Grammar Rule

Examples

I am big. I am 10 years old!
They are Egyptian. They are from Egypt.

Remember!

I am big. = I'm big.
You are my friend. = You're my friend.
My mum is a doctor.  = My mum's a doctor.
We are doctors. = We're doctors.
They are Egyptian. = They’re Egyptian.

Be careful!

For negatives add ‘not’. The negative of 'I am' is 'I'm not' or 'I am not'.
I’m not 9 years old!
I am not 9 years old!
They’re not English.
They aren't English.
They are not English.
She is not a teacher.
She’s not a teacher.
She isn't a teacher.

We say...We don’t say...

I'm not 9 years old (NOT I amn't 9 years old.)
Are you 9 years old?  (NOT You are 9 years old?)
Are they English? (NOT They are English?)
Is she a teacher? (NOT She is a teacher?)
(If you want to show surprise you can say pronoun + be +? as a question, e.g., You're 9?)

Grammar test

Print a grammar test - present simple verb 'to be'. (Login to access)

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Reference card

Grammar reference card - present simple verb 'to be'