just be

The 'BE' verb can be a bit tricky.

Uses

  1. It helps form tenses.
    He is running.
    We were sleeping.
  2. It completes sentences that do not have action verbs.
    The tall man [fragment, incomplete sentence]
    The man is tall. [complete sentence]

It does not take DO/DOES/DID in questions or negatives sentences.
Is he angry? vs Did he yell?
He is not angry. vs He did not yell.

In Present Tenses

I     am       I am not

He
She   is       She is not (isn't)
It

We
You   are      You are not (aren't)
They

In Past Tenses

I     was     I was not (wasn't)

He
She   was     She was not (wasn't)
It

We
You   were    We were not (weren't)
They