The verb to be: forms, uses, and example sentences

The verb to be shows a state, condition, or gives information about the subject. It is used as both a main verb and an auxiliary verb. In this lesson, we will learn the use of the verb to be in the affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms with example sentences.

As a main verb:

1. I am a teacher.
2. You are my best friend.
3. She is an artist.
4. We are on the same team.
5. They are students at the local university.

As an auxiliary verb:

An auxiliary verb (also called a helping verb) is a verb used together with a main verb to help form tenses, voices, questions, or negatives.

1. I am playing the guitar.
2. You are reading a book.
3. He is swimming in the pool.
4. We are watching a movie.
5. They were eating breakfast when I came in.

1. Be verb in different forms

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1.1 Present simple

1. I am
2. You are
3. He is
4. She is
5. It is
6. We are
7. You are
8. They are

1. I'm
2. You're
3. He's
4. She's
5. It's
6. We're
7. You're
8. They're

1. I am not
2. You are not
3. He is not
4. She is not
5. It is not
6. We are not
7. You are not
8. They are not

1. I'm not
2. You're not
3. He's not
4. She's not
5. It's not
6. We're not
7. You're not
8. They're not

1. ---
2. You aren't
3. He isn't
4. She isn't
5. It isn't
6. We aren't
7. You aren't
8. They aren't

1. Am I?
2. Are you?
3. Is he?
4. Is she?
5. Is it?
6. Are we?
7. Are you?
8. Are they?

1. Am I not?
2. Are you not?
3. Is he not?
4. Is she not?
5. Is it not?
6. Are we not?
7. Are you not?
8. Are they not?

1. ---
2. Aren't you?
3. Isn't he?
4. Isn't she?
5. Isn't it?
6. Aren't we?
7. Aren't you?
8. Aren't they?

1.2. Past simple

1. I was
2. You were
3. He was
4. She was
5. It was
6. We were
7. You were
8. They were

1. I was not
2. You were not
3. He was not
4. She was not
5. It was not
6. We were not
7. You were not
8. They were not

1. I wasn’t
2. You weren’t
3. He wasn’t
4. She wasn’t
5. It wasn’t
6. We weren’t
7. You weren’t
8. They weren’t

1. Was I?
2. Were you?
3. Was he?
4. Was she?
5. Was it?
6. Were we?
7. Were you?
8. Were they?

1. Was I not?
2. Were you not?
3. Was he not?
4. Was she not?
5. Was it not?
6. Were we not?
7. Were you not?
8. Were they not?

1. Wasn’t I?
2. Weren’t you?
3. Wasn’t he?
4. Wasn’t she?
5. Wasn’t it?
6. Weren’t we?
7. Weren’t you?
8. Weren’t they?

1.3. Future simple

1. I will be ...
2. You will be ...
3. He will be ...
4. She will be ...
5. It will be ...
6. We will be ...
7. You will be ...
8. They will be ...

1. I’ll be ...
2. You’ll be ...
3. He’ll be ...
4. She’ll be ...
5. It’ll be ...
6. We’ll be ...
7. You’ll be ...
8. They’ll be ...

1. I will not be ...
2. You will not be ...
3. He will not be ...
4. She will not be ...
5. It will not be ...
6. We will not be ...
7. You will not be ...
8. They will not be ...

1. I won’t be ...
2. You won’t be ...
3. He won’t be ...
4. She won’t be ...
5. It won’t be ...
6. We won’t be ...
7. You won’t be ...
8. They won’t be ...

1. Will I be ...?
2. Will you be ...?
3. Will he be ...?
4. Will she be ...?
5. Will it be ...?
6. Will we be ...?
7. Will you be ...?
8. Will they be ...?

1. Will I not be ...?
2. Will you not be ...?
3. Will he not be ...?
4. Will she not be ...?
5. Will it not be ...?
6. Will we not be ...?
7. Will you not be ...?
8. Will they not be ...?

1. Won’t I be ...?
2. Won’t you be ...?
3. Won’t he be ...?
4. Won’t she be ...?
5. Won’t it be ...?
6. Won’t we be ...?
7. Won’t you be ...?
8. Won’t they be ...?

1.4. Present continuous

1. I am being
2. You are being
3. He is being
4. She is being
5. It is being
6. We are being
7. You are being
8. They are being

1. I’m being
2. You’re being
3. He’s being
4. She’s being
5. It’s being
6. We’re being
7. You’re being
8. They’re being

1. I am not being
2. You are not being
3. He is not being
4. She is not being
5. It is not being
6. We are not being
7. You are not being
8. They are not being

1. I’m not being
2. You’re not being
3. He’s not being
4. She’s not being
5. It’s not being
6. We’re not being
7. You’re not being
8. They’re not being

1. ---
2. You aren’t being
3. He isn’t being
4. She isn’t being
5. It isn’t being
6. We aren’t being
7. You aren’t being
8. They aren’t being

1. Am I being ...?
2. Are you being ...?
3. Is he being ...?
4. Is she being ...?
5. Is it being ...?
6. Are we being ...?
7. Are you being ...?
8. Are they being ...?

1. Am I not being ...?
2. Are you not being ...?
3. Is he not being ...?
4. Is she not being ...?
5. Is it not being ...?
6. Are we not being ...?
7. Are you not being ...?
8. Are they not being ...?

1. --
2. Aren’t you being ...?
3. Isn’t he being ...?
4. Isn’t she being ...?
5. Isn’t it being ...?
6. Aren’t we being ...?
7. Aren’t you being ...?
8. Aren’t they being ...?

1.5. Past continuous

1. I was being
2. You were being
3. He was being
4. She was being
5. It was being
6. We were being
7. You were being
8. They were being

1. I was not being
2. You were not being
3. He was not being
4. She was not being
5. It was not being
6. We were not being
7. You were not being
8. They were not being

1. I wasn’t being
2. You weren’t being
3. He wasn’t being
4. She wasn’t being
5. It wasn’t being
6. We weren’t being
7. You weren’t being
8. They weren’t being

1. Was I being ...?
2. Were you being ...?
3. Was he being ...?
4. Was she being ...?
5. Was it being ...?
6. Were we being ...?
7. Were you being ...?
8. Were they being ...?

1. Was I not being ...?
2. Were you not being ...?
3. Was he not being ...?
4. Was she not being ...?
5. Was it not being ...?
6. Were we not being ...?
7. Were you not being ...?
8. Were they not being ...?

1. Wasn’t I being ...?
2. Weren’t you being ...?
3. Wasn’t he being ...?
4. Wasn’t she being ...?
5. Wasn’t it being ...?
6. Weren’t we being ...?
7. Weren’t you being ...?
8. Weren’t they being ...?

1.6. Present perfect

1. I have been
2. You have been
3. He has been
4. She has been
5. It has been
6. We have been
7. You have been
8. They have been

1. I’ve been
2. You’ve been
3. He’s been
4. She’s been
5. It’s been
6. We’ve been
7. You’ve been
8. They’ve been

1. I have not been
2. You have not been
3. He has not been
4. She has not been
5. It has not been
6. We have not been
7. You have not been
8. They have not been

1. I haven’t been
2. You haven’t been
3. He hasn’t been
4. She hasn’t been
5. It hasn’t been
6. We haven’t been
7. You haven’t been
8. They haven’t been

1. Have I been ...?
2. Have you been ...?
3. Has he been ...?
4. Has she been ...?
5. Has it been ...?
6. Have we been ...?
7. Have you been ...?
8. Have they been ...?

1. Have I not been ...?
2. Have you not been ...?
3. Has he not been ...?
4. Has she not been ...?
5. Has it not been ...?
6. Have we not been ...?
7. Have you not been ...?
8. Have they not been ...?

1. Haven’t I been ...?
2. Haven’t you been ...?
3. Hasn’t he been ...?
4. Hasn’t she been ...?
5. Hasn’t it been ...?
6. Haven’t we been ...?
7. Haven’t you been ...?
8. Haven’t they been ...?

1.7. Past perfect

1. I had been
2. You had been
3. He had been
4. She had been
5. It had been
6. We had been
7. You had been
8. They had been

1. I’d been
2. You’d been
3. He’d been
4. She’d been
5. It’d been
6. We’d been
7. You’d been
8. They’d been

1. I had not been
2. You had not been
3. He had not been
4. She had not been
5. It had not been
6. We had not been
7. You had not been
8. They had not been

1. I hadn’t been
2. You hadn’t been
3. He hadn’t been
4. She hadn’t been
5. It hadn’t been
6. We hadn’t been
7. You hadn’t been
8. They hadn’t been

1. Had I been ...?
2. Had you been ...?
3. Had he been ...?
4. Had she been ...?
5. Had it been ...?
6. Had we been ...?
7. Had you been ...?
8. Had they been ...?

1. Had I not been ...?
2. Had you not been ...?
3. Had he not been ...?
4. Had she not been ...?
5. Had it not been ...?
6. Had we not been ...?
7. Had you not been ...?
8. Had they not been ...?

1. Hadn’t I been ...?
2. Hadn’t you been ...?
3. Hadn’t he been ...?
4. Hadn’t she been ...?
5. Hadn’t it been ...?
6. Hadn’t we been ...?
7. Hadn’t you been ...?
8. Hadn’t they been ...?

1.8 Future perfect

1. I will have been
2. You will have been
3. He will have been
4. She will have been
5. It will have been
6. We will have been
7. You will have been
8. They will have been

1. I’ll have been
2. You’ll have been
3. He’ll have been
4. She’ll have been
5. It’ll have been
6. We’ll have been
7. You’ll have been
8. They’ll have been

1. I will not have been
2. You will not have been
3. He will not have been
4. She will not have been
5. It will not have been
6. We will not have been
7. You will not have been
8. They will not have been

1. I won’t have been
2. You won’t have been
3. He won’t have been
4. She won’t have been
5. It won’t have been
6. We won’t have been
7. You won’t have been
8. They won’t have been

1. Will I have been ...?
2. Will you have been ...?
3. Will he have been ...?
4. Will she have been ...?
5. Will it have been ...?
6. Will we have been ...?
7. Will you have been ...?
8. Will they have been ...?

1. Will I not have been ...?
2. Will you not have been ...?
3. Will he not have been ...?
4. Will she not have been ...?
5. Will it not have been ...?
6. Will we not have been ...?
7. Will you not have been ...?
8. Will they not have been ...?

1. Won’t I have been ...?
2. Won’t you have been ...?
3. Won’t he have been ...?
4. Won’t she have been ...?
5. Won’t it have been ...?
6. Won’t we have been ...?
7. Won’t you have been ...?
8. Won’t they have been ...?

2. Use of the verb to be

The verb to be has many uses. It is used to say who someone is or what they do. It can also show where someone or something is. In addition, we use to be to talk about feelings or emotions. It helps describe what a person or thing is like. We also use to be when we talk about time and dates.

2.1 Describing identity or occupation

1. He is an engineer.

2. She is a student.

3. They are firefighters.

4. We are musicians.

5. He is a chef.

6. I am a pilot.

7. She is a lawyer.

8. He is a police officer.

9. They are athletes.

10. Are you a graphic designer?

2.2 Indicating location

1. The computer is on the table.

2. The cat is under the bed.

3. The park is near our house.

4. The keys are in the drawer.

5. She is in the kitchen.

6. The shoes are by the door.

7. They are at the cinema.

8. The phone is on the desk.

9. The children are in the playground.

10. He is in the office.

11. The library is across the street.

2.3 Describing feelings or emotions

1. I am bored.

2. She is angry.

3. She is excited about the trip.

4. They are sad because of the news.

5. I am nervous about the presentation.

6. He is surprised by the gift.

7. She is disappointed with the results.

8. They are proud of their achievements.

9. I am scared of the dark.

10. He is afraid of snakes.

2.4 Describing characteristics

1. The house is big.

2. The dog is friendly.

3. The cake is delicious.

4. He is tall.

5. She is kind.

6. The weather is cold.

7. He is intelligent.

8. The flowers are colourful.

9. The dress is elegant.

10. This book is very informative.

2.5 Talking about time and dates

1. What time is it?

2. It’s noon.

3. Tomorrow is Tuesday.

4. It is 7 o’clock in the morning.

5. The meeting is on Wednesday.

6. Her birthday is on October 21st.

7. It is 1:45 p.m.

8. The concert is on Friday night.

9. The deadline is September 15th.

10. It is 12:30 in the afternoon.

11. Today is the first day of summer.

12. The party is on Saturday evening.

13. The appointment is at 10 a.m. sharp.

14. Today is the 5th of May.

15. It is 6:15 in the evening.

3. Common expressions using 'be'

Many idioms and expressions use the verb to be. For example, when someone says they are on cloud nine, they are extremely happy.

The expressions below are commonly used in English.

To be extremely happy or ecstatic

Ever since he got the promotion, he's been on cloud nine.

To be in trouble

If you don't finish your project on time, you'll be in hot water with the boss.

To be in the same situation as someone else

Don't worry, I haven't finished my essay either. We're in the same boat.

To be very easy

Don't stress about the test, it's a piece of cake.

To be very happy

She was over the moon when she found out she got the job.

To be alert and knowledgeable

You always have to be on the ball in business negotiations.

To feel sick or unwell

I think I'm catching a cold. I've been feeling under the weather all day.

For something to be uncertain or unresolved

Our vacation plans are still up in the air. We haven't decided where to go yet.

To listen carefully and attentively

Tell me about your day, I'm all ears.

To be undecided about something

I'm on the fence about buying the new phone or keeping my old one.

To not have current knowledge or information

I didn't know they were getting married. I guess I'm out of the loop.

To be anxiously awaiting something

I've been on pins and needles waiting for the test results.

To be laughing uncontrollably

The comedian was so funny, the whole audience was in stitches.

To be involved in a situation too difficult to manage

I thought I could handle the situation, but now I feel I'm in over my head.

Try to use these expressions in your daily conversation. Talk to yourself, practice with a friend, or join an English conversation group. The more you use them, the more natural they will feel.