Verb To Be

The verb To Be
It

is irregular and it doesnt follow the

conjugations rules of the regular verbs.
It is used in an independant way, and it has
to be analysed as such.
It is an auxiliary verb. It is used to form the
progressive tenses of other verbs.

Uses of the verb To Be

1. To express real facts in Present Tense:

I am at the university
You are the teacher
He is sick
Mary is a good student
We are in the class
You are at the University
They are English students

Uses of the verb

2. It is used to express routines or habits:
* I am awake early in the morning
*
*
*
*
*

You are in the shower at 7:00 a.m.

Paul is in the car at 8:00 a.m..
Helen is at the gym every day at noon.
We are in class during the morning.
You are in your English class in the afternoon.

* They are on the bus at 6:00 p.m..

Affirmative form of the verb To Be

I
You
He
She
It
We
You
They

am
are
is
is
is
are
are
are

at home

Negative form of the verb To Be

Im
You
He
She
It
We
You
They

not
arent
isnt
isnt
isnt
arent
arent
arent

at home

Interrogative form of the verb To Be

Am
Are
Is
Is
Is
Are
Are
Are

I
You
He
She
It
We
You
They

at home

The verb To Be is also used in some

special cases:

To express the age:

How old are you?
I am 20 years old
How old is he ?
He is 20 years old
How old is she?
He / she / it is 5 years old
How old are we ?
We are 18 years old
How old are you ?
You are 17 years old
How old are they?
They are 19 years old

Special cases:
To

express sensations:
I
am
You
are
He / she / it is
cold / hungry / hot/ thirsty
We
are
You
are
They
are

Special cases
The

verb To Be is also used to talk about

the climate or the weather:
* It is a sunny day
* It is cloudy
* It is raining
* It is a snowy day

Exercises

Answer the following questions with complete sentences :

1. What is your name? ___________________________________

2. How old are you? _____________________________________
3. Whats your address? __________________________________
4. Whats your telephone number? __________________________
5. Who is your best friend? ________________________________
6. Whats your fathers name?______________________________
7. Whats your mothers name?_____________________________
8. How is the weather today? ______________________________
9. Where are you now? __________________________________
10. Where is the teacher?__________________________________

Check your answers:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

What is your name?

My name is _____________
How old are you?
I am ___________ years old.
Whats your address?
My address is ___________
Whats your telephone number? My telephone number is ___
Who is your best friend?
My best friend is _________
Whats your fathers name?
My fathers name is _______
Whats your mothers name? My mothers name is ______
How is the weather today?
The weather today is ______
or Today it is ____________
9. Where are you now?
Now I am in class ________
10. Where is the teacher?
The teacher is in the classroom

Fill in the blanks with the correct

form of the verb To Be
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

The student _____ in the classroom.

I _____ at the cafeteria.
Mary _____ a good student.
Peter and John _____ good friends.
Mary, John and me _____ at the university.
Helen and Debby _____ the most beautiful girls in the class.
The books ______ on the table, they _________ under the table.
The weather _____ warm and humid today.
It _____ hot outside.
She _____ eighteen years old.
Peter and Jane _____ very hungry and thirsty.
The air conditioning _____ very high, and I _____ very cold.
_____ she in class now? No, she _____ in class.
_____ the students playing soccer? Yes, they _____ playing soccer

Check your answers again:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

The student is in the classroom.

I am at the cafeteria.
Mary is a good student.
Peter and John are good friends.
Mary, John and me are at the university.
Helen and Debby are the most beautiful girls in the class.
The books are on the table, they arent (are not) under the table
The weather is warm and humid today.
It is hot outside.
She is eighteen years old.
Peter and Jane are very hungry and thirsty.
The air conditioning is very high, and I am very cold.
Is she in class now? No, she isnt (is not) in class.
Are the students playing soccer? Yes, they are playing soccer

Homework:

Interview a classmate:
Ask 6 questions about his or her hobbies;
at least 3 answers must be affirmative and
3 negative.
Then change roles.
Next class handle in the written homework

It is all for now!!!!

Make

sure to practice the Present Tense of

the verb To Be in the Affirmative, Negative
and Interrogative forms.

This material has been prepared and adapted from

different sources by Mercedes Urdaneta de Gonzlez