Be

The point

Am is for I. Is is for he, she, and it. Are is for you, we, and they. The negative is not. Do not add a second be.

Form and use

Be links the subject to a name or a description. It is not an action verb. These are all the present forms. I am you are he is she is it is we are they are Use am only with I. Use is with he, she, and it. Use are with you, we, and they. You takes are for one person or for several. Be itself takes no extra ending.

The words after be are the complement. A complement can be an adjective or a noun. The road is wet. Wet describes the road. Nia is a pilot. A pilot renames Nia. Be does not pass an action to an object, so this word is not an object. Put the adjective or the noun after am, is, or are. Do not place it before the verb.

Not sits straight after the form of be. I am not late. You are not late. He is not late. She is not late. It is not late. We are not late. They are not late. Short forms are I'm not, you aren't, he isn't, she isn't, it isn't, we aren't, and they aren't. He's not and you're not are also fine. Do not build the negative with do. I do not be tired is not a real line. I am not tired is the negative.

A question moves be in front of the subject. A short answer repeats that same form. Am I next? Yes, I am. No, I'm not. Are you next? Yes, you are. No, you aren't. Is he next? Yes, he is. No, he isn't. Is she next? Yes, she is. No, she isn't. Is it ready? Yes, it is. No, it isn't. Are we next? Yes, we are. No, we aren't. Are they next? Yes, they are. No, they aren't. Keep a positive short answer full. Say Yes, I am, not Yes, I'm. Say Yes, he is, not Yes, he's.

Don't translate it like this

Is is already the verb. Be after it is extra.

Short examples