To be
One of the most important verbs In English is the "to be" verb. Learn about its meaning and uses in the English language.
In English, verbs have a very important place in communication, they are the ones responsible for expressing actions. Words like jump, run, speak… all are common and clear examples of verbs that describe an action that a subject does. However, there is one verb that’s the most used in the English language: the verb be
How to use the “to be” verb
The “to be” is a verb used to describe something or someone. In English, it can be used to say different things according to the context. However, the most common use of the to be verb is to talk about names, age, feeling, nationalities, and professions, especially when talking in the present tense.
Since the to be verb is highly irregular, it’s written in different ways according to the tense of the verb (whether if it’s present, past, future, or even in mixed tenses), and it also varies according to the subject. Let’s see the forms this verb can take when used next to the subjects.
Base form: Be
This is the most basic form of the verb, and it’s how we can find it in the dictionary. It’s mostly used when using imperatives, and also as the infinitive. Some examples are:
Be nice to your sister! (imperative)
I like to be in my house. (infinitive)
Present
This form of the verb is mainly used in the simple present, and its meaning can change depending on the use in the context. Also, when writing, the present form of the to be verb can be shortened. Here is the to be for all the subjects in both long and short forms for affirmative sentences, and also for negative sentences with to be.
am are is - Verb to be
Affirmative:
I am - I’m
you are - you’re
he/she/it is - he’s/she’s/it’s
we/they/you are - we’re/they’re/you’re
Negative:
I am not - I’m not
you are not - You aren’t
he/she/it isn’t
we/they/you aren’t
Let’s see some examples of this for sentences with the "to be" verb.
For names:
She is Sheila
For age:
He is 6 years old.
For feelings:
Lauren and Sandra are happy.
For nationalities:
We are from Thailand.
For professions:
You aren’t a painter, you are a singer.
Past: Was / Were
When talking about the past, the to be verb changes its form again. This is how it looks with the different subject pronouns.
was were - Verb to be
I was - I wasn't
you were - You weren't
he/she/it was - he wasn't/she wasn't/it wasn't
we/they/you were - we weren't/they weren't/you weren't
Some examples of the past form of the to be are:
I was at the school yesterday
You were 10 years old last year.
Emma and Jane were students, now they are doctors.
It was raining a while ago.
Past Participle: been
This is the form of the "to be" verb used with the perfect and passive tenses, and it is the same for all the subjects. It’s also used as an adjective in English sometimes.
been - Verb to be
She has been busy all day.
Nick and John have been running for an hour.
He has been a teacher for a year now.
Continuous: being
The continuous form of the to be verb is used to make up the continuous tenses. Just as the past participle, it’s the same for all the subjects.
being - Verb to be
Sally is being helpful.
Passive
The "to be" verb, both in its present and past forms, can be used to make passive sentences.
The house was built on the mountains.
The program is being recorded right now.
Questions in English with the “to be” verb
"To be" verb can be used to make questions in English in two different ways. The first one is to use it normally with Wh- questions, like in the following sentences:
What’s her name?
How old is Jaime?
How are they feeling?
Where are you from?
Do you know what my profession is?
What are you doing?
The second option, and also the most important, is to use the to be verb to make yes or no questions in English. This type of questions are very simple, and they can be answered with a yes or no.
Are you reading?
Yes, I am.
Is Lisa ready for bed?
No, she isn’t.
Examples of the “to be” verb:
I am Sophie, and I’m from Ireland.
Mary and Jamie are best friends.
Where are Billy and Elliot?
They are at the theater.
Bobby is helping Dan with his homework.
The river is very pretty.
The flowers aren’t red, they are orange.
Are the dogs running in the field?
Yes, they are.