The Simple Present of the Verb to be

This page explains the simple present tense of the verb “to be,” focusing on how it looks and when to use it.

The Simple Present Of The Verb To Be

Understanding The Verb To Be

The verb “to be” is crucial in English, though it can be tricky because it doesn’t follow regular patterns. In the simple present tense, it changes as follows:

Affirmative Forms Of The Verb To Be

Remember:

• I, you, he, she, it, you, they are subject pronouns (also called personal pronouns, a term used to include both subject and object pronouns.)
• am, are, is are forms of the verb to be in the simple present.
• ‘m, ‘re, ‘s are short (contracted) forms of am, are, is.
• ‘m not, aren’t, isn’t are short (contracted) forms of am not, are not, is not.

• Learn more about the use of the simple present of other verbs
• Exercise on the simple present of the verb to be