Lesson

Present simple - am/is/are (affirmative & negative)

Be in present

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Present simple — am / is / are (affirmative & negative)

The present simple forms of the verb BE are am, is and are. We use these forms to describe identity, roles, locations, states, permanent facts and professional situations. The affirmative forms state what something or someone is; the negative forms state what something or someone is not.

  • Affirmative: subject + am / is / are (I am, he is, they are).
  • Negative: subject + am not / is not / are not (I am not, he is not / isn't, they are not / aren't).
  • Use the verb BE for descriptions, locations, professions, feelings and facts (The office is on the third floor; She is the manager).

Table

Present Simple of BE — Affirmative and Negative

Subject Affirmative Negative Example
I I am I am not / I'm not I am the project manager.
You You are You are not / You aren't You are on the schedule for Monday.
He / She / It He is He is not / He isn't She is the team lead.
We We are We are not / We aren't We are in the meeting room.
They They are They are not / They aren't They are from the marketing department.

Tip

Where to put 'not' with BE

The negative form is created by placing not directly after the correct form of BE. Contractions are frequent in spoken and business English.

  • Formal negative: I am not, He is not, They are not.
  • Common contractions: I'm not, He isn't, They aren't.
  • Do not use 'do/does' with BE for negatives (wrong: He does not is).

Remember: BE is the main verb here — put 'not' after am/is/are.

Example

Examples in context

I am the project manager.

She is not available right now.

We are in the conference room for the meeting.

They aren't from our company; they are contractors.

Tip

Common mistakes with BE (present simple)

Watch out for these universal errors when forming affirmative and negative sentences with BE.

  • Using the wrong form: 'He are' or 'I is' — choose am/is/are to match the subject.
  • Using do/does in negatives or questions with BE: 'He does not is' is incorrect.
  • Placing not in the wrong position: 'Not he is happy' is incorrect.
  • Double negation or extra words: avoid 'He isn't not available' or 'She not is'.

Focus on subject-verb agreement and correct placement of 'not'.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Check subject-verb agreement for he/she/it.

Quiz

Complete: He _____ the team leader.

Hint: Think about the negative form of 'is' for he.

Quiz

Choose the correct negative sentence:

Hint: Remember the correct form of BE with the subject 'I'.

Key Points

GrammarPoint

am

verb (auxiliary) CEFR A1 //æm//

First-person singular present form of the verb BE.

I am responsible for the report.

GrammarPoint

is

verb (auxiliary) CEFR A1 //ɪz//

Third-person singular present form of the verb BE.

She is our client manager.

GrammarPoint

are

verb (auxiliary) CEFR A1 //ɑːr/ /ər/ (US/UK)/

Plural and second-person present form of the verb BE (you/we/they are).

They are in the training session.

GrammarPoint

not

adverb CEFR A1 //nɒt/ /nɑːt//

A particle used to form negatives; placed after auxiliary verbs like BE.

He is not available this afternoon.

Vocabulary

contraction (isn't / aren't / I'm)

noun CEFR A2 //kənˈtræk.ʃən//

A shortened form of a word or combination of words used often in spoken and informal written English.

She's (She is) in the office.

GrammarPoint

subject-verb agreement

grammar_term CEFR B1 //ˈsʌbdʒɛkt vɜːrb əˈɡriːmənt//

The rule that the verb form must match the subject in person and number.

He is correct; They are correct.