Present Tense

The ~ to be~ verb uses the following forms in the present tense.

  1. Am  used with the first person singular. I am + noun or adjective. (I am a teacher. I am tired.)
  2. Are  used with the second person singular. You are + noun or adjective. (You are a student. You are busy.)
  3. Is  used with the third person singular. He/She/It/person’s name is + noun or adjective (EunHye is a student. She is absent today.)

The ~to be~ verb is the same for all present tense plural subjects.

  1. First person plural We are + noun or adjective.
  2. Second person plural.  You are + noun or adjective.
  3. Third person plural.  They are + noun or adjective.

Past Tense

The ~to be~ verb takes the following forms in the past tense.

  1. Was  used with first person singular. I was + noun or adjective.
  2. Were  used with the second person singular. You were + noun or adjective.
  3. Was  used with the third person singular. He/She/It/person’s name was + noun or adjective.

The ~to be~ verb is the same for all past tense plural subjects.

  1. First person plural We were + noun or adjective.
  2. Second person pluralYou were + noun or adjective.
  3. Third person pluralThey were + noun or adjective.

Future Tense

The ~to be~ verb in the future tense is the same for all subjects and persons.

  1. First person singular  I will be + noun or adjective.
  2. Second person singularYou will be + noun or adjective.
  3. Third person singularHe/She/It/person’s name will be + noun or adjective.
  4. First person plural We will be + noun or adjective.
  5. Second person pluralYou will be + noun or adjective.
  6. Third person pluralThey will be + noun or adjective.

Yes/No questions

The be verb is used as a question word for yes/no questions. Yes/no questions are questions that can be answered with either “yes” or “no”.

Is Soo Bin in class? Yes/No

Are Peter and Sally dancing? Yes/No

Answer the following questions with the correct for of the be verb.

1. An ant ______an insect. Ants ______insects. ______an ant an insect?

2. That computer _____ mine. Those computers ______broken. ______that computer for sale?

3. Roses ______red. ______all roses red? That rose _____ yellow.

4. Winter ______a season. ______winter cold in Korea? Winters ______very cold in Korea?

5. ______you in class last week? No. I ______sick. But I ______better now.

6. I ______a baking and pastry student. I ______from Pusan. Where ______you from?

7. He ______a doctor. ______she his wife? No. That ____ his nurse. Her name ______Laura.

Make sentences using the following nouns and the be verb. (Example: Mexico –Mexico is a country.)

A bear ______

September and October ______

Spring ______

Chickens ______

China ______

Korean ______

Make yes/no questions using the following nouns and the be verb. (Example: Mexico –Is Mexico a country?)

A bear ______

September and October ______

Spring ______

Chickens ______

China ______

Korean ______