Lesson

Present simple - am/is/are? Questions

Be questions

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Present simple - am/is/are? Questions

This lesson explains how to form questions in the present simple using the verbs am, is and are. These forms are used with the verb to be. You will learn yes/no questions, wh‑questions, short answers, and word order.

  • Use am with I, is with he/she/it, and are with you/we/they.
  • For yes/no questions, invert the subject and the verb: 'Is she here?'
  • For wh‑questions, put the question word first, then the verb and the subject: 'Where are they?'
  • Use short answers for quick replies: 'Yes, he is.' / 'No, they are not.'

Table

Question Forms with am / is / are

Pronoun Question form (yes/no) Example (yes/no) WH question example
I Am I ...? Am I on the schedule? Why am I late?
He / She / It Is he/she/it ...? Is she the project manager? Who is responsible for the report?
You / We / They Are you/we/they ...? Are they available for the call? Where are we meeting?

Tip

Key rule: Subject-verb inversion

To form present simple questions with to be, invert the subject and the verb:

  • Yes/no question: Verb before subject → 'Are you ready?'
  • WH-question: WH word + verb + subject → 'What is the deadline?'
  • Short answers: Use the verb form + subject → 'Yes, she is.' / 'No, I am not.'

Remember: am with I, is with he/she/it, are with you/we/they.

Example

Examples in context

Is the meeting at 10 AM?

Are you available for a conference call?

Is she the new project manager?

Am I scheduled to present tomorrow?

Tip

Common mistakes

Watch out for these frequent errors when forming am/is/are questions:

  • Keeping the subject before the verb (wrong): 'She is the manager?' — correct: 'Is she the manager?'
  • Using auxiliary do/does with am/is/are: 'Do you are available?' — remove do/does.
  • Wrong verb after the subject: using base verb instead of am/is/are in inversion.
  • Incorrect short answers punctuation or order: 'Yes, is.' — correct: 'Yes, she is.'

Always check that the verb to be is in the correct form for the subject and that it precedes the subject in questions.

Quiz

Choose the correct question for this statement: 'He is the project manager.'

Hint: Focus on subject-verb inversion and avoid adding auxiliary verbs.

Quiz

Complete: _____ she available for the call?

Hint: Think about the correct form of to be for she.

Quiz

Choose the correct question: 'They are available tomorrow.'

Hint: Check the subject (singular or plural) and invert it with the correct form of to be.

Key Points

GrammarPoint

am

verb (to be) CEFR A1 //æm//

First-person singular present form of the verb to be.

Am I on the agenda for today?

GrammarPoint

is

verb (to be) CEFR A1 //ɪz//

Third-person singular present form of the verb to be.

Is he on the client call?

GrammarPoint

are

verb (to be) CEFR A1 //ɑːr//

Plural present form of the verb to be; also used with you.

Are we meeting in the conference room?

GrammarPoint

subject-verb inversion

grammar concept CEFR A2 //səbˈdʒɛkt vɜːb ɪnˈvɜːrʒən//

A change in word order where the verb comes before the subject, used to form questions.

Is the report ready?

Expression

short answer

expression CEFR A2 //ʃɔːrt ˈænsər//

A brief response to a question using the verb and pronoun: 'Yes, she is.'

Q: Is the client here? A: Yes, he is.

GrammarPoint

WH-question

grammar_point CEFR B1 //dʌbəlju eɪt ˈkwɛsʧən//

A question beginning with a question word such as what, where, why, who, or how.

Where are the sales figures?