Correct Uses of the verb BE

Correct Uses of the Correct Uses of the verb BE verb BE

In earlier lessons some In earlier lessons some irregular verbs were irregular verbs were included. I’m sure you included. I’m sure you had no trouble with these had no trouble with these because your ears know because your ears know what sounds correct. what sounds correct. However, we will review However, we will review the rules just in case the rules just in case you become confused.you become confused.

Regular verbs work this Regular verbs work this way.way.

TodayToday YesterdayYesterdayHe cooksHe cooksI, You, or We I, You, or We cookcook

cookedcooked

He fixesHe fixesI, You, or We I, You, or We fixfix

fixedfixed

He picksHe picksI, You, or We I, You, or We pickpick

pickedpicked

Sometimes there’s a Sometimes there’s a pattern to irregular verbspattern to irregular verbs

TodayToday YesterdayYesterdayHe blowsHe blows I, You, or We I, You, or We blowblow

blewblew

He growsHe grows I, You, or We I, You, or We growgrow

grewgrew

He knowsHe knows I, You, or We I, You, or We knowknow

knewknew

Sometimes there’s no Sometimes there’s no patternpattern

TodayToday YesterdayYesterdayHe ridesHe rides I, You, or We I, You, or We rideride

roderode

He slidesHe slides I, You, or We I, You, or We slideslide

slidslid

He wakesHe wakes I, You, or We I, You, or We wakewake

wokewoke

Other times you may not Other times you may not even recognize the even recognize the

verb.verb.

Singular Forms of the Singular Forms of the Verb Verb BEBE

TodayToday YesterdayYesterdayI I amam I I waswasyou you areare you you werewerehe, she, he, she, it it isis

he, she, it he, she, it waswas

Plural Forms of the Plural Forms of the Verb BEVerb BE

TodayToday YesterdayYesterday

We areWe are We wereWe were

Rules for Present TenseRules for Present Tense

am is aream is are UseUse amam with the pronoun I. with the pronoun I. Use Use isis when you mean one when you mean one person, place, or thing.person, place, or thing.

Use Use areare when you mean more when you mean more than one person, place, or than one person, place, or thing, and with the thing, and with the pronoun you.pronoun you.

Examples – Present Tense Examples – Present Tense SingularSingular

Singular Singular Nouns or Nouns or PronounsPronouns

VerbsVerbs SentencesSentences

II amam I amI am the biggest the biggest boy in the boy in the valley. valley.

BillyBilly isis Billy isBilly is too too young to hunt by young to hunt by himself. himself.

It It isis It isIt is the the biggest coon I biggest coon I have ever seen. have ever seen.

Examples – Present Examples – Present Tense PluralTense Plural

PluralPluralNouns or Nouns or PronounsPronouns


HoundsHounds areare Hounds areHounds are good good hunters. hunters.

YouYou areare You areYou are in for a in for a long, cold long, cold night. night.

Write the correct present Write the correct present tense form of be (tense form of be (amam,, is is,,

areare) to complete the ) to complete the sentence. sentence.

The beautiful night The beautiful night __________ perfect for __________ perfect for hunting. hunting.

The beautiful night The beautiful night isis perfect for hunting.perfect for hunting.


areare) to complete the ) to complete the sentence.sentence.

Papa ________ happy to see Papa ________ happy to see my ax sharpened. my ax sharpened.

Papa Papa is is happy to see my ax happy to see my ax sharpened.sharpened.



The hounds ________anxious The hounds ________anxious to go. to go.

The hounds The hounds are are anxious to anxious to go.go.



He told the sheriff, "I He told the sheriff, "I _______ Billy Colman." _______ Billy Colman."

He told the sheriff, "I He told the sheriff, "I am am Billy Colman." Billy Colman."

Rules for Past TenseRules for Past Tense

was werewas were Use Use waswas when you mean one when you mean one person place, or thing.person place, or thing.

Use Use werewere when you mean when you mean more than one person, more than one person, place, or thing. place, or thing.

Examples – Past Tense Examples – Past Tense SingularSingular

Singular Singular Nouns or Nouns or PronounsPronouns


II waswas I wasI was twelve twelve years old when I years old when I caught my first caught my first coon. coon.

BillyBilly waswas Billy wasBilly was too too cold to stop cold to stop shaking. shaking.

It It waswas It wasIt was time to time to go home. go home.

Examples – Past Tense Examples – Past Tense PluralPlural

PluralPluralNouns or Nouns or PronounsPronouns


HoundsHounds werewere Hounds wereHounds were all all over the over the mountain. mountain.

WeWe werewere We wereWe were here here first. first.

YouYou werewere You wereYou were the the last one to go last one to go home. home.

Write the correct present Write the correct present tense form of be (tense form of be (waswas,, werewere) to complete the ) to complete the sentence.sentence.

I ________ as nervous as I ________ as nervous as Samie, our house cat.Samie, our house cat.

I I was was as nervous as Samie, as nervous as Samie, our house cat.our house cat.

Write the correct present Write the correct present tense form of be (tense form of be (waswas,, werewere) to complete the ) to complete the

sentence.sentence.

One of the things I One of the things I promised Mama _________ promised Mama _________ to not go into the river. to not go into the river.

One of the things I One of the things I promised Mama promised Mama waswas to not to not go into the river.go into the river.


My boots __________ as My boots __________ as soft as a hummingbird's soft as a hummingbird's nest.nest.

My boots My boots were were as soft as a as soft as a hummingbird's nest.hummingbird's nest.


I could tell Mama ______ I could tell Mama ______ as worried as a cat in a as worried as a cat in a room full of rocking room full of rocking chairs, and it didn't chairs, and it didn't make me feel too good.make me feel too good.

I could tell Mama I could tell Mama was was as as worried as a cat in a worried as a cat in a room full of rocking room full of rocking chairs, and it didn't chairs, and it didn't make me feel too good.make me feel too good.

Practice with this online Practice with this online quiz using forms of quiz using forms of BeBe

http://a4esl.org/q/f/z/zz86skm.htm



Practice – Number your Practice – Number your paper from 1 to 18. Write paper from 1 to 18. Write the correct answer for the correct answer for each of the following each of the following items.items.

1. We (am, is, are) down 1. We (am, is, are) down by the river bottom in by the river bottom in record time. record time.

2. Because I told Little 2. Because I told Little Ann that today is Ann that today is important, she (am, is, important, she (am, is, are) ready with her tail are) ready with her tail wiggling and twisting. wiggling and twisting.

3. A large raccoon (am, 3. A large raccoon (am, is, are) down in the is, are) down in the river bottom. river bottom.

4. Hanging on the tool 4. Hanging on the tool shed (am, is, are) my shed (am, is, are) my first hide. first hide.

5. I (am, is, are) old 5. I (am, is, are) old enough to go hunting by enough to go hunting by myself. myself.

6. Two large coons (am, 6. Two large coons (am, is, are) up in the tree. is, are) up in the tree.

7. While Mama and my 7. While Mama and my sisters (was, were) sisters (was, were) bundling me up, Papa lit bundling me up, Papa lit my lantern. my lantern.

8. By the large oak tree 8. By the large oak tree (was, were) the largest (was, were) the largest coon I have ever seen. coon I have ever seen.

9. Two pairs of coon eyes 9. Two pairs of coon eyes (was, were) staring back (was, were) staring back at Billy. at Billy.

10. Choose the sentence 10. Choose the sentence that is written correctly. that is written correctly.

a)a) Billy was beside his hounds expecting one Billy was beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready for a rest. for a rest.

b)b) Billy was beside his hounds expecting one Billy was beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready for a rest. for a rest.

c)c) Billy were beside his hounds expecting one Billy were beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready for a rest. for a rest.

d)d) Billy were beside his hounds expecting one Billy were beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready for a rest. for a rest.

11. Read this sentence. 11. Read this sentence. Billy is an inexperienced trainer, but Old Billy is an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for.a boy could wish for.What is the correct way to write this What is the correct way to write this sentence?sentence?a)a) Billy am an inexperienced trainer, Billy am an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for. best coon dogs a boy could wish for.

b)b) Billy is an inexperienced trainer, Billy is an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann is the but Old Dan and Little Ann is the best coon dogs a boy could wish for. best coon dogs a boy could wish for.

c)c) Billy are an inexperienced trainer, Billy are an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for. best coon dogs a boy could wish for.

d)d) Best as is. Best as is.

12. Which of the following 12. Which of the following is is NOTNOT written correctly? written correctly?

a)a) My dogs were just big, awkward My dogs were just big, awkward pups, trailing their first pups, trailing their first live coon. live coon.

b)b) The ring-tail fool was not The ring-tail fool was not going to trick my dogs again. going to trick my dogs again.

c)c) My dogs didn't know it, but I My dogs didn't know it, but I was pretty well convinced the was pretty well convinced the coon had hidden in the log. coon had hidden in the log.

d)d) Neither Old Dan or Little Ann Neither Old Dan or Little Ann were bewildered. were bewildered.

13. Choose the sentence 13. Choose the sentence that is written correctly. that is written correctly.

a)a) After seeing that there was After seeing that there was nothing to be scared of, once nothing to be scared of, once again I were the fearless again I were the fearless hunter. hunter.

b)b) The trails was forgotten as I The trails was forgotten as I tore off through the brush. tore off through the brush.

c)c) I are afraid to believe it. I are afraid to believe it. d)d) Little Ann is about to stand on Little Ann is about to stand on

the stepping stone in the the stepping stone in the river. river.

14. Which of the following 14. Which of the following is is NOTNOT written correctly? written correctly?

a)a) It was the king of the woods, It was the king of the woods, towering far above the smaller towering far above the smaller trees. trees.

b)b) The huge limbs was spreading out The huge limbs was spreading out over the small birch, ash, box over the small birch, ash, box elder, and water oak. elder, and water oak.

c)c) I am the one who named this tree I am the one who named this tree "the giant". "the giant".

d)d) I was thinking of going to the I was thinking of going to the river to wash my face in cool river to wash my face in cool water. water.

15. Which sentence in the 15. Which sentence in the paragraph below contains a paragraph below contains a mistake?mistake?

(1) The raccoon are a furry animal (1) The raccoon are a furry animal that has a bushy ringed tail. (2) that has a bushy ringed tail. (2) Their fur coloring makes them Their fur coloring makes them appear to be wearing masks. (3) appear to be wearing masks. (3) This is why they have been given This is why they have been given the nickname "Bandit". (4) The the nickname "Bandit". (4) The "mask" goes across the raccoon's "mask" goes across the raccoon's face from cheek to cheek then face from cheek to cheek then around the eyes above the nose. around the eyes above the nose.


(1) The fur on the mask is a dark (1) The fur on the mask is a dark brown color. (2)The rest of the brown color. (2)The rest of the raccoon's fur are gray to a raccoon's fur are gray to a blackish color. (3) The tail of blackish color. (3) The tail of a raccoon has rings of different a raccoon has rings of different colors. (4) The rings are black colors. (4) The rings are black and light brown or gray. and light brown or gray.


(1) Seven species of raccoons (1) Seven species of raccoons live in the world. (2) The live in the world. (2) The northern raccoon are 30 to northern raccoon are 30 to 38 inches long. (3) They 38 inches long. (3) They weigh 12 to 25 pounds. weigh 12 to 25 pounds.


(1) Raccoons have stiff, long (1) Raccoons have stiff, long hair. (2) The hair are hair. (2) The hair are generally gray with yellow generally gray with yellow or brown. (3) Raccoons have or brown. (3) Raccoons have tails which are 12 inches tails which are 12 inches long. long.

Correct Uses of the verb BE

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