To be or not to be

To be verb plays a very important role in English. You can say almost anything but not actions. You can say your name, age, locations, make descriptions, etc. In short, you can talk about states: They exist or not. In other words: To be or not to be.

UsesExample Sentences
NameMy name is Alan.
AgeThey are 4 years old.
LocationsWe are at home.
DescriptionsThe weather is sunny today.

What's the negative form?

We make the negative form just by adding "not" after the to be verb. 

for example...

This is not your bag. 

I'm not at home.

We aren't (are not) excited.

Where else do we use 'to be'?

There are many other uses of 'to be' verb in English, such as passive constructions or comparatives.

for example...

This building was made by a famous architect. (a passive construction)

Amy is taller than Emma. Mandy is the tallest girl in class. (comparisons)

 "I am go", "he is plays football" is one of the most frequent mistakes in English grammar. We can't use "to be" in these sentences. Because there is an action in these sentences.

Exercises

Practice 1

Practice 2

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