Verb be: affirmative, negative and questions

What you'll learn

Use am, is and are to say who someone is, where something is, how someone feels or what something is like.

Start with these examples

• I am tired.
• She is a doctor.
• They are at home.
• Are you ready?
• He isn't late.

Choose am, is or are

Subject	Form of be	Example
I	am	I am happy.
you	are	You are early.
he / she / it	is	It is cold.
we / they	are	We are friends.

Affirmative sentences

subject + am/is/are + information

• I am 25.
• You are very kind.
• My brother is in Madrid.
• The books are on the desk.

Negative sentences

Put not after am, is or are.

• I am not busy.
• She is not at work.
• We are not late.

In conversation, use short forms: isn't and aren't.

Questions

Put am, is or are before the subject.

am/is/are + subject + information?

• Are you from Spain?
• Is she your sister?
• Are the shops open?

Short answers

• Are you hungry? — Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
• Is he at home? — Yes, he is. / No, he isn't.
• Are they students? — Yes, they are. / No, they aren't.

Common mistakes

• I is happy. → I am happy.
• They not are ready. → They are not ready.
• You are tired? → Are you tired?
• She are my friend. → She is my friend.

Quick check

• I ___ from Córdoba. → am
• My friends ___ at school. → are
• ___ he your teacher? → Is

Next step

Use adjectives after be to describe people and things.