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Master English Grammar

Verb to Be (am, is, are)

Master the verb to be by learning how to use am, is, and are in sentences to describe people, places, and things with confidence and clarity.

What Is the Verb to Be?

The verb to be is one of the most important verbs in English. It shows the state or condition of a person, place, or thing. The forms of the verb to be are am, is, and are.

Key Points

  • Use am when talking about yourself
    • I am happy.
    • I am a student.
  • Use is for one person, place, or thing
    • She is my friend.
    • The book is on the table.
  • Use are for more than one person, place, or thing
    • They are my classmates.
    • The books are on the shelf.

Why Is This Important?

The verb to be helps describe who someone is, what something is, and where something is. It is used in almost every conversation!

✅ Positive Sentences:

Use am, is, or are to describe people, places, or things.

  • I am excited for the trip.
  • She is very kind.
  • They are in the garden.

🚫 Negative Sentences:

To make negative sentences, add not after am, is, or are.

  • I am not tired.
  • He is not here today.
  • We are not ready yet.

❓ Questions:

To ask questions, put am, is, or are at the beginning of the sentence.

  • Am I late?
  • Is she your sister?
  • Are they coming to the party?

Rules for Using 'am', 'is', and 'are'

  • Use am when referring to yourself (I)

    • I am a teacher.
    • I am from Canada.

  • Use is with singular subjects (he, she, it)

    • She is my best friend.
    • The cat is on the couch.

  • Use are with plural subjects (we, you, they)

    • They are very excited.
    • You are my favorite person.

  • Special Cases & Exceptions:

    By understanding the subject, you’ll always know when to use am, is, or are correctly.

  • Use are with you, even when talking to one person

    • You are my friend.
    • You are very kind.

  • Use is with singular collective nouns

    • The team is ready.
    • The family is on vacation.
SubjectVerbFormExample
IamI am happy.
YouareYou are my friend.
HeisHe is a doctor.
SheisShe is at the park.
ItisIt is a sunny day.
WeareWe are going to the store.
You (plural)areYou are amazing students.
TheyareThey are my classmates.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of these videos. These are publicly available resources used to provide additional information on the topic.