To Be Exercises - Present Simple To Be Exercises

To Be in Present Simple - Exercises and Quiz

These exercises focus on different forms of To Be in Present Simple

TLDR

"Am" → I
"Is" → He, She, It
"Are" → You, We, They
For negatives, add "not"
For questions, switch the subject and verb

Present Simple Forms of "To Be"

Subject	Verb "To Be"	Example
I	am	I am a student.
He / She / It	is	She is my friend.
You / We / They	are	They are happy.

Tip: The form of "to be" changes depending on the subject.

How to Use "Am / Is / Are"

For Identity & Personal Information

I am a teacher.
She is from Canada.
They are my classmates.

For Descriptions & Characteristics

The sky is blue.
You are very kind.
He is tall.

For Locations

I am at home.
The books are on the table.
She is in the office.

For Feelings & Conditions

We are tired.
He is sick.
I am happy today.

Tip: The verb "to be" is not followed by another verb in the Present Simple.

Negative Form of "To Be"

To make a sentence negative, add "not" after the verb "to be".

Subject	Negative Form	Example
I	am not	I am not a doctor.
He / She / It	is not (isn’t)	She is not at home. / She isn’t at home.
You / We / They	are not (aren’t)	They are not ready. / They aren’t ready.

Tip: "Is not" → "isn’t" and "are not" → "aren’t" are common contractions.

Questions with "To Be"

To form questions, switch the subject and the verb "to be".

Statement	Question
You are a teacher.	Are you a teacher?
She is happy.	Is she happy?
They are at home.	Are they at home?

Yes/No Questions:

Are you from France? → Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
Is she your sister? → Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t.

Wh- Questions:

Where is your book? → It is on the table.
How are you? → I am fine.

See also Question Forms and Special Questions.

Common Mistakes with "To Be"

Mistake	Incorrect	Correct
Missing "to be"	She happy.	She is happy.
Using "do/does" with "to be"	Does she is a doctor?	Is she a doctor?
Using wrong form	They is my friends.	They are my friends.

Tip: NEVER use "do" or "does" with "to be"!

FAQ: Common Questions About "To Be"

Can I use "am not" in questions?

No! Instead, use "Aren’t I?"

WRONG: Am I not your friend?
CORRECT: Aren’t I your friend?

What is the contraction of "I am"?

"I’m"
I’m happy.

Can I say "I amn’t"?

No! Say "I’m not."

Can I use "to be" with another verb?

No! In the Present Simple, "to be" is not followed by another verb.

WRONG: She is study English.
CORRECT: She is a student.

How do I make a negative question?

Aren’t / Isn’t at the beginning.

- Isn’t she your teacher?
- Aren’t they coming?

Present Simple Forms of "To Be" – Am / Is / Are