Home › A1 › Grammar › Be: negatives and questions
Be: negatives and questions
A1 A1 grammar · lesson 2 of 24
You know am, is and are from Lesson 1. Now you learn how to say ‘no’ with be and how to ask simple questions.
Negative: add not
To make a negative, put not after am, is or are.
| Full form | Short form |
|---|---|
| I am not | I‘m not |
| you / we / they are not | you aren’t |
| he / she / it is not | she isn’t |
I‘m not tired.
Tom isn’t at home.
We aren’t late.
It isn’t my bag.
You can also say you’re not, he’s not or they’re not. They mean the same as aren’t and isn’t.
Questions: change the order
To ask a question, put am / is / are before the subject. The other words stay in the same place. Your voice usually goes up at the end of a yes/no question.
| Statement | Question |
|---|---|
| You are a student. | Are you a student? |
| She is from Japan. | Is she from Japan? |
| I am late. | Am I late? |
Short answers
We often answer with Yes or No + subject + be. This is more polite and natural than only «Yes» or «No». Do not repeat the whole sentence.
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Are you hungry? | Yes, I am. | No, I‘m not. |
| Is he a doctor? | Yes, he is. | No, he isn’t. |
| Are they ready? | Yes, they are. | No, they aren’t. |
Is Lucy your friend? Yes, she is.
Are the shops open? No, they aren’t.
Am I right? Yes, you are.
Common mistakes
✗ She not is a teacher.
✓ She isn’t a teacher.
✗ You are happy?
✓ Are you happy?
✗ Yes, I’m.
✓ Yes, I am.
✗ I amn’t cold.
✓ I‘m not cold.