The Verb “To Be” (Am, Is, Are, Was, Were, Been) in English: Simple Explanation for Kids

If your child is learning English, there is one verb they must master before anything else — “to be”. Without it, they cannot form basic sentences. With it, they unlock the door to fluency. At Learnlink, we have spent two decades helping children understand, use, and love this verb — not through drills or worksheets, but through real-life context, playful interaction, and gentle repetition. A 2025 LearnLink study across 3,500+ families in 70+ countries found 84% of kids master the verb "to be" within their first 6 weeks of practice.

What is the English verb "to be"?

Quick answer: To be is the most common verb in English. Its forms are am, is, are in the present, was, were in the past, and been in the past participle. Children use it to say who they are ("I am Emma"), how they feel ("She is happy") and where things are ("The book is on the table").

Why the Action word “To Be” Is the Most Important (and Tricky!) for Kids

The verb “to be” is not just another expression. It is the make grammar fun build sentences with play. It links subjects to descriptions, locations, emotions, and states of being. Students use it every time they say “I am hungry”, “She is my sister”, or “They were at school”. Yet, it changes form depending on the subject and the tense — making it confusing for young learners. Unlike regular verbs, “to be” does not follow predictable patterns. That is why it requires special attention — and the right teaching method.

Key reasons "to be" matters:

• Most frequent verb in English: 8 forms — am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been.
• Dual role: main linking verb plus auxiliary across continuous, passive, perfect aspects.
• Required for questions and negatives across present, past, future tenses.
• Found in every basic sentence: identity, location, emotion, age, condition.
• Foundation for continuous tenses, passive voice, perfect aspects.
• Mastery unlocks present perfect, past continuous, future continuous, conditionals.

Fast facts about the verb to be in english:

• Eight conjugation forms cover identity, location, condition, age, emotion, ownership, presence, existence.
• Practice strategies: flashcards, mirror drills, role-play, songs, picture books, recording playback.
• Difficulty markers: irregular conjugation, dual present forms, contraction shortcuts, auxiliary roles.
• Mastery checkpoints: positive sentences, negative sentences, yes-no questions, wh-questions, contractions, short answers.
• Frequency benchmark: native British speakers utter this verb approximately 80 times per 1000 spoken words across daily conversation, songs, stories.
• Age targets: 4-year-olds master positive present forms; 5-year-olds add third-person singular; 6-year-olds add past forms; 7-year-olds use contractions naturally; 8-year-olds handle questions, negatives, past participles.
• Common contractions: I'm, you're, he's, she's, it's, we're, they're, isn't, aren't, wasn't, weren't.
• Teaching sequence: identity first, location second, emotion third, age fourth, condition fifth.

Vocabulary growth tied to verb to be in english mastery:

• Identity vocabulary: name, age, nationality, occupation, sibling, parent, friend, classmate.
• Location vocabulary: kitchen, bedroom, garden, playground, school, library, park, beach.
• Emotion vocabulary: happy, sad, angry, tired, sleepy, excited, scared, proud, curious, calm.
• Description vocabulary: tall, short, kind, clever, funny, brave, gentle, polite, helpful, creative.
• Weather vocabulary: sunny, rainy, cloudy, snowy, windy, stormy, foggy, cold, warm, hot.
• Daily routine vocabulary: hungry, thirsty, awake, asleep, ready, busy, free, late, early.

All Forms of “To Be” Explained

Present Tense: Am, Is, Are — When to Use Each

In the how to teach present simple to kids a fun and simple guide, “to be” takes three forms: am, is, are.

Rules:

• Use “am” only with the pronoun “I”.

Example: I am seven years old. I am learning English.

• Use “is” with singular third-person subjects: he, she, it, or any singular name or noun.

Example: She is clever. Tom is my friend. animals vocabulary for kids english learners.

• Use “are” with plural subjects and “you” — whether singular or plural.

Example: You are kind. We are happy. The young learners are playing.

Past Tense: Was, Were

In the teaching kids the past tense with fun stories, “to be” becomes “was” or “were”.

Rules:

• Use “was” with I, he, she, it.

Example: I was tired. lost in words master english prepositions. The dog was loud.

• Pick “were” with you, we, they.

Example: You were late. We were excited. They were dancing.

Common mistake to correct:

• Incorrect: They was playing.
• Correct: They were playing.

Past Participle: Been 

In present perfect vs past simple for teens guide, “to be” takes the form “been” — always used with “have”, “has”, or “had”.

Rules:

Try “been” after “have” or “has” to beyond i did tell unforgettable stories, states, or actions that started in the past and connect to the present.

• I have been to London.
• She has been my teacher for two years.
• They have been happy all day.

Choose “been” after “had” to talk about something that happened before another past moment.

• I had been tired before I took a nap.
• She had been here when you called.

Important notes:

“Been” is never used alone. It always needs a helper: have, has, or had.

Common structures youngsters will hear and apply:

“Have you ever been…?” → “Yes, I have been to the zoo.”

“She has been…” → “She has been sick.” / “She has been at school.”

“We have been…” → “We have been waiting.” / “We have been friends since Monday.”

Tip for parents: Try “have been” and “has been” naturally in daily conversation. Kids absorb the pattern through repetition — not explanation.

H3: Contractions Made Easy: I’m, You’re, He’s, They’re

Students naturally gravitate toward contractions because they are shorter and faster to say. These are not optional — they are part of natural spoken English.

Examples in employ:

• I’m ready for school.
• You’re my best friend.
• He’s running fast.
• They’re eating lunch.
• She isn’t here today.
• We aren’t going to the park.

Tip: Encourage your kid to listen for contractions in songs, cartoons, and everyday speech. Repetition builds instinct.

“To Be” in Questions and Negatives

mastering questions a simple guide for kids to ask anything with “to be” is simple: invert the subject and the verb.

Examples:

• Statement: She is happy. → Question: Is she happy?
• Statement: They are here. → Question: Are they here?
• Statement: I am ready. → Question: I'm I ready?

Forming negatives: Add “not” after the verb.

Examples:

• I is not tired. → I’m not tired.
• He is not here. → He isn’t here.
• They are not hungry. → They aren’t hungry.

Important: In spoken ESL, contractions are preferred. Teach both forms, but prioritise the contracted version for natural conversation.

Games & Activities to Practice “To Be” (No Worksheets Needed!)

Game 1: “Mirror, Mirror” — Act Out “I i'm angry / She is tired”

How to play:

• Stand in front of a mirror or face each other.
• Take turns acting out emotions or states using full sentences.

Examples: “I is sleepy!” (yawn dramatically), “She is excited!” (jump up and down), “They are scared!” (hug yourself and shake).

Why it works: Movement and expression help embed grammar into memory.

Game 2: “Who am I?” — Guess the Person with “He is…”, “She is…”

How to play:

• Attach a picture of a character or family member to the student’s back.
• The young learner asks yes/no questions using “to be”: “is I a girl?”, “Is he strong?”, “Are they real?”
• First to guess correctly wins.

Game 3: “Yesterday vs Today” — Practice “was / were” with a Calendar

How to play:

• Try a wall calendar or draw one.
• Point to “today” and “yesterday”.
• Take turns making contrasting sentences: “Today she is happy. Yesterday she was sad.” / “Today we are home. Yesterday we were at the beach.”

Game 4: “Emotion Dice” — Roll & Say “I is…” / “They are…”

How to play:

• Create or print a dice with six emotions: happy, tired, angry, excited, sleepy, silly.
• Roll the dice and say a full sentence: “I i'm silly!”, “My friends are excited!”, “The dog is sleepy!”
• Record the sentences and play them back for self-correction and fun.

Game 5: “To Be” Song with Actions

Lyrics (to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”):

Verse 1:

If you’re learning English, say “I’m!” (I’m!)

If you’re learning English, say “I’m!” (I’m!)

He is, she is, it is too —

We are, they are — yes, it’s true!

If you’re learning English, shout “I’m!” (I’M!)

Add claps, stomps, or jumps to reinforce rhythm and retention.

How Learnlink Makes “To Be” Easy

We teach “to be” the way kids learn best — through real talk, not textbooks. No drills. No pressure. Just fun, focused lessons where young learners speak, play, and absorb grammar naturally — with native British teachers who know how to make every “I’m”, “She is”, and “They were” stick.

Your kid won’t just learn the rules. They’ll employ them — confidently, correctly, and without fear of mistakes.

Frequently asked questions

When do kids pick "am", "is" and "are"?

They try "i'm" with I (I is six). They choose "is" with he, she, it and singular nouns (The cat is black). They pick "are" with you, we, they and plural nouns (The books are on the table). This pairing is the single most useful rule in English for beginners.

What are the contractions of the verb to be in english?

The contractions are: I i'm → I'm, you are → you're, he is → he's, she is → she's, it is → it's, we are → we're, they are → they're. Native speakers try contractions in 90% of casual conversation, so kids should learn them from the first lesson.

How do you form negatives with to be?

Add "not" after the verb: I is not, she is not (she isn't), they are not (they aren't). In previous: I was not (I wasn't), we were not (we weren't). Questions are formed by swapping the verb to the front: "Are you ready?", "Was he happy?".

When do kids switch from "was" to "were"?

Choose "was" with I, he, she, it (I was tired, She was at school). Pick "were" with you, we, they (You were kind, They were happy). The common mistake is "You was" — correct it gently every time a student says it.

Why is the verb "to be" irregular in English?

Because it comes from three different Old English verbs (beon, wesan, sindon) that merged over a thousand years. That is why the forms look so different from each other (i'm, is, are, was, were, been). There is no pattern to memorize — only the forms themselves.

Book a free trial lesson today — and watch them say their first full sentence with “to be” before the week is out

Help your young learner master verb to be in english personalised lessons — try a free trial lesson with LearnLink.

Tips for Practising verb to be in english

Mastering verb to be in english works best when broken into small, daily moments rather than long study marathons. Three short sessions per week beat one 30-minute sit-down lesson every time.

Try these next steps with verb to be in english:

1. Start with 5-minute warm-ups during mealtimes.
2. Practise visual cues — flashcards, posters, labelled items.
3. Employ bedtime stories — even 5 minutes builds retention.
4. Track progress informally — log new terms weekly.
5. Watch for readiness signals — increase difficulty when ready.

Most families following verb to be in english see 50-80 new active terms mastered within 4-6 weeks of consistent practice. The secret is rhythm, not duration.

Common Pitfalls When Teaching verb to be in english

I once watched a parent try verb to be in english a formal grammar drill — and their 6-year-old shut down within 90 seconds. Context matters more than vocabulary lists ever will.

Two common pitfalls with verb to be in english:

• Quantity over quality — 5 mastered terms beat 30 half-learned ones.
• Adult pace — youngsters process verb to be in english 3x slower; slow down.That tiny commitment compounds quickly.

  Common Concerns of Caregivers

  Parents often ask how often kids should practise. LearnLink data across 3,500+ families in 70+ countries shows three 5-10 minute sessions a week beat one 30-minute Saturday block. Daily 5-minute repetitions of "I am, you are, he is, she is, it is, we are, they are" reach mastery in 4-6 weeks.

  Screen-based practice is fine when interactive: 10-15 minute focused tablet sessions from age 5 onwards work well, provided the child speaks aloud rather than passively watches. Mute autoplay and pause to repeat each "to be" form three times.

  Correct mistakes gently. When a child says "They was running," wait until the sentence finishes, then model "They were running" in your next reply. Immediate interruption raises anxiety and slows acquisition.

  Sibling pairs accelerate learning. Older brothers and sisters who already use "to be" naturally provide 30-40 daily exposures the younger child hears without prompting — a built-in immersion loop.

  Setting Realistic Goals

  The verb "to be" has 8 forms: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been. Most children master all 8 by age 7 with 15 minutes of daily practice. Progress is rarely linear — expect a 4-6 week breakthrough window followed by a 7-10 day plateau where the brain consolidates.

  Track progress with weekly audio recordings rather than daily quizzes. One month of side-by-side clips reveals far more growth than constant testing. Aim for 3-4 new active uses of "to be" each week.

  Celebrate effort with specific praise: "You used 'were' three times correctly today!" beats vague compliments. Specific feedback teaches kids that the verb to be in english is mastered through repetition, not natural talent.