Subject + to be |
The verb ~to be~ has five forms: am, is, are, was, and were. The form of the verb used is determined by the subject
of the sentence. When using a singular subject, one of the singular forms of the ~to be~ verb should be used.
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I am a student. | (First person singular, present tense)
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You are a student. | (Second person singular, present tense)1
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He is a student. | (Third person singular, present tense)
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I was a student. | (First person singular, past tense)
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You were a student. | (Second person singular, past tense)
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He was a student. | (Third person singular, past tense)
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Singular means one.
Am, is and are are used to express present tense.
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We are students. | (First person plural, present tense)
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You are students. | (Second person plural, present tense)1
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They are students. | (Third person plural, present tense)
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We were students. | (First person plural, past tense)
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You were students. | (Second person plural, past tense)
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They were students. | (Third person plural, past tense)
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Plural means more than one.
Was and were are used to express past tense.
When joining two singular nouns with the conjunction and, use the plural form of the ~to be~ verb.
Bob and I are students.
Tenessee and Kentucky are states.
1. Second person you singular and pural are the same.
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