Basic Grammar 1.

2
TENSES BE (ARE) Simple Present
FORMS
AFFIRMATIVE
We
You
They

QUESTION

= Were
are = Youre
= Theyre

Are

We ?
You ?
They ?

NEGATIVE
We
You
They

= We arent
are not = You arent
= They arent

Affirmative Form: To make the affirmative, we use:

SUBJECT + ARE + COMPLEMENT
Examples:
- Nick and I are friends.
- The girls are at the park.

Negative Form:

To make the negative, we put not after are.

SUBJECT + ARE + NOT + COMPLEMENT
Examples:
- We arent hungry.
- They arent in the room.

Question Form:

To make questions, we change the place of the subject and the verb.
ARE + SUBJECT + COMPLEMENT
Examples:
You are nurses.

Short Answers

Are

Yes, we are.
No, we arent.

you nurses?

The children are here.

Are

the children here?

Basic 1.2 Tenses Be (are) Simple Present

Yes, they are.

No, they arent.

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Basic Grammar 1.2

Wh-Questions:

To make a Wh- question, we use the following formula.

WH-WORD + ARE + SUBJECT + ?

Examples:

Question
Who are you?
What are these?
What color are the walls?

Answer
Were Monica and Sylvia.
Theyre erasers.
Theyre white.

USE
We use are in the following cases:
1. Profession, trade, occupation:
Ex:

- Luke and Edward are actors.

- Tina and I arent students.

2. Nationality:
Ex:

- We arent Russian.
- Were from Hungary.

3. Age:
Ex:

- Those men are young.

- The books arent old.

4. Characteristics:
Ex:

- Those women are attractive.

- The chairs are comfortable.

5. Condition:
Ex:

- The kids are nervous.

- These pictures arent nice.

6. Place:
Ex:

- Veronica and Francis are there.

- Mom and Dad arent in the garage.

7. Color:
Ex:

- The windows arent beige.

- These shoes are black.

Basic 1.2 Tenses Be (are) Simple Present

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Basic Grammar 1.2

PRACTICE: BE (Simple Present - ARE)
I. Complete the sentences using are or arent.
1. The children ...arent.....sad. Theyre happy.
2. Dave and I ............. teachers. Were students.
3. Martha and Gina are sisters. They ........... mother and daughter.
4. Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck ............ cartoons.
5. China and Japan in Asia.

II. Write negative sentences. Use arent.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

( We / from Africa)
We arent from Africa.
(The girls / in the office)...................................................................................
(Monday and Tuesday/ months).......................................................................
(Guatemala and Costa Rica / in South America)..............................................
(Gary and I / sleepy).........................................................................................

III. Write questions with these words. Use are.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

(those pens blue)

Are those pens blue?
(you and Sally engineers)...........................................................?
(these CDs good).......................................................................?
(the books on the table)..............................................................?
(the secretaries in the cafeteria) .................................................?

IV. Write the questions for these answers. Use the cues in parentheses)
1. Are the boys at home? (the boys at home)
No, they arent. Theyre at school.
2. .......................................................................? (those men)
Theyre Mr. Anderson and Mr. Smith.
3. .......................................................................? (the children at school)
Yes, they are. Theyre in the classroom.
4. .......................................................................? (these papers)
Theyre letters.
5. .......................................................................? (the walls red)
No, they arent. Theyre blue.

Basic 1.2 Tenses Be (are) Simple Present

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Basic Grammar 1.2

ANSWERS: Practice Basic 1.2
Exercise I:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

arent
arent
arent
are
are

Exercise II:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

We arent from Africa.

The girls arent in the office.
Monday and Tuesday arent months.
Guatemala and Costa Rica arent in South America.
Gary and I arent sleepy.

Exercise III:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Are those pens blue?

Are you and Sally engineers?
Are these CDs good?
Are the books on the table?
Are the secretaries in the cafeteria?

Exercise IV:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Are the boys at home?

Who are those men?
Are the children at school?
What are these papers?
Are the walls red?

Basic 1.2 Tenses Be (are) Simple Present

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