The Present Simple Tense (also called the Simple Present Tense)
Simple present tense with 'be'
The verb 'be' is different from the other verbs in this tense. Let's look at 'be' first.
Here's the positive form (positive means a normal sentence, not a negative or a question. This is
sometimes called 'affirmative').
Positive Positive short form
I am I'm
you are you're
he is he's
she is she's
it is it's
we are we're
they are they're
For example:
• I'm Scottish.
• She's hungry.
• They're always late.
Next, here's the negative. It's very easy. You only add 'not'.
Negative Negative short form
I am not I'm not
you are not you aren't
he is not he isn't
she is not she isn't
it is not it isn't
we are not we aren't
they are not they aren't
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May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
, For example:
• I'm not cold.
• He isn't from Spain.
• We aren't at home.
Here's the 'yes / no' question form.
Yes / no questions
Am I…?
Are you…?
Is he…?
Is she…?
Is it…?
Are we…?
Are they…?
For example:
• Am I next in the queue?
• Are you from Tokyo?
• Is he at the library at the moment?
If you'd like to make a 'wh-' question, you just put the question word at the front.
Wh- questions
Where am I?
What are you?
Why is he?
Who is she?
What is it?
When are we?
How are they?
2 ©www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
Simple present tense with 'be'
The verb 'be' is different from the other verbs in this tense. Let's look at 'be' first.
Here's the positive form (positive means a normal sentence, not a negative or a question. This is
sometimes called 'affirmative').
Positive Positive short form
I am I'm
you are you're
he is he's
she is she's
it is it's
we are we're
they are they're
For example:
• I'm Scottish.
• She's hungry.
• They're always late.
Next, here's the negative. It's very easy. You only add 'not'.
Negative Negative short form
I am not I'm not
you are not you aren't
he is not he isn't
she is not she isn't
it is not it isn't
we are not we aren't
they are not they aren't
1 ©www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
, For example:
• I'm not cold.
• He isn't from Spain.
• We aren't at home.
Here's the 'yes / no' question form.
Yes / no questions
Am I…?
Are you…?
Is he…?
Is she…?
Is it…?
Are we…?
Are they…?
For example:
• Am I next in the queue?
• Are you from Tokyo?
• Is he at the library at the moment?
If you'd like to make a 'wh-' question, you just put the question word at the front.
Wh- questions
Where am I?
What are you?
Why is he?
Who is she?
What is it?
When are we?
How are they?
2 ©www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
