Verb To Be (Am, Is, Are) – Easy Rules, Examples, Exercises, and Quiz for Cambodian Learners

If you want to speak and write English correctly, you must know how to use the verb to be. In the present simple tense, the verb to be has three forms: am, is, are. These words do not show an action. They help us describe a person, thing, place, feeling, job, age, or location.

Many Cambodian learners make mistakes like these:

• I am go to school. ❌
• They are study with me. ❌
• He is likes football. ❌

These sentences are wrong because am, is, are are not used with a main action verb like go, study, like in this way.

Correct sentences:

• I go to school. ✅
• They study with me. ✅
• He likes football. ✅

In this lesson, you will learn the forms, rules, examples, common mistakes, exercises, and quiz for verb to be in a very easy way.

What is the verb to be?

The verb to be in the present simple is:

• am
• is
• are

We use it to talk about:

• identity
• jobs
• feelings
• age
• weather
• location
• nationality
• description

Khmer explanation

កិរិយាស័ព្ទ am / is / are មានន័យថា ( ជា / គឺ / នៅ / មានសភាពជា)  អាស្រ័យទៅតាមប្រយោគ ជាទូទៅ បន្ទាប់ពីកិរិយាស័ព្ទ am / is / are យើងប្រើ។

• a noun នាម
• an adjective គុណនាម 
• a prepositional phrase ឃ្លាដែលចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ ធ្នាក់ ( in, on, at) 

Subjects used with verb to be

• I → am
• He / She / It → is
• You / We / They → are
• Singular noun ( a lion) → is
• Plural noun (lions)  → are

Examples

• I am a student.
• She is very kind.
• He is a teacher.
• The dog is under the table.
• We are ready.
• They are my friends.
• The books are on the desk.

When do we use am, is, are?

1. To describe someone or something ( adjective) 

• She is beautiful.
• The room is clean.
• They are friendly.

2. To talk about job or identity (noun)

• He is a doctor.
• I am a student.
• They are farmers.

3. To talk about location (Prepositional Phrase)

• The cat is in the box.
• We are at school.
• My parents are at home.

4. To talk about age

• I am 12 years old.
• She is 20 years old.

5. To talk about weather or condition

• It is sunny today.
• The soup is hot.

Positive form

Subject + am/is/are + complement

Examples

• I am happy.
• She is my sister.
• He is in the classroom.
• We are tired.
• They are from Cambodia.

Negative form

Subject + am/is/are + not + complement

Short forms

• is not = isn’t
• are not = aren’t
• I am not = I’m not

Examples

• I am not angry.
• She isn’t at home.
• He isn’t a driver.
• We aren’t late.
• They aren’t in the room.

Yes/No questions

Am/Is/Are + subject + complement?

Examples

• Are you a student?
• Is she your friend?
• Is he at school?
• Are they ready?

Short answers

• Yes, I am.
• No, I’m not.
• Yes, she is.
• No, she isn’t.
• Yes, they are.
• No, they aren’t.

Wh-questions with verb to be

Wh-word + am/is/are + subject + complement?

Examples

• What is your name?
• Where is your bag?
• Why are they late?
• Who is your English teacher?
• How are you today?

Complement after verb to be

A complement gives more information about the subject. Complement បញ្ជាក់ន័យអោយប្រធាន វាអាចជា គុណនាម នាម និងឃ្លាដែលចាប់ផ្តើមដោយធ្នាក់។

1. Adjective គុណនាម

• She is beautiful.
• They are friendly.
• He is hardworking.

2. Noun នាម

• He is a teacher.
• Theary is a student.
• They are Cambodians.

3. Prepositional phrase ឃ្លាដែលចាប់ផ្តើមដោយធ្នាក់

• The books are on the table.
• Students are in the classroom.
• My phone is under the chair.

Common mistakes Cambodian learners should avoid

Wrong: ខុស

• I am go to school.
• She is study English.
• He is likes music.

Correct: ត្រូវ

• I go to school.
• She studies English.
• He likes music.

Why? ហេតុអ្វី

Do not use am/is/are before a normal action verb in the present simple unless you are using the present continuous tense. យើងមិនអាចប្រើកិរិយាស័ព្ទ am/ is/ arevខាងមុខកិរិយាស័ព្ទផ្សេងមួយទៀតបានទេ លុះត្រាតែយើងប្រើវាជា Present Continuous. 

For example:

• She is studying English. ✅
• He is playing football. ✅

Easy rule to remember

Use am, is, are when there is no main action verb, and when you want to describe the subject. សូមកុំប្រើប្រាស់ am, is, are ជាមួយកិរិយាស័ព្ទផ្សេងទៀត យើងប្រើវាដើម្បីពិពត៌នាប្រធាន។ 

Practice 1 – Fill in the blanks

Complete the sentences with am, is, or are.

1. I ______ a student.
2. She ______ my best friend.
3. They ______ teachers.
4. He ______ very happy today.
5. It ______ a sunny day.
6. We ______ ready for the trip.
7. You ______ kind and helpful.
8. My brother ______ an engineer.
9. The dogs ______ in the living room.
10. My sister ______ at the park.

Answers

1. am
2. is
3. are
4. is
5. is
6. are
7. are
8. is
9. are
10. is

Practice 2 – Make the sentences negative

Change the sentences into negative form.

1. I am tired today.
2. She is at home now.
3. They are students.
4. He is interested in sports.
5. It is cold outside.

Answers

1. I am not tired today.
2. She is not at home now. / She isn’t at home now.
3. They are not students. / They aren’t students.
4. He is not interested in sports. / He isn’t interested in sports.
5. It is not cold outside. / It isn’t cold outside.

Practice 3 – Make questions

Change the sentences into yes/no questions.

1. She is a good student.
2. They are at school.
3. He is your friend.
4. You are ready.
5. It is very hot.

Answers

1. Is she a good student?
2. Are they at school?
3. Is he your friend?
4. Are you ready?
5. Is it very hot?

Final tips

To master verb to be, remember these three things:

• I → am
• He/She/It → is
• You/We/They → are

Practice every day with easy sentences. When you understand am, is, are, your English speaking and writing will become much better.