Learn A1 English: How to Form 'Be' Negative Sentences and Questions — A1 English grammar lesson by Langcom

Learn A1 English: How to Form ‘Be’ Negative Sentences and Questions

Raúl Maguiña

Fundador da Langcom | Examinador dos exames de Cambridge e SIELE

setembro 6, 2026

A1✏️ Gramática⏱️ 4 min de leitura
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To make sentences with the verb be negative, we add not after is ou are. Por exemplo, He is not from Spain ou They are not happy. We often use contractions like isn’t e aren’t. To ask a ‘yes/no’ question, we change the word order: Is ou Are comes before the subject. For instance, Is she a student? ou Are they friends? For ‘Wh-‘ questions, the ‘Wh-‘ word comes first, then is ou are, then the subject, as in Where is he from? e Who are they? Short answers use the verb be without contractions for positive answers, like Yes, he is, but use contractions for negative ones, like No, she isn’t.

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 ou are.

  • Para he e she, we use is not.
  • Para they, we use are not.

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

  • is not torna-se isn’t
  • are not torna-se aren’t

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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 ou 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, e 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?

Exemplos

  • 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?

Prática

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Erros comuns entre falantes de espanhol

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.
    • Incorreto: Is happy?
    • Correto: Is he happy?
  • Incorrect Word Order for Questions: In English, the verb be moves to the beginning for questions.
    • Incorreto: He is happy?
    • Correto: Is he happy?
  • Using Contractions in Positive Short Answers: We do not use contractions for positive short answers.
    • Incorreto: Yes, he's.
    • Correto: Yes, he is.
  • 'Not' in the Wrong Place: A palavra not sempre vem depois de is ou are.
    • Incorreto: Not he is happy.
    • Correto: He is not happy. ou He isn't happy.

Perguntas frequentes

What does the verb 'be' mean?

O verbo 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 e 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...? Para you, you use are not (you aren't) and for questions, Are you...?

Aulas relacionadas

Sobre o autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña é diretor da Asociación Educativa Langcom, um centro autorizado de preparação para o Cambridge English em seu país. Com mais de uma década de experiência no ensino de idiomas e em certificações internacionais, ele já ajudou milhares de alunos, professores e instituições de ensino em 25 países a obter as certificações de inglês da Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL e Michigan.

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