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

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Verb to be exercises
 

Table of contents

1. Be verb in different forms

1.1 Present simple

1.2. Past simple

1.3. Future simple

1.4. Present continuous

1.5. Past continuous

1.6 Present perfect

1.7 Past perfect

1.8 Future perfect

2. Use of the verb to be

2.1 Describing identity or occupation

2.2 Indicating location

2.3 Describing feelings or emotions

2.4 Describing characteristics

2.5 Talking about time and dates

3. Common expressions using 'be'

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

the verb to be: forms and examples - Summary table
Be verb forms
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1.1 Present simple

Positive (+)
I am
You are
He is
She is
It is
We are
You are
They are
Short Form (+)
I'm
You're
He's
She's
It's
We're
You're
They're
Negative (-)
I am not
You are not
He is not
She is not
It is not
We are not
You are not
They are not
Short Form (-1)
I'm not
You're not
He's not
She's not
It's not
We're not
You're not
They're not
Short Form (-2)
---
You aren't
He isn't
She isn't
It isn't
We aren't
You aren't
They aren't
Interrogative
Am I?
Are you?
Is he?
Is she?
Is it?
Are we?
Are you?
Are they?
Interrogative (-)
I not?
you not?
Is he not?
Is she not?
Is it not?
Are we not?
Are you not?
Are they not?
? Short Form (-)
---
Aren't you?
Isn't he?
Isn't she?
Isn't it?
Aren't we?
Aren't you?
Aren't they?

1.2. Past simple

Positive (+)
I was
You were
He was
She was
It was
We were
You were
They were
Negative (-)
I was not
You were not
He was not
She was not
It was not
We were not
You were not
They were not
Short form (-)
I wasn’t
You weren’t
He wasn’t
She wasn’t
It wasn’t
We weren’t
You weren’t
They weren’t
Interrogative
Was I?
Were you?
Was he?
Was she?
Was it?
Were we?
Were you?
Were they?
Interrogative (-)
Was I not?
Were you not?
Was he not?
Was she not?
Was it not?
Were we not?
Were you not?
Were they not?
? short form (-)
Wasn’t I?
Weren’t you?
Wasn’t he?
Wasn’t she?
Wasn’t it?
Weren’t we?
Weren’t you?
Weren’t they?

1.3. Future simple

Positive (+)
I will be ...
You will be ...
He will be ...
She will be ...
It will be ...
We will be ...
You will be ...
They will be ...
Short Form (+)
I’ll be ...
You’ll be ...
He’ll be ...
She’ll be ...
It’ll be ...
We’ll be ...
You’ll be ...
They’ll be ...
Negative (−)
I will not be ...
You will not be ...
He will not be ...
She will not be ...
It will not be ...
We will not be ...
You will not be ...
They will not be ...
Short Form (−)
I won’t be ...
You won’t be ...
He won’t be ...
She won’t be ...
It won’t be ...
We won’t be ...
You won’t be ...
They won’t be ...
Interrogative
Will I be ...?
Will you be ...?
Will he be ...?
Will she be ...?
Will it be ...?
Will we be ...?
Will you be ...?
Will they be ...?
Interrogative (−)
Will I not be ...?
Will you not be ...?
Will he not be ...?
Will she not be ...?
Will it not be ...?
Will we not be ...?
Will you not be ...?
Will they not be ...?
Short Form (−)?
Won’t I be ...?
Won’t you be ...?
Won’t he be ...?
Won’t she be ...?
Won’t it be ...?
Won’t we be ...?
Won’t you be ...?
Won’t they be ...?

1.4. Present continuous

Positive (+)
I am being
You are being
He is being
She is being
It is being
We are being
You are being
They are being
Short form (+)
I’m being
You’re being
He’s being
She’s being
It’s being
We’re being
You’re being
They’re being
Negative (-)
I am not being
You are not being
He is not being
She is not being
It is not being
We are not being
You are not being
They are not being
Short form (-1)
I’m not being
You’re not being
He’s not being
She’s not being
It’s not being
We’re not being
You’re not being
They’re not being
Short form (-2)
---
You aren’t being
He isn’t being
She isn’t being
It isn’t being
We aren’t being
You aren’t being
They aren’t being
Interrogative
Am I being ...?
Are you being ...?
Is he being ...?
Is she being ...?
Is it being ...?
Are we being ...?
Are you being ...?
Are they being ...?
Interrogative (-)
Am I not being ...?
Are you not being ...?
Is he not being ...?
Is she not being ...?
Is it not being ...?
Are we not being ...?
Are you not being ...?
Are they not being ...?
...? short form (-)
--
Aren’t you being ...?
Isn’t he being ...?
Isn’t she being ...?
Isn’t it being ...?
Aren’t we being ...?
Aren’t you being ...?
Aren’t they being ...?

1.5. Past continuous

Positive (+)
I was being
You were being
He was being
She was being
It was being
We were being
You were being
They were being
Negative (-)
I was not being
You were not being
He was not being
She was not being
It was not being
We were not being
You were not being
They were not being
Short form (-)
I wasn’t being
You weren’t being
He wasn’t being
She wasn’t being
It wasn’t being
We weren’t being
You weren’t being
They weren’t being
Interrogative
Was I being ...?
Were you being ...?
Was he being ...?
Was she being ...?
Was it being ...?
Were we being ...?
Were you being ...?
Were they being ...?
Interrogative (-)
Was I not being ...?
Were you not being ...?
Was he not being ...?
Was she not being ...?
Was it not being ...?
Were we not being ...?
Were you not being ...?
Were they not being ...?
...? short form (-)
Wasn’t I being ...?
Weren’t you being ...?
Wasn’t he being ...?
Wasn’t she being ...?
Wasn’t it being ...?
Weren’t we being ...?
Weren’t you being ...?
Weren’t they being ...?

1.6 Present perfect

Positive (+)
I have been
You have been
He has been
She has been
It has been
We have been
You have been
They have been
Short form (+)
I’ve been
You’ve been
He’s been
She’s been
It’s been
We’ve been
You’ve been
They’ve been
Negative (-)
I have not been
You have not been
He has not been
She has not been
It has not been
We have not been
You have not been
They have not been
Short form (-1)
I haven’t been
You haven’t been
He hasn’t been
She hasn’t been
It hasn’t been
We haven’t been
You haven’t been
They haven’t been
Interrogative
Have I been ...?
Have you been ...?
Has he been ...?
Has she been ...?
Has it been ...?
Have we been ...?
Have you been ...?
Have they been ...?
Interrogative (-)
Have I not been ...?
Have you not been ...?
Has he not been ...?
Has she not been ...?
Has it not been ...?
Have we not been ...?
Have you not been ...?
Have they not been ...?
...? short form (-)
Haven’t I been ...?
Haven’t you been ...?
Hasn’t he been ...?
Hasn’t she been ...?
Hasn’t it been ...?
Haven’t we been ...?
Haven’t you been ...?
Haven’t they been ...?

1.7 Past perfect

Positive (+)
I had been
You had been
He had been
She had been
It had been
We had been
You had been
They had been
Short form (+)
I’d been
You’d been
He’d been
She’d been
It’d been
We’d been
You’d been
They’d been
Negative (-)
I had not been
You had not been
He had not been
She had not been
It had not been
We had not been
You had not been
They had not been
Short form (-)
I hadn’t been
You hadn’t been
He hadn’t been
She hadn’t been
It hadn’t been
We hadn’t been
You hadn’t been
They hadn’t been
Interrogative
Had I been ...?
Had you been ...?
Had he been ...?
Had she been ...?
Had it been ...?
Had we been ...?
Had you been ...?
Had they been ...?
Interrogative (-)
Had I not been ...?
Had you not been ...?
Had he not been ...?
Had she not been ...?
Had it not been ...?
Had we not been ...?
Had you not been ...?
Had they not been ...?
...? short form (-)
Hadn’t I been ...?
Hadn’t you been ...?
Hadn’t he been ...?
Hadn’t she been ...?
Hadn’t it been ...?
Hadn’t we been ...?
Hadn’t you been ...?
Hadn’t they been ...?

1.8 Future perfect

Positive (+)
I will have been
You will have been
He will have been
She will have been
It will have been
We will have been
You will have been
They will have been
Short form (+)
I’ll have been
You’ll have been
He’ll have been
She’ll have been
It’ll have been
We’ll have been
You’ll have been
They’ll have been
Negative (-)
I will not have been
You will not have been
He will not have been
She will not have been
It will not have been
We will not have been
You will not have been
They will not have been
Short form (-)
I won’t have been
You won’t have been
He won’t have been
She won’t have been
It won’t have been
We won’t have been
You won’t have been
They won’t have been
Interrogative
Will I have been ...?
Will you have been ...?
Will he have been ...?
Will she have been ...?
Will it have been ...?
Will we have been ...?
Will you have been ...?
Will they have been ...?
Interrogative (-)
Will I not have been ...?
Will you not have been ...?
Will he not have been ...?
Will she not have been ...?
Will it not have been ...?
Will we not have been ...?
Will you not have been ...?
Will they not have been ...?
...? short form (-)
Won’t I have been ...?
Won’t you have been ...?
Won’t he have been ...?
Won’t she have been ...?
Won’t it have been ...?
Won’t we have been ...?
Won’t you have been ...?
Won’t they have been ...?

The form “be being” is the base form of the verb to be in the present continuous tense. Although the structure is grammatically correct, it sounds awkward and is rarely used.

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 on cloud nine
To be extremely happy or ecstatic
Ever since he got the promotion, he's been on cloud nine.
😟
To be in hot water
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 boat
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 a piece of cake
To be very easy
Don't stress about the test, it's a piece of cake.
🌙
To be over the moon
To be very happy
She was over the moon when she found out she got the job.
🎯
To be on the ball
To be alert and knowledgeable
You always have to be on the ball in business negotiations.
🌧️
To be under the weather
To feel sick or unwell
I think I'm catching a cold. I've been feeling under the weather all day.
☁️
To be up in the air
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 be all ears
To listen carefully and attentively
Tell me about your day, I'm all ears.
🤔
To be on the fence
To be undecided about something
I'm on the fence about buying the new phone or keeping my old one.
🔁
To be out of the loop
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 on pins and needles
To be anxiously awaiting something
I've been on pins and needles waiting for the test results.
😂
To be in stitches
To be laughing uncontrollably
The comedian was so funny, the whole audience was in stitches.
🌊
To be in over one's head
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.
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