn’t: This contains the singular verb. It would fit one shop, but it does not agree with the plural subject in this sentence.
aren’t: The subject refers to several shops, so the negative contraction contains the plural form. The adjective has the same spelling whether one shop or several shops are described. English adjectives do not take a plural ending.
Question 9
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Ask about the noise level in the room.
___ the room quiet?
- Is
- Does
Check the answer
Answer: Is
Is: One room is the subject, so the question begins with the singular form Is. The adjective quiet stays after the subject. When the subject and the verb change places, the statement The room is quiet becomes a question about the same idea.
Does: Does needs an ordinary verb in its base form. It cannot directly connect the room with the adjective in this question.
Question 10
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Ask for the location of the tickets.
Where ___ the tickets?
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: are
is: The plural noun phrase requires are. The question word does not make the following subject singular.
are: The question word Where comes first. Next comes the verb, and then the plural subject the tickets. A plural subject takes are. The answer is a place, not yes or no.
Question 11
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Answer yes to a question about you being ready.
Yes, I ___.
- am
- are
Check the answer
Answer: am
am: The question addresses you, but you answer about yourself. The reply therefore uses the first person subject and its verb. A positive short answer ends with the full verb, even when a longer statement could contain a contraction.
are: This form goes with you, we, or they. The reply is about yourself, so its subject is I, and the verb must be am.
Question 12
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Answer no to a question about Nora being at home.
No, she ___.
- aren’t
- isn’t
Check the answer
Answer: isn’t
aren’t: The subject she requires the singular verb. This plural contraction cannot agree with it in standard English.
isn’t: A negative short answer can end with the contraction isn’t. The pronoun she refers back to Nora. You can leave out at home because the question already mentioned it.
Question 13
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Say that she turned twenty.
She ___ twenty.
- is
- has
Check the answer
Answer: is
is: English uses be for age. The number can stand alone when the meaning is clear, or you can add years old. The subject she is third person singular, so it takes is.
has: English does not use has for age. Has shows possession, so it needs an object: something that she owns.
Question 14
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Say that your group tends to arrive early.
We ___ early.
- usually are do
- are usually
Check the answer
Answer: are usually
usually are do: This adds an extra helper, do, after the form of be. The statement needs only the subject, the verb are, and the frequency word usually.
are usually: A frequency word such as usually normally comes after the main verb be. The sentence describes a habit, but the verb form does not change. For a group that includes the speaker, the subject is we, which takes are.
Keep the conversation going
What to practice next
After a break, go back to your own examples above and do each task again without looking at the models. Compare the meaning and form with the models, and fix each mistake by explaining its cause. Then use one of your sentences in a short conversation of your own.
By Loquus ·
Sources
- British Council LearnEnglish: Present simple: be
- British Council LearnEnglish: Personal pronouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: Questions and negatives
- British Council LearnEnglish: Count nouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: Uncount nouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: The indefinite article
- British Council LearnEnglish: The definite article
- British Council LearnEnglish: Demonstratives
- British Council LearnEnglish: Where adjectives go in a sentence
- British Council LearnEnglish: How often
Learning research behind the practice
Worked examples, retrieval practice, and later review inform the activities. These studies do not establish the effectiveness of this specific lesson.
- Karpicke and Roediger: The critical importance of retrieval for learning
- Butler and Roediger: Feedback enhances the positive effects and reduces the negative effects of multiple choice testing
- Institute of Education Sciences: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning
- Rittle Johnson and Star: Compared to what?