• VERB “BE” USES ‘Be’ is a very particular English verb. It has its own forms for present and past. It is a very useful verb as it is mainly used for: introductions: I am Sam greetings: Hello. How are you? apologies: I am sorry so much professions: She is a doctor and he is a carpenter nationalities: We are Spanish and they are from Scotland age, size, appearance, personality…: Mary is ten years. She is dark, tall and funny feelings and states: I am OK but my sister is ill and sad the weather: It is hot and sunny today in Seville the time: What time is it? It is half past seven FORM Present Simple affirmative
Present Simple negative*
Present Simple interrogative*
I am (I’m)
I am not (I’m not)
Am I?
You are (You’re)
You are not (aren’t)
Are you?
He / She / It is (He’s)
He / She / it is not (isn’t) Is he / she / it?
We are (We’re)
We are not (aren’t)
Are we?
You are (You’re)
You are not (aren’t)
Are you?
They are (They’re)
They are not (aren’t)
Are they?
Past Simple affirmative
Past Simple negative*
Past Simple interrogative*
I was
I was not (wasn’t)
Was I?
You were
You were not (weren’t)
Were you?
He / She / It was
He / She / it was not (wasn’t) Was he / she / it?
We were
We were not (weren’t)
Were we?
You were
You were not (weren’t)
Were you?
They were
They were not (weren’t)
Were they?
*VERY IMPORTANT: Never use ‘don’t’ – ‘didn’t’ in negative sentences or ‘do’ – ‘does’ – ‘did’ in interrogative sentences, like other verbs do I don’t am English am not
Do you are 11 years old? Are you
She didn’t is Mary was not
Did they are here? Were they
ACTIVITIES 1.- Complete with ‘am’, ‘is’ or ‘are’ I _____ not very well. I think I _____ ill
_____ she dark? No, she _____ blonde
Where _____ you from? I _____ English
______ they here? Yes, they _____
How old ___ you? I ___ 9 and she ___ 8
____ you OK? No, I think I _____ ill
What time ____ it? It ____ five o’clock
Hello, How ____ you? Fine, thanks
2.- Use ‘was’ or ‘were’ to complete these sentences Tim _____ not at home yesterday
Where _____ they? They _____ here
The weather ____ cloudy and wet
I _____ very happy when I _____ a child
____ that your friend? No, she ____ not
I think he ______ French
3.- Make sentences by using ‘Be’ in Past Simple Example: it – sunny? Was it sunny?
You – here? ____________________
That – your brother? _______________
It – half past nine? _______________
They – policemen? _________________
She – angry? ___________________
You – with him? ___________________
4.- Change these sentences into negative It is one o’clock __________________________________________ She was in Madrid ________________________________________ Lulu and Mike were at school _________________________________________ I am in bed ______________________________________________ We were in the park with her _________________________________________
5.- Read the text, underline the verbs and rewrite them in Past Simple I don’t know his name. I only know that he is British. He wakes up at seven o’clock and he goes cycling until half past eight, then he has breakfast and buys the newspaper. At nine o’clock, he takes the bus and goes to work. In the evening, he visits some friends and comes back home at half past seven. He watches TV until ten o’clock and finally he goes to bed _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________