Verb to be exercises - present simple tense

Exercise 1

Complete the present simple forms of the verb to be - positive, negative and questions.

A: Where are we now? I have no idea.

B: You just in front of our house.

A: Are you hungry? Have something to eat.

B: Yes, I a little bit hungry.

A: Is your sister at school? I must talk to her.

B: No, she at school.

A: Where are your parents? Are they at home?

B: My mum and dad at work.

A: Is Peter your friend? And what about Bill?

B: Peter and Bill my best friends.

A: I think these stories are very interesting.

B: Really? The stories interesting at all.

A: How often are you ill? You must go to see a doctor.

B: Quite often. I very healthy.

A: Are Susan and Marion good at sport?

B: Well, Susan quite good at athletics, but Marion isn't.

A: Am I the best student in our class? What do you think?

B: No, you . I'm the best.

A: Where are you, Simon? I need your help.

B: I'm afraid Simon here. He is at the shop.

A: your brother at home?

B: No, he isn't. I can't find him anywhere.

A: Where Mark and Jim? I can't see them.

B: Mark is over there and Joe is in the hall.

A: we at the right airport?

B: I hope so. If not, we'll miss our plane.

A: Why I so lazy? I stay in bed till lunch every Saturday and Sunday.

B: You are like your father.

Verb to be - present simple forms

Online exercises, PDF worksheets and grammar rules:

Verb to be - present simple

We can use full forms and short forms of the verb to be in the present simple tense. The full forms are used in informal English and the short forms are used in formal English.

Affirmative

Full forms - short forms:

I am crazy. - I'm crazy.
You are my friend. - You're my friend.
He is here. - He's here.
She is over there. - She's over there.
It is easy. - It's easy.
We are ready. - We're ready.
They are ill. - They're ill.

Negative

We make negative forms by putting 'not' after the verb to be.

Full forms - short forms:

I am not crazy. - I'm not crazy.
You are not my friend. - You aren't (You're not) my friend.
He is not here. - He isn't (He's not) here.
She is not over there. - She isn't (She's not) over there.
It is not easy. - It isn't (It's not) easy.
We are not ready. - We aren't (We're not) ready.
They are not ill. - They aren't (They're not) ill.

Questions

We just change the word order of a sentence to make a question.

Positive questions:

Am I crazy?
Are you my friend?
Is he here?
Is she over there?
Is it easy?
Are we ready?
Are they ill?

Negative questions:

Am I not crazy?
Are you not my friend? - Aren't you my friend?
Is he not here? - Isn't he here?
Is she not over there? - Isn't she over there?
Is it not easy? - Isn't it easy?
Are we not ready? - Aren't we ready?
Are they not ill? - Aren't they ill?

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