The basis of the English language is in understanding its verbs. When we can form verbs, we can form sentences. you should begin with the verb to be
La base del inglés son los verbos. En cuanto puedas conjugar verbos, podrás usar el idioma, deberías empezar con el verbo to be
We can form to be with the full form I am or the contraction I´m
Podemos conjugar el verbo como I am o I’m
| SUBJECT | TO BE | CONTRACTION |
| I | AM | I’M |
| YOU | ARE | YOU’RE |
| HE/SHE/IT | IS | HE’S |
| WE | ARE | WE`RE |
| YOU (ALL) | ARE | YOU’RE |
| THEY | ARE | THEY’RE |
Examples:
I am Marc.
I am really happy today.
My sister is a good person.
My cousins are really friendly.
This exam is really tricky.
You are very dizzy.
To form the negative: simple add not
La forma negativa es con not
| SUBJECT | TO BE | CONTRACTION |
| I | AM NOT | I´M NOT |
| YOU | ARE NOT | YOU AREN´T |
| HE/SHE/IT | IS NOT | HE ISN´T |
| WE | ARE NOT | WE AREN´T |
| YOU (ALL) | ARE NOT | YOU AREN´T |
| THEY | ARE NOT | THEY AREN´T |
Examples:
I am not in a good mood.
My father is not 65, he is 63 years old.
You are not ugly.
We are not lazy.
We can also use a contraction
La forma más corta es con ‘t
I’m not in a good mood.
My father isn’t 65, he is 63 years old.
You aren’t ugly.
We aren’t lazy.
The interrogative form: AUXILIARY + SUBJECT + ADJECTIVE?
La interrogativa se forma con: auxiliar + sujeto + adjetivo?
| TO BE | SUBJECT | COMPLEMENT + ? |
| AM | I | HAPPY? |
| ARE | YOU | ANGRY? |
| IS | HE/SHE/IT | SAD? |
| ARE | WE | UPSET? |
| ARE | YOU (ALL) | ANNOYED? |
| ARE | THEY | EXCITED? |
Example questions:
Are you scared of spiders?
Is your best friend a kind person?
Remember: In English we be years and not have years,
RECORDAD: En inglés ERES años y NO LOS TIENES
I am 33 years old.
Next year I will turn 34, but now I am 33.
Past simple form of the verb to be:
TO BE EN EL PASADO:
The past tense is also irregular:
El pasado simple el irregular también:
| SUBJECT | TO BE |
| I | WAS |
| YOU | WERE |
| HE/SHE/IT | WAS |
| WE | WERE |
| YOU (ALL) | WERE |
| THEY | WERE |
Examples:
I was born in Italy.
You were tired last night.
My brother was ill yesterday.
I was not at work yesterday.
She was not happy last year.
Practice speaking questions:
- How old are you?
- How are you today?
- What is your name?
- Where are you from?
- When is your birthday?
- Are you nervous about your exam?
- Who is your best friend?
- How old is your best friend?
- When were you born?
- Where were you born?
Check out our grammar point on adjectives and remember: …ing adjectives make you feel …ed
For instance: I think the film was boring. I felt bored when I watched the film. As it was such a boring film, I was bored the whole time.
… ed = temporary feeling
…ing is permanent = cause of a feeling
For more information on adjectives, follow the link HERE
Free practise in PDF
