Tense

Subject

Be verbs

1.

Present

I

am

He, She, It

is

We, You, They

are

Past

I, He, She, It

was

We, You, They

were

Future

I, We

Shall be

He, She, It, You, They

Will be

2.

Present

He, She, It

has been

I, We, You, They

have been

Past

I, We, He, She, It, You, They

had been

Future

I, We

shall have been

will have been

3.

Present

I, We, He, She, It, You, They

may be, can be

Past

I, We, He, She, It, You, They

might be, could be

(+)

I am (I’m) a teacher.                                     (after Be verb – noun)

(- )

I’m not a teacher.

(+?)

Am I a teacher?

(-?)

Aren’t I a teacher?

(Wh?)

Who am I?

(+)

I’m tired.                                                 (after Be verb – adjective)

(- )

I’m not tired.

(+?)

Am I tired?

(-?)

Aren’t tired?

(Wh?)

How am I?

(+)

I’m from Batticaloa.                             (after Be verb – preposition)

(- )

I’m not from Batticaloa.                            

(+?)

Am I from batticaloa?

(-?)

Aren’t from batticaloa?

(Wh?)

Where am I?

(+)

Yadu is a student of St.Michael’s college, Batticaloa.

(- )

Yadu   not a student of St.Michael’s college, Batticaloa.

(+?)

Is yadu a student of St.Michael’s college, Batticaloa

(-?)

Isn’t yadu a student of St.Michael’s college, Batticaloa

(Wh?)

Who is yadu?

(+)

He’s tall.

(- )

He’s not tall.

(+?)

Is he tall?

(-?)

Isn’t he tall?

(Wh?)

Who is tall?

(+)

He is in his car.

(- )

He is not in his car.

(+?)

Is he in his car?

(-?)

Isn’t he in his car?

(Wh?)

Where is he?

(+)

You are a boy.

(- )

You aren’t a boy.

(+?)

Are you a boy?

(-?)

Aren’t you a boy?

(Wh?)

What is you sex?

(+)

You are an intelligent boy.

(- )

You are not an intelligent boy.

(+?)

Are you an intelligent boy?

(-?)

Aren’t you an intelligent boy?

(Wh?)

What about you?

(+)

You are with your family.

(- )

You are not with your family

(+?)

Are you with your family?

(-?)

Aren’t with your family?

(Wh?)

Where are you?

(+)

You are cricket players.

(- )

You are not cricket players.

(+?)

Are you cricket players?

(-?)

Aren’t you cricket players?

(Wh?)

Who are you?

(+)

You are active.

(- )

You are not active.

(+?)

Are you active?

(-?)

Aren’t you active?

(Wh?)

How are you?

(+)

You are at the top.

(- )

You are not at the top.

(+?)

Are you at the top?

(-?)

Aren’t you at the top?

(Wh?)

Where are you?

(+)

They are school students.

(- )

They are not school students.

(+?)

Are they school students?

(-?)

Aren’t they school students?

(Wh?)

Who Are They?

(+)

They are helpful to others.

(- )

They are not helpful to others.

(+?)

Are they helpful to others?

(-?)

Aren’t they helpful to others?

(Wh?)

How are they?

(+)

They are against using drugs.

(- )

They are not against using drugs.

(+?)

Are they against using drugs?

(-?)

Are they against using drugs?

(Wh?)

What is their opinion?

(+)

They are books.

(- )

They are not books.

(+?)

Are they books?

(-?)

Aren’t they books?

(Wh?)

What are they?

(+)

They are very expensive.

(- )

They are not very expensive.

(+?)

Are they very expensive?

(-?)

Are they very expensive?

(Wh?)

How much is?

(+)

They are on the table.

(- )

They are not on the table.

(+?)

Are they on the table?

(-?)

Are they on the table?

(Wh?)

Where they?

(+)

My mother has been a teacher for twenty-five years.

(- )

My mother has not been a teacher for twenty-five years.

(+?)

Has my mother been a teacher for twenty-five years?

(-?)

Hasn’t my mother been a teacher for twenty-five years?

(Wh?)

What has been my mother?

(+)

She has been happy since her first appointment.

(- )

She has not been happy since her first appointment

(+?)

Has she been happy since her first appointment?

(-?)

Hasn’t she been happy since her first appointment?

(Wh?)

When has been she since her first appointment?

(+)

She has been against punishment to students.

(- )

She has not been against punishment to students.

(+?)

Has she been against punishment to students?

(-?)

Hasn’t she been against punishment to students?

(Wh?)

How has been she punishment to students?

(+)

Raja may be a doctor.

(- )

Raja may be a doctor.

(+?)

May raja be a doctor?

(-?)

May not raja be a doctor?

(Wh?)

What is raja?

(+)

He may be sick.

(- )

He may not be sick.

(+?)

May be he sick?

(-?)

May not be he sick?

(Wh?)

How is he?

(+)

He is under observation.

(- )

He is not under observation.

(+?)

Is he under observation?

(-?)

Is not he under observation?

(Wh?)

Where is the observation?