Using the Verb ‘To Be’ in Questions
The verb ‘to be’ is one of the most commonly used verbs in English. It is used to describe people, things, places, and situations. When forming questions with the verb ‘to be’, we need to change the word order by switching the subject pronoun and the verb.
Basic Question Structure
In a normal sentence, the subject pronoun comes before the verb:
- You are a student.
- He is a teacher.
But in a question, we change the order by putting the verb before the subject pronoun:
- Are you a student?
- Is he a teacher?
Examples of Questions with ‘To Be’
| Verb ‘To Be’ | Subject Pronoun | Example Question |
|---|---|---|
| Are | you | Are you a student? |
| they | Are they students? | |
| we | Are we students? | |
| Is | he | Is he a boy? |
| she | Is she a girl? | |
| it | Is it a dog? |
Always place a question mark (?) at the end of a question.
More Examples of ‘To Be’ Questions:
- Are they your friends?
- Is this your book?
- Are we in the right place?
Exercise: Test your understanding of this English lesson
You can test your understanding of Using the verb ‘to be’ in questions sentences by answering these 20 questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.
Choose the correct option:
Now it’s your turn! Can you think of three more questions using the verb ‘to be’? Write them in the comments below!
