Verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were, been): Complete Grammar Guide for Kids and Parents

Verb “to be” (am, is, are, was, were, been): Complete Grammar Guide for Kids and Parents

By Giggle Academy September 9, 2025 Grammar

Max introducing the lesson

Hi! I’m Max! Today I will help you learn all about the verb “to be”. We’ll look at am, is, are, was, were, and even been, with fun examples, tables, and games!

📑 Table of Contents

🌟 What is the Verb “to be”?

The verb “to be” is one of the most important verbs in English.
It helps us talk about who we are, where we are, how we feel, and more.

👉 Forms of “to be”: am, is, are, was, were, been

📝 Present Forms: am, is, are

SubjectFormExample
IamI am happy.
He / She / ItisShe is my friend.
We / You / TheyareThey are at school.

📝 Past Forms: was, were

🔄 Present vs Past Forms of “to be”

Here is a simple chart to show how am, is, are change in the past tense:

SubjectPresentPastExample
IamwasI am happy today. → Yesterday, I was happy.
He / She / ItiswasShe is my friend. → She was my friend last year.
We / You / TheyarewereThey are in the park. → They were in the park yesterday.

Usage Examples:

  • I was at the zoo yesterday.
  • She was my teacher last year.
  • They were tired after the game.

📝 Been in Perfect Tenses

“Been” is used with have/has/had to talk about experiences or states.

TenseExampleMeaning
Present PerfectI have been to London.(experience)
Present Perfect ContinuousShe has been studying for an hour.(ongoing action)
Past PerfectThey had been friends for years.(past state before another past event)

📝 Been in Passive Voice

“Been” is also used in passive sentences.

TenseExampleMeaning
Present Perfect PassiveThe homework has been done.(It is finished now.)
Past Perfect PassiveThe project had been completed before the deadline.(It was done earlier.)

🌍 Examples in Daily Life

  • I am 8 years old.
  • She is my best friend.
  • We are in the garden.
  • He was at school yesterday.
  • They were happy last night.
  • I have been to the zoo.
  • The cake has been eaten.

🚫 Common Mistakes

❌ Wrong✅ CorrectWhy?
He are my friend.He is my friend.Use is with “he.”
I am happy yesterday.I was happy yesterday.Past tense needed.
She has went to the park.She has been to the park.Use been with “has.”

🎮 Fun Practice Games

Game 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. I ___ happy today. (am/was)
  2. She ___ my teacher last year. (is/was)
  3. They ___ at the park yesterday. (are/were)
  4. He ___ my best friend. (is/was)

Game 2: True or False

  1. “I are happy.”
  2. “She is my sister.”
  3. “We was at school yesterday.”
  4. “They were at the party.”

Game 3: Make it Negative

  1. She is tall. → ___
  2. They were hungry. → ___

Game 4: Ask the Question

  1. You are my friend. → ___
  2. He was at school. → ___

✅ Answer Key

Game 1

  1. am
  2. was
  3. were
  4. is

Game 2

  1. False (I am happy.)
  2. True
  3. False (We were at school yesterday.)
  4. True

Game 3

  1. She is not tall.
  2. They were not hungry.

Game 4

  1. Are you my friend?
  2. Was he at school?

📊 Summary Chart of “to be”

Here’s a quick reference table for all main forms of to be:

TenseSingularPluralExample
Presentam (I), is (he/she/it)are (we/you/they)I am at school. / They are happy.
Pastwas (I/he/she/it)were (we/you/they)She was tired. / We were late.
Perfecthave/has beenhave/has beenI have been to Paris. / They have been friends.
Passivehas/have been + past participlehas/have been + past participleThe book has been read. / The toys have been cleaned.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The verb “to be” is everywhere in English!

  • am, is, are → present
  • was, were → past
  • been → perfect tenses & passive voice

👉 Practice every day, and soon you’ll use “to be” like Max!