© British Council, 2017 The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity. Present simple – verb ‘to be’ We can use the present simple of the verb to be to talk about situations and states in the present. 1.
Full Answer
What is the verb for to be?
The “to be” is a verb used to describe something or someone. In English, it can be used to say different things according to the context. However, the most common use of the to be verb is to talk about names , ages , feeling , nationalities , and professions , especially when talking in the present tense .
What are verbs and verbs?
Verbs are concepts that some kids might find hard to grasp, but through constant repetition using different activities and exercises, learning about it can be easy, and even fun! It’s essential for the little ones to learn the uses of the “to be” verb, after all, it’s used frequently and for a lot of different purposes.
Are verbs difficult for kids to learn?
For children, learning the verbs-and especially this one-might be a difficult task. Verbs are concepts that some kids might find hard to grasp, but through constant repetition using different activities and exercises, learning about it can be easy, and even fun!
What is the most common use of to be verb?
However, the most common use of the to be verb is to talk about names, ages, feeling, nationalities, and professions, especially when talking in the present tense. The most tricky thing about this verb, however, is that It’s also one of the most irregular verbs in the English language.
How do you teach the verb to be for kids?
How to Teach the Verb "To Be" to BeginnersWarm up. For this first lesson, it is best to focus on only the I, You, He/She/It structures which you can build upon in later classes. ... Introduce Vocabulary. ... Introduce “to be” ... Practice Simple. ... Practice Complex. ... Review.
How do you teach the verb to be games?
Put a spin on the game by holding a ball, saying a "to be" verb and tossing it to a student. That child has to come up with a sentence using the verb.
What is the verb to be in present simple?
To Use the Verb “To Be” in Present Simple Tense, Pair It with a Personal Pronoun. To form a simple sentence to say that you are a student, we need the connecting verb to be: “I am a student.” For this type of sentence, you can choose any other person/persons and use the proper form of to be: He/She is a student.
How do you use to be verbs?
The verb be is used as an auxiliary verb and it can also be used as a main verb. The verb be is irregular....emphasizes the negative.emphasizes the negativeYou aren't late.You're not late.He isn't late.He's not late.We aren't late.We're not late.They aren't late.They're not late.7 more rows
What are examples of be verbs?
“To be” verbs are: are, am, is, was, were, been and being. They are used to describe or tell us the condition of people, things, places and ideas. For example, they could tell us the subject's age, nationality, job or other traits.
What is a fun way to teach helping verbs?
5 Fun Activities for Teaching Verbs in the Primary GradesActivity #1: Play Simon Says with action words.Activity #2: Have students look for verbs “in the wild.”Activity #3: Build Verb Vocabulary with Games.Activity #4: Put Verbs in Order to Practice Shades of Meaning.Activity #5: Play “Parts of Speech 4 Corners“More items...•
What are the 3 forms of the verb to be in present?
'To Be' in the Present Tense The present tense of 'be' has three forms. We say "I am," "he (or she, or it) is," and "you (or we or they) are." All other English verbs have only two forms in the simple present tense. (That's 3rd-person singular for he, she, or it, and the base form for everything else.)
How do you conjugate the verb to be?
Conjugation English verb to beSimple present. I am. ... Present progressive/continuous. I am being. ... Simple past. I was/were. ... Past progressive/continuous. I was being. ... Present perfect simple. I have been. ... Present perfect progressive/continuous. I have been being. ... Past perfect. I had been. ... Past perfect progressive/continuous.More items...
Is the past tense of be?
The table given below shows the past tense form as well as the past participle form of commonly used strong/irregular verbs....11 Past participle forms.Present tense formPast tensePast participleStrong/Irregular verbsbe (is/am/are)was/werebeenbear (bring out)boreborn84 more rows
What are the 8 be verbs?
Be verbs are am, are, is, was, were, been and being. We only only use be as to be. "Be" verbs indicate a state of being.
Why is it called verb to be?
ergo, it is called "to be" verbs because it is meant to exist or could be existing, or about to exist. "to be" is somewhat a word that links sentences and or phrases that is: About to happen.
What type of verb is be?
The verb “To be” also acts as a linking verb, joining the sentence subject with a subject complement or adjective complement. A linking verb provides no action to a sentence: the subject complement re-identifies the subject; the adjective complement modifies it.
How do you teach tenses with activities?
Here are some exciting tenses games you can try.Making questions. There are chances that your child has difficulty forming questions in different tenses. ... Quiz. ... Sing it out loud. ... Name the tenses. ... Match-up LEGO bricks. ... Tell a story from a picture. ... Let the characters teach. ... Listen and say.
How do you explain a verb to a child?
5:246:33Learn the verb to be for kids - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm American which verb is used when we talk about ourselves is it M or or is it Sam I am America ifMoreI'm American which verb is used when we talk about ourselves is it M or or is it Sam I am America if you're not American and the answer is negative you can say I am NOT.
How do I teach ESL students to verbs?
Be-Verbs Lesson PlanWrite example sentences on the board.Have students extrapolate the rules from the example sentences inductively. ... Practice quick response. ... Put them in groups of 3. ... If they are responding quickly with the correct be-verbs, practice with asking and answering basic be-verb questions.More items...
How do you teach using is am?
1:524:33How To Use ' am, is and are ' - (Grammar for kids ) - EnglishYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMeans one object. So she uses is we also use is after singular noun that is name of one person orMoreMeans one object. So she uses is we also use is after singular noun that is name of one person or one object or one animal etc for example the car is red when we talk about many objects.
How to use "to be"?
How to use the “to be” verb. The “to be” is a verb used to describe something or someone. In English, it can be used to say different things according to the context. However, the most common use of the to be verb is to talk about names, ages, feeling, nationalities, and professions, especially when talking in the present tense.
When to use "to be" in English?
“To be” verb can be used to make questions in English in two different ways. The first one is to use it normally with Wh- questions, like in the following sentences:
What is the most important verb in English?
One of the most important verbs In English is the "to be" verb. Learn about its meaning and uses in the English language. Playlearn with Lingokids! In English, verbs have a very important place in communication, they are the ones responsible for expressing actions.
What are some examples of verbs?
In English, verbs have a very important place in communication, they are the ones responsible for expressing actions. Words like jump, run, speak… all are common and clear examples of verbs that describe an action that a subject does. However, there is one verb that’s the most used in the English language: the verb to be.
Does the word "to be" change?
This means, that unlike regular verbs, which barely change when used when different subjects -or even in different tenses-, and when they do, they follow a pattern, the “to be” verb changes almost completely in most of its forms.
Is learning verbs hard for kids?
For children, learning the verbs -and especially this one- might be a difficult task. Verbs are concepts that some kids might find hard to grasp, but through constant repetition using different activities and exercises, learning about it can be easy, and even fun !
Is "present" a verb?
Present. This form of the verb is mainly used in the simple present, and its meaning can change depending on the use in the context. Also, when writing, the present form of the to be verb can be shortened.