verb -- 'to be' verb 'to be'- negative, interrogative patterns 1a. English grammar - 'am' 1b. am + -ing form of verb 1c. am + being + past participle 1d. am + past participle 2a. English grammar - 'is' 2b. is + -ing form of verb 2c. is + being + past participle 2d. is + past participle 3a. English grammar - 'are' 3b. are + -ing form of verb 3c. are + being + past participle 3d. are + past participle 4a. English grammar - 'was' 4b. was + -ing form of verb 4c. was + being + past participle 4d. was + past participle 5a. English grammar - 'were' 5b. were + -ing form of verb 5c. were + being + past participle 5d. were + past participle notes - (1): question tags, (2): short answers (ellipsis], (3): addition to remarks, (4): there is/was and there are/were, (5): subjunctive mood - 'were', (6): be + going to + verb word, (7): 'used to' vs. 'be + used to', (8): be + to + verb word, (9): be + 'being"+ adjective, (10): mixed sentences exercises Sample This: Verb 'To Be' -- The Verb 'to be' is used to represent the following English verbs: 'Am', 'Is', 'Are', 'Was', 'Were' The verb 'to be' is used as both linking verb and auxiliary verb. LINKING VERB: A verb that connects a subject with the complement (adjective or noun) that describes it. Example: He is an engineer. [In this sentence, subject (he) and noun (engineer) is connected by linking verb 'is'. There is no main verb in this sentence.] Some more examples: I am happy. [linking verb - am]; Is he a good boy? [linking verb - is]; We are very proud of ourselves. [linking verb - are]; She was intelligent. [linking verb - was]; They were not late by half an hour. [linking verb - were] AUXILIARY VERB: A verb which is used with the main verb to show tenses, etc. Example: He is going to the office. [In this sentence, -ing form of the main verb 'go' has been used with the auxiliary verb 'is'. Some more examples: I am studying a book. [auxiliary verb - am main verb - study (-ing form)]; He is working on his project [auxiliary verb - is main verb - work (-ing form)]; We are not expected to tell the secret. [auxiliary verb - are main verb - expect (past participle form)]; She was taught by me. [auxiliary verb - was main verb - teach (past participle form)]; Were they burdened by high taxation [auxiliary verb - were main verb - burden (past participle form)] IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT VERB 'TO BE': 'AM' - Singular Verb, Used In Present Tense, Used with Subject 'I' 'IS' - Singular Verb, Used In Present Tense, Used with Subject 'He' 'She', 'It' and other Singular Subjects 'ARE' - Plural Verb, Used In Present Tense, Used with Subject 'We', 'You', 'They' and other Plural Subjects 'WAS' - Singular Verb, Used In Past Tense, Used with Subject 'I', 'He', She', 'It' and other Singular Subjects 'WERE' - Plural Verb, Used In Past Tense, Used with Subject 'We', 'You' and other Plural Subjects