The Verb ‘To Be’ – Is/are/am/was/were

The Verb ‘To Be’

‘Be’ is an irregular verb that is used as a helping verb and main verb as well.

The present form of ‘Be’	The past form of ‘Be’	The perfect form of ‘Be’
is/are/am	was/were	been

Usages (The Verb ‘To Be’)

 He/she/it/name/ singular person (noun) + is/was + complement/ verb + ing + object etc.

You/we/they/plural person + are/were + complement/ verb + ing + object.

I + am/ was + complement /verb + ing

The Verb ‘To Be’ (is/are/am/was/were) is used in various ways:

Relationship

He is my elder brother.	She is twenty years old.
His brother was very intelligent in his school days.	He was a thirty-year-old guy.
My sister is adorable.	She was twenty-five when she was married.
He is eighteen now.	How old is he?

Occupations

His grandfather was a freedom fighter.	They were bankers.
Are you a nurse?	Was he a clerk?
I am not but my sister is a nurse who works in a max hospital.	He was a software engineer.
All the students are engineers.	He is a hawker.
Both the girls are doctors.	He is a freelancer.

Name

My name is William Smith.	Her name is Eva.
Are you Jennifer?	I am not Jennifer, my name is Kate.
What’s your father’s name?	My father’s name is Andrew.

Qualities

She is smart.	He is cruel.
They are very intelligent.	I am kind-hearted.
You are clever.	She is arrogant.
She is tall.	You are snobbish.
He is dull in the study.	He is timid.
He is diligent.	Rahul is brave.
She is kind.	He is great.

Conditions

Sub + The Verb ‘To Be’ (is/are/am or was/were) + verb III (used as an adjective)

He is surprised.	This application is written.
They are worried.	The car is punctured.
I am tired of being lonely.	This paper is signed.
This paper is signed.	It is handwritten.
Her heart is broken.	It is damaged.
This home is decorated.	This wall is fully furnished.
My brother is well educated.	He is worried.
His body problem is diagnosed.	He is tired.

Use of ‘It’ with the Verb ‘To Be’

‘ It’  is used with

Climate:

It is a very hot climate in Jaisalmer.	It is cold in Himachal Pradesh.
It is a warm climate in Rajasthan.	It is winter.
It is a sunny day.	It is the summer season.
It is autumn.	It is terrible weather today.
It is stormy.	It is not flowing fast.
It is not blowing harder now.	It is warm.

Temperature:

It is 33 degrees Celcius.

Distance:

It is 22 kilometres.

 Point of time:

 It is a particular time that uses to denote a specific date, day, month, year and time (it is mentioned below in a particular way)

It is on 18th January.	It was Saturday.
It was 2nd March.	It is January.
It was the weekend.	It is Wednesday.
It was 2019.	It is 2020.

Time

10       It is ten ‘o’clock.   

7:30    It is half-past seven. 

5:15    It is quarter past five.

4:45    It is quarter to five.

4:55    It is five to five.

Other points of time: today, tonight, tomorrow, yesterday, next Sunday, next month, next year, next week, next day, Next night, last day, last month, last Sunday, last year, last time, last night

It was my last night in the hostel.	It is today.
It is next month.	It was yesterday.
It is next Sunday.	It was yesterday’s night.
Is it next year?	It is tonight.
It was the last time.	It was last week.

Day time:

It was morning.	It is afternoon.
It is evening.	It is noon.
It was midday then.	It was a terrible night.

Use of it as a dummy subject:

It is good.	It is high time to go.
It was a nice time.	It is I who cares for you a lot.
It is nice to talk to you.	It is she who helps you in every path.

Use of there with The Verb ‘To Be’ :

‘There’ is used as a subject and ‘verb’ is used according to number or quantity.

There + be + complement

There are four friends in his college.	There were two children in the same school.
There is a boy who loves riding a lot.	There was an anaconda in this village.
There is a man who serves food free of cost.	There is an old temple outside of the village.

Use of this, that and these, those with The Verb ‘To Be’

Demonstrative pronoun: these pronouns are used to indicate a person or thing that is nearby or far.

This (singular) and these (plural) are used to indicate a nearby person, place or thing.

That (singular) and those (plural) are used to point out a person, place or thing which is a bit far from the eyes.

This/that/these/those (demonstrative pronoun) + be + complement (no action)

This/that + is/was + complement.

This is a table.	That is a black cat.
This is a puppy that I love very much.	That was a nice mobile in the shop.

These/those+ are/were + complement.

Those were the best moments of my life when I met her.	Those are my best friends who are standing nearby the coffee maker.
These are delicious.	These are bluebirds.
These are mangoes.	These are animals.

Demonstrative adjective

This/that/these/those + noun + The Verb ‘To Be’ + complement.

Those shoes were very expensive.	This building is situated in New York.
That boy is very intelligent.	That player was not honest.
This boy is very handsome.	These students were very naughty in the tenth standard.
These girls are very clever.	Those flowers are the best in this garden.

The Verb ‘To Be’ is used as a main verb:

Be + noun/adjectives (qualities, states (feeling or situations), occupations

Noun form:    Be a man

Adjective form:

Be polite.	Be smart.
Don’t be harsh.	Be generous
Be simple.	Be calm
Don’t be mad.	Don’t be cruel

 

Occupations:

be a doctor.	don’t be a smuggler.
be an engineer.	don’t be a thief.
don’t be a terrorist.	be a reporter.

Exercise I (The Verb ‘To Be’ ):

 Find the suitable form of ‘be’ and fill in the blanks.

1.   ….. your brother happy now?  Yes, he ….. happy now. 
2. …… they tired now? Yes, they …. tired now.
3. He ….. angry at the moment.
4. Where ……..your sister now? She ….. at downstairs now.
5. Where ….. your friend now? he …. At the mall right now.
6. Where …. your colleagues at the moment? they ….. at the restaurant.
7.  …… students excited now? Yes, they … excited now.
8. ….. Rahul bored now? No, he… not bored now.
9. Are those boys …… (Travel)at the moment? No, they aren’t travelling at the moment.
10. .. … …. the girls being cautious right now? Yes,    they….. being cautious right now.
11. …. he being kind? Yes, he is …… kind.
12. ….. she being humble right now? No, she isn’t …… humble.
13. …. Lupe being serious at the moment? Yes, she is …..  serious at the moment.
14. …… Marcus being hard on them at the moment. Yes, he is …… hard on them at the moment.
15. ….. Mia being unfaithful now? No, she isn’t ……. Unfaithful now.

Exercise II (The Verb ‘To Be’)

1. This application ……. written.  (is/are/am)
2. Car is ……. There.  (punctured, puncture, punctures)
3. It ……. ten ‘o’clock. (is/are/am)    
4. She ……… twenty years old. (is/are/am)
5. You ………. Doctor. (are a, is a, am a, was a)
6. She ……. Intelligent.    (is/are/am/were)
7. He is …….. .  (worry, worried, worrying)
8.   She is ……… (a smart, smart, smarter)
9.  You are …….. (scare, scaring, scared)
10.   My document ………. (was tearing, was tore, was torn)