Grammar Practice Worksheets

Simple Present – Be
Table of Contents
2 GRAMMAR NOTES

6 EXERCISE 1: Positive Sentences Write the

pronoun or noun and correct form of the Be
verb under each picture.

7 EXERCISE 2: Fill in the Blanks

Write the correct form of the Be verb.

8 EXERCISE 3: Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using the Be verb.

9 EXERCISE 4: Positive & Negative Sentences

Write the correct form of the Be verb.

10 EXERCISE 5: Short Answers

Write a short answer for each Yes/No question.

11 EXERCISE 6: Wh- Questions

Write a Wh- question for each answer.

12 EXERCISE 7: Speaking Activity

Read the dialogues with a partner and then write your own.

13 ANSWER KEY

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 Simple Present – Be
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Grammar Notes
A. Introduction

We use the Be verb in the simple present tense to show a state of being.

• She is a nurse.
• The dogs are hungry.

B. Positive Sentences

I am you are
I am Syrian. You are happy.
Pronouns

he is she is it is
He is 11 years old. She is a student. It is furry.

we are they are

We are at school. They are shy.
Nouns

[singular noun] is [plural noun] are

The dog is big. The dogs are friendly.

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Grammar Notes cont.

C. Negative Sentences

I am not / I’m not you are not / you aren’t

I’m not from Sweden. You aren’t sad.
Pronouns

he is not / he isn’t she is not / she isn’t it is not / it isn’t

He isn’t 12 years old. She isn’t a teacher. It isn’t scared.

we are not / we aren’t they are not / they aren’t

We aren’t at home. They aren’t talkative.
Nouns

the dog is not / the dog isn’t the dogs are not / the dogs aren’t
The dog isn’t small. The dogs aren’t scary.

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Grammar Notes cont.

D. Yes/No Questions & Short Answers

am I…? are you…?

Am I late? Are you happy?
Yes, you are. / No, you aren’t. Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
Pronouns

is he…? is she…? is it…?

Is he 11 years old? Is she a student? Is it scared?
Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t. Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t. Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.

are we…? are they…?

Are we there yet? Are they your classmates?
Yes, we are. / No, we aren’t. Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.
Nouns

is the dog…? are the dogs…?

Is the dog in the house? Are the dogs in the backyard? Yes,
Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t. they are. / No, they aren’t.

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Grammar Notes cont.

E. Wh- Questions (what, where, when, who, why, how)

...am I…? ...are you…?

Why am I so tired? Where are you?
Pronouns

...is he…? ...is she…? ...is it…?

How old is he? Who is the teacher? Why is it scared?

...are we…? ...are they…?

Where are we? Who are they?
Nouns

...is the dog…? ...are the dogs…?

Where is the dog? How many dogs are there?

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 Simple Present – Be
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Exercise 1
POSITIVE SENTENCES

Write a pronoun and correct form of the Be verb under each picture.

Ex. she is 1.

2. 3.

4. 5.

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Exercise 2
FILL IN THE BLANKS

Complete the sentences using the Be verb.

Ex. She is 16 years old.

1. New York a big city.

2. She friendly.

3. He five years old.

4. Sweden and France countries in Europe.

5. Her hair long.

6. It very cold today.

7. The cat furry.

8. The dog hungry.

9. They friendly.

10. An elephant a big animal.

11. Mice small. 12.

Apples red. 13.

You talkative.

14. Ice cream sweet.

15. The bus late.

16. He 25 years old.

17. I tired.

18. Mr. and Mrs. Baker teachers.

19. We sleepy today.

20. You intelligent.

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Exercise 3
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

Complete the following sentences using the Be verb and a noun from the box. Use
a or an with a singular noun or use the correct plural form.

Ex. The Mona Lisa is a painting .

Noun List:
1. A cat .
• flower
2. Roses . • toy
• painting
3. A Toyota . • season
• clothes
4. New York and Paris . • bird
• animal
5. Sweden .
• car
6. A dictionary . • city
• person
7. Spring and fall . • insect
• country
8. A teacher . • book
• movie
9. A doll .
• vegetable
10. Spiders and flies . • instrument

11. A crow .

12. Shirts and pants .

13. Toy Story .

14. A piano and a guitar .

15. Carrots and cucumbers .

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Exercise 4
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE SENTENCES

Write the correct positive and negative forms of the Be verb.

Ex. Carrots are vegetables. They aren’t fruit.

1. Tokyo a city. It a country.

2. A feather heavy. It light.

3. Winters cold in Canada. They hot.

4. Ice cream sweet. It sour.

5. Giraffes tall animals. They short.

6. Hockey a fast game. It slow.

7. Elephants light. They heavy animals.

8. Lemons sweet. They sour.

9. Children young. They old.

10. Parties usually noisy. They usually quiet.

11. A library usually noisy. It usually quiet.

12. The US a country. It a city.

13. The sun cold . It hot.

14. A carrot orange. It blue.

15. Five star hotels cheap. They expensive.

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Exercise 5
SHORT ANSWERS

Write a short answer for each Yes/No question using the Be verb.

Ex. Are you a doctor? (no) 5. Are you tired? (no)

No, I’m not.

Ex. Are you a nurse? (yes) 6. Is she a basketball player? (yes)

Yes, I am.

1. Are you sick? (no) 7. Are your neighbors rich? (no)

2. Are they married? (yes) 8. Is your teacher nice? (yes)

3. Is that TV expensive? (yes) 9. Is he from Spain? (no)

4. Is that exercise difficult? 10. Are you happy? (yes)

(no)

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Exercise 6
WH- QUESTIONS

Write a question using the Be verb and who, what, where, when, or why.

Ex. Where is the teacher?

The teacher is in the classroom.

1.

Tokyo is in Japan.

2.

Mr. Anderson is my teacher.

3.

It is 3:00.

4. The doctor’s office is near the hospital.

5. The children are in bed because they are sick.

6. It is cold in January.

7.

Maria is John’s girlfriend.

8. The meeting is next Monday.

9. I am tired because I stayed up late.

10. That beautiful woman is my mother.

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 Simple Present – Be
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Exercise 7
SPEAKING ACTIVITY

Dialogue 1

Read the dialogue with your partner. Then switch roles and read it again.

Juan: Hi, I’m Juan.

Marie: It’s nice to meet you, Juan. I’m Marie.

Juan: Hi, Marie. Where are you from? Do you know?

Marie: I’m from France. How about you? It is common to use the
Be verb for introductions.
Juan: I’m from Mexico. Use the Be verb to tell or
ask someone about:
Marie: What do you do in Mexico?
• names
Juan: I’m a photographer. What do you do, Marie?
• countries
Marie: I’m a realtor. I sell houses. • jobs

Note that in many countries, it is not

Juan: Well, it was nice to meet you, Marie.
polite to ask someone’s age.
Marie: You too, Juan. See you later.

Dialogue 2

Work with a partner and fill in the dialogue with your own information.
Then read it out loud.

A: Hi, I’m .

B: It’s nice to meet you, . I’m .

A: Hi, . Where you from?

B: from . How about you?

A: from .

B: What do you do in ?

A: a . What do you do, ?

B: a .

A: Well, it was nice to meet you, .

B: You too, . See you later.

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 Simple Present – Be
Grammar Practice Worksheets

Answer Key
Exercise 1
Exercise 5

Answers may vary. 1. No, I’m not. 6. Yes, she is.

2. Yes, they are. 7. No, they aren’t.
1. I am 4. they are
3. Yes, it is. 8. Yes, he/she is.
2. we are 5. you are
4. No, it isn’t. 9. No, he isn’t.
3. he is
5. No, I’m not. 10. Yes, I am.

Exercise 2
Exercise 6
1. is 6. is 11. are 16. is
1. Where is Tokyo?
2. is 7. is 12. are 17. am
2. Who is your teacher?
3. is 8. is 13. are 18. are
3. What time is it?
4. are 9. are 14. is 19. are
4. Where is the doctor’s
5. is 10. is 15. is 20. are
office?
5. Why are the children in bed?
Exercise 3 6. When is it cold?
7. Who is Maria?
1. is an animal 9. is a toy 8. When is the meeting?
2. are flowers 10. are insects 9. Why are you tired?
3. is a car 11. is a bird 12. 10. Who is that beautiful woman?
4. are cities are clothes 13. is a
movie
5. is a country Exercise 7
14. are instruments
6. is a book
15. are vegetables
7. are seasons Answers will vary.
8. is a person

SPELLING NOTE:

Exercise 4 This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Neighbor.
Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Neighbour.
1. is, isn’t Make it a challenge for your students to find this word in the
9. are, aren’t
2. isn’t, is lesson and see if they know the alternate spelling.
10. are, aren’t
3. are, aren’t
11. isn’t, is
4. is, isn’t EDITOR’S NOTE:
12. is, isn’t
5. are, aren’t
13. isn’t, is This lesson shows the negative contractions you aren’t, he/she/
6. is, isn’t
14. is, isn’t it isn’t, we aren’t, and they aren’t. If you think your students can
7. aren’t, are
15. aren’t, are handle it, point out that you’re not, he’s/she’s/it’s not, we’re not,
8. aren’t, are
and they’re not are equally acceptable.

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