Contents

1. The verb to be........................................................................................................................ 3

2. WH questions with be.......................................................................................................... 7
Bibliography................................................................................................................................ 9

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1. The verb to be
The verb to be is one of the basic grammar forms you use
in English to talk about professions, nationalities, feelings, Pronoun Verb to be
emotions, status and characteristic of something or someone.

The verb to be has the following forms:

I Am
You Are
He Is
She Is
It Is
We Are
They Are

The verb to be has different uses:

1. VERB TO BE + NOUN: This form is used to make reference to professions.

Examples:

• I am a teacher
• My father is an engineer
• Mary is a chef
• They are students

Here is the vocabulary of some professions:

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2. VERB TO BE + ADJECTIVE: This form is used to make reference to emotions, status,
feelings and descriptions.

Examples:

• Angie is sad
• Karen is pregnant
• The house is beautiful
• We are happy

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Here is a list of adjectives:

All kinds of Adjetives

Feelings Feelings
(Positive) (Negative)

Agreeable Anxious
Amused Bewildered
Brave Clumsy
s Calm Confused
Comfortable Defeated
Delightful Depressed
Eager Disappointed
Energetic Disturbed
Excited Envious
Grateful Fierce
Jolly Grumpy
Jovial Helpless
Lively Jealous
s Proud Nervous
Peaceful Somber
Relieved Sorrowful
Silly Troubled
Thankful Vengeful
Thrilled Weary
Victorious Wicked
Witty

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3. VERB TO BE + PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE: This form is used make reference to locations.

Examples:

• The cat is on the table

• The fruits are in the fridge
• My friend is from Japan
• I am next to the post office

Affirmative form (+)

Subject Verb to be Contraction
I am I’m I’m a teacher
You are You’re You´re a student
He is He´s He´s friendly
She is She´s She´s crazy
It is It´s It´s wonderful
We are We´re We´re in the house
They are They´re They´re from China

Negative form (-)

Subject Verb to be Contraction
I am not I’m not I’m not a teacher
You are not You aren’t You aren’t a student
He is not He isn’t He isn’t friendly
She is not She isn´t She isn’t crazy
It is not It isn´t It isn’t wonderful
We are not We aren´t We aren’t in the house
They are not They aren´t They aren’t from China

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 Interrogative form (?)
Verb to be Subject Answer
Am I teacher? Yes, I am / No, I am not
Are you a student? Yes, you are / No, you are not
is he friendly? Yes, he is / No, he is not
Is she crazy? Yes, she is / No, she is not
is It wonderful? Yes, it is / No, it is not
are we in the house? Yes, we are / No, we are not
are they from China? Yes, they are / No they are not

2. WH questions with be
The Wh Questions are a group of interrogative words that are used to build questions in order to
obtain information about something or someone. These are some of the most common of them: what,
when, where, which, who, why and how.

In the following chart is presented the use and examples of each one of them.

Wh question Use Example

What Asking for information about something What is your name?
When Asking for time When is your birthday?
Where Asking in or at what place or position Where are you from?
Which Asking about choice Which is your favorite color?
Who Asking about people Who is your favorite teacher?
Why Asking for reason Why are you sad?
How Asking about manner, condition or quality How are you?

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As it is presented in the examples of the chart, the structure of a question must be the following: Wh
question + verb to be (am, is, are) + subject +?

Here is an example of how to use them in a daily conversation. Let’s check it!

Jim: Hi Ana! How are you?

Ana: Fine, thank you
Jim: Ana tell me, where are you from?
Ana: I am from Colombia and you?
Jim: I am from Spain
Ana: Really? That’s nice
Jim: Yeah...and tell me…Which is your favorite food?
Ana: My favorite food is pizza
Jim: uhmmm…delicious!
Ana: Who is your favorite actor?
Jim: My favorite actor is Will Smith
Ana: and…What is your favorite movie?
Jim: My favorite movie is Men in Black
Ana: That´s interesting
Jim: Ok, nice to meet you
Ana: Nice to meet you too
Jim: See you then!
Ana: Bye!

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Bibliography

• http://www.freepik.es/vector-gratis/coleccion-de-banners-de-profesiones_1064296.htm
• http://www.freepik.es/foto-gratis/sonriente-nina-en-la-calle_1302626.htm

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Politécnico Internacional, Institución de Educación Superior SNIES 4727 Resolución No. 4135 del 11 de nov. de 2004
Todos los derechos reservados ® 2017
Vigilado por el Ministerio de Educación Nacional.

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