The verbs be and have

⟦Be⟧ and ⟦have⟧ are the two most important verbs in English. ⟦Be⟧ tells us what someone or something is like, where it is, or how old it is (⟦I am ten.⟧). ⟦Have⟧ tells us what someone owns or is part of their life (⟦She has a brother.⟧). Both change with the subject.

Key facts

  • ⟦be⟧ in the present: ⟦I am⟧, ⟦you are⟧, ⟦he is⟧, ⟦she is⟧, ⟦it is⟧, ⟦we are⟧, ⟦they are⟧.
  • Short forms: ⟦I'm⟧, ⟦you're⟧, ⟦he's⟧, ⟦she's⟧, ⟦it's⟧, ⟦we're⟧, ⟦they're⟧.
  • ⟦have⟧ in the present: ⟦I have⟧, ⟦you have⟧, ⟦we have⟧, ⟦they have⟧, but ⟦he has⟧, ⟦she has⟧, ⟦it has⟧.
  • One person or thing (⟦my brother⟧, ⟦the dog⟧) is like ⟦he⟧, ⟦she⟧ or ⟦it⟧: ⟦My brother is tall.⟧ ⟦The dog has a ball.⟧ More than one is like ⟦they⟧.
  • In the past: ⟦I was⟧, ⟦he was⟧, ⟦she was⟧, ⟦it was⟧, but ⟦you were⟧, ⟦we were⟧, ⟦they were⟧. ⟦have⟧ becomes ⟦had⟧ for everyone.
  • Questions and negatives with ⟦be⟧: ⟦Is she here?⟧ ⟦She isn't here.⟧

Worked examples

Example 1

Choose ⟦am⟧, ⟦is⟧ or ⟦are⟧: ⟦My parents ___ at work.⟧

  1. ⟦My parents⟧ is two people, like ⟦they⟧.
  2. ⟦they⟧ goes with ⟦are⟧.
  3. ⟦My parents are at work.⟧

Answer: ⟦are⟧

Example 2

Choose ⟦have⟧ or ⟦has⟧: ⟦Our cat ___ green eyes.⟧

  1. ⟦Our cat⟧ is one animal, like ⟦it⟧.
  2. ⟦it⟧ goes with ⟦has⟧.
  3. ⟦Our cat has green eyes.⟧

Answer: ⟦has⟧

Example 3

Complete: ⟦I ___ nine years old.⟧

  1. The subject is ⟦I⟧.
  2. ⟦I⟧ always goes with ⟦am⟧. In English we say our age with ⟦be⟧, not ⟦have⟧.
  3. ⟦I am nine years old.⟧

Answer: ⟦am⟧

Example 4

Choose ⟦was⟧ or ⟦were⟧: ⟦Yesterday we ___ at the beach.⟧

  1. ⟦Yesterday⟧ tells us it is the past.
  2. ⟦we⟧ goes with ⟦were⟧ in the past.
  3. ⟦Yesterday we were at the beach.⟧

Answer: ⟦were⟧