The rule, as people use it
"Be" is the verb you use to say what something is, where it is, and how it is: "I'm a nurse." "She's in Berlin." "We're tired." In the present it has three forms: I am, you are, we are, they are, and he, she or it is. In the past it has two: was for I, he, she and it, were for you, we and they.
In speech, the present forms almost always shrink: I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, they're. "I am tired" isn't wrong, but said out loud it sounds stiff, or like you're arguing. Use the full form only when you want to push back: "I am listening."
Two mistakes stand out. The first is dropping "be" completely: "She very busy." English needs it: "She's very busy." The second is "we was" or "they was". You'll hear some people say it in movies, but it's not standard. Use "were" with you, we and they. For questions, move the verb to the front: "Are you ready?" "Was it expensive?"
Examples
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Fill the gap
Type the missing words, then check. The full sentence plays when you get it.
- 1
My parents (be, present) in Kyoto this week.
- 2
I (be, present) sorry I'm late.
- 3
It (be, past) really cold last night.
- 4
We (be, past) at the station at eight.
- 5
(be, present) you free on Saturday?
- 6
Lucas (be, present, not) at his desk right now.
- 7
They (be, past) so happy to see us.
- 8
She (be, present) a teacher in Nairobi.
Practice · 3 min
Write six sentences about yourself: three about today and three about last weekend. Use am, is, are in the first three and was or were in the last three: "I'm at home today." "My friends were at my place on Saturday." Read them out loud with the short forms. Then turn two of them into questions and answer them.
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.