Be and Do (ESL, ELL, ELD)

Be and Do

Asking and Answering Questions with Be and Do

Ask a question with be

The verb be has three forms: am, is, and are.

Use am with the subject pronoun I.

Use is with the subject pronoun he, she, and it.

Use are with the subject pronouns you and they.

Multiple Choice

I ____ a student.

• am

• are

• is

Multiple Choice

It _____ a cat.

• am

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

They _____ happy.

• am

• is

• are

Ask a question with be

In a statement, the subject comes before the verb (SV).

We are in the same class.

In a question, the verb comes before the subject.

Are we in the same class?

Multiple Choice

____ ____ a student?

• I am

• Am I

Multiple Choice

______ ______ a cat?

• Is it

• It is

Multiple Choice

_____ ______ happy?

• They are

• Are they

Use not in a negative statement with be

In a negative statement, the word not comes after the verbs am, is, and are.

We are not in the same class.

It is not in the classroom.

Multiple Choice

I ____ ____ a student.

• am not

• not am

Multiple Choice

It ____ _____ a cat.

• not is

• is not

Multiple Choice

They _____ ______ happy.

• are not

• not are

Use the contraction n't in a negative statement with be

Join be and not to form a contraction. Use an apostrophe (') to take the place to the (o) in not.

We are not in the same class.

We aren't in the same class.

It is not in the classroom.

It isn't in the classroom.

Multiple Choice

She _____ a student.

• is n't

• isn't

• isnt

• is'nt

Multiple Choice

It _____ a cat.

• is n't

• isn't

• isnt

• is'nt

Multiple Choice

They ____ ____ happy.

• arent

• ar'nt

• aren't

• ar'not

The verb do has two forms: do and does

Use do with the subject pronouns I, you, we, and they.

Use does with the subject pronouns he, she, and it.

Many questions start with do or does. The subject after, followed by another verb.

Multiple Choice

______ he have a bike?

• Do

• Does

Multiple Choice

Yes, he _____ have a bike.

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

______ I have vacation this week?

• Do

• Does

Multiple Choice

Yes, I _____ have vacation this week.

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

______ you know where the bus stop is?

• Do

• Does

Multiple Choice

Yes, you _____ know where the bus stop is.

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

No, he ______ have a bike.

• don't

• doesn't

Multiple Choice

No, I ______ have vacation this week.

• don't

• doesn't

Multiple Choice

No, you ______ know where the bus stop is.

• don't

• doesn't

Multiple Choice

No, they ________ know how to bake a cake.

• don't

• doesn't

Multiple Choice

No, we ________ like ice cream.

• don't

• doesn't