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How do we make ‘be’ negative for ‘he’, ‘she’, and ‘they’?

To make a sentence negative with the verb be, we simply add the word not after is or are.

• For he and she, we use is not.
• For they, we use are not.

We often use shorter forms called contractions in everyday English. These are:

• is not becomes isn’t
• are not becomes aren’t

How do we ask 'yes/no' questions with 'be'?

To ask a question that can be answered with 'yes' or 'no', we change the word order of the sentence. We put Is or Are at the beginning.

• The structure is: Is/Are + subject (he/she/they) + rest of the sentence?

When someone asks a 'yes/no' question with be, you can give a short answer.

• For positive answers, use Yes, + subject + is/are. Do not use contractions here.
• For negative answers, use No, + subject + isn't/aren't. We usually use contractions here.

How do we ask 'Wh-' questions with 'be'?

'Wh-' questions ask for specific information, not just 'yes' or 'no'. Common 'Wh-' words include who, what, where, and when.

• The structure is: Wh- word + is/are + subject (he/she/they) + rest of the sentence?

Summary of 'Be' Forms for He, She, They

Subject	Positive	Negative	Yes/No Question	Wh- Question Example
He	He is happy.	He isn't happy.	Is he happy?	Where is he?
She	She is a student.	She isn't a student.	Is she a student?	Who is she?
They	They are friends.	They aren't friends.	Are they friends?	What are they?

Examples

• He isn't from Italy.
• She is not a doctor.
• They aren't sad.
• Is he happy? Yes, he is.
• Is she a teacher? No, she isn't.
• Are they students? Yes, they are.
• Where is he?
• Who is she?
• What are they?

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Common Mistakes for Spanish Speakers

When learning English, Spanish speakers sometimes make specific mistakes with be negative and questions:

• Missing Subject Pronoun: In Spanish, you often don't need a subject pronoun. In English, you always need one.
  • Incorrect: Is happy?
  • Correct: Is he happy?
• Incorrect Word Order for Questions: In English, the verb be moves to the beginning for questions.
  • Incorrect: He is happy?
  • Correct: Is he happy?
• Using Contractions in Positive Short Answers: We do not use contractions for positive short answers.
  • Incorrect: Yes, he's.
  • Correct: Yes, he is.
• 'Not' in the Wrong Place: The word not always comes after is or are.
  • Incorrect: Not he is happy.
  • Correct: He is not happy. or He isn't happy.

Frequently asked questions

What does the verb 'be' mean?

The verb be means "ser" or "estar" in Spanish. It helps us talk about who someone is, what something is, where someone is, or how someone feels.

Why do we use contractions like 'isn't' and 'aren't'?

Contractions are very common in spoken English and in informal writing. They make sentences sound more natural and help you speak more quickly.

Can I always say 'is not' or 'are not' instead of 'isn't' or 'aren't'?

Yes, you can. The full forms is not and are not are always correct. They are often used in more formal writing or when you want to emphasize the 'not'.

Do these rules apply to 'I' and 'you' too?

Yes, the basic idea is similar. For I, you use am not (I'm not) and for questions, Am I...? For you, you use are not (you aren't) and for questions, Are you...?

Related lessons

• Be: present simple forms
• Be: present simple forms
• Be: present simple forms
• Be: present simple forms