Practice Makes Perfect Basic English, Second Edition: (Beginner) 250 Exercises + 40 Audio Pronunciation Exercises via App

To Be: Present Tense

The verb to be describes the identity, qualities, or condition of a person or object. Use the following to form the present tense of the verb to be.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Rewrite the following sentences to create the present tense by choosing the correct form of the verb to be in parentheses.

1. The girl (am, is, are) pretty.

2. I (am, is, are) ready.

3. She (am, is, are) my friend.

4. They (am, is, are) twins.

5. The flowers (am, is, are) yellow.

6. The flashlight (am, is, are) in the tent.

7. The fridge and counter in the kitchen (am, is, are) dirty.

8. I (am, is, are) tired today.

9. We (am, is, are) busy.

10. The toys (am, is, are) in the basement.

11. The ribbons in my hair (am, is, are) pink.

12. The kitchen (am, is, are) very small.

13. The vacuum (am, is, are) in the closet.

14. He (am, is, are) nice.

15. The microwave oven (am, is, are) in the kitchen.

16. The toy (am, is, are) on the floor.

17. I (am, is, are) sick today.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Complete the following sentences using the correct form of the verb to be.

1. My aunt __________________ nice.

2. The clouds __________________ white.

3. Kathy __________________ sick.

4. The ribbons __________________ yellow.

5. We __________________ twins.

6. The windows __________________ open.

7. Colton and Cody __________________ brothers.

8. We __________________ teachers.

9. It __________________ a French book.

10. You __________________ very smart.

11. It __________________ sad news.

12. She __________________ my cousin.

13. You __________________ tired.

14. The grass __________________ green.

15. It __________________ in my room.

16. They __________________ lazy.

17. The flower __________________ yellow.

18. The bug __________________ on the counter.

19. I __________________ tall.

20. The man __________________ happy.

21. The vacuum __________________ red.

22. The tent __________________ blue.

23. The juice __________________ cold.

24. She __________________ a student.

25. They __________________ in my class.

26. The woman __________________ a lawyer.

27. She __________________ upstairs.

28. The teacher __________________ smart.

29. The ribbon __________________ blue.

30. The water __________________ hot.

31. My uncle __________________ bald.

32. The furniture __________________ old.

33. The fridge __________________ in the kitchen.

34. The moon __________________ bright.

To Be: Present Tense: Negative Form

Place not after the verb to be to create the negative form of the present tense.

The negative form of the present tense of the verb to be can also be expressed with the contraction isn’t or aren’t. There is no contraction for am not.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Rewrite the following sentences to express the negative form. Write the sentence once using am not, is not, or are not and once using the contraction isn’t or aren’t.

1. The cheese is on the table.

2. She is my sister.

3. My neighbors are Spanish.

4. My sister-in-law is Italian.

5. Diane is pregnant.

6. The limes are sour.

7. The bus is empty.

8. The kids are early for class today.

9. The drawers are empty.

10. It is a nice city.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Use am not or the contraction isn’t or aren’t to complete the following negative sentences.

1. The subway __________________ full.

2. The windows __________________ dirty.

3. It __________________ a dragonfly.

4. The keys __________________ in the car.

5. The microwave oven __________________ in the kitchen.

6. My boss __________________ at the office.

7. The boys __________________ in the tent.

8. We __________________ busy at work.

9. My hands __________________ dirty.

10. The eraser __________________ in the pencil case.

11. She __________________ a teacher in my school.

12. The ceiling __________________ white.

13. The bowls __________________ on the table.

14. The garbage bags __________________ in the drawer.

15. The garbage can __________________ full.

16. The store __________________ far.

17. It __________________ fair.

18. The roads in the city __________________ wide.

19. My husband __________________ a doctor.

20. The pens __________________ black.

21. The books __________________ on the shelf.

22. The vacuum __________________ in the basement.

23. They __________________ friends.

24. The ribbon __________________ red.

25. She __________________ late for class today.

26. It __________________ true.

27. I __________________ tired.

28. Barry __________________ a good student.

29. The juice __________________ cold.

30. My wife __________________ at the mall.

31. The shoes __________________ expensive.

32. The students __________________ tired today

33. The woman __________________ old.

34. It __________________ a good idea.

To Be: Present Tense: Question Form

Place the verb to be before the subject to create the question form of the present tense.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Rewrite the following sentences to create questions by placing the verb to be before the subject. Don’t forget to include a question mark (?) in your answer.

1. The wheels are in the garage.

2. The sharpener is on my desk.

3. The toothbrush and toothpaste are in the bathroom.

4. My bathing suit is on the clothesline.

5. I am in your English class.

6. It is cold outside.

7. He is a policeman in the city.

8. The coats are on the floor.

9. Johanne and Véronique are in a meeting.

10. The toys are in the box downstairs.

11. The cow and calf are brown.

12. The orange juice is sweet.

13. The frogs are in the pond.

14. The goldfish is in the bowl.

15. You are serious.

16. Marie is French.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Complete the following questions using the correct form of the verb to be.

1. _______________ it cold in Canada?

2. _______________ the skunks in my garden again?

3. _______________ the needle and thread in the drawer?

4. _______________ he a good accountant?

5. _______________ they in the living room?

6. _______________ the ink in the printer?

7. _______________ the pots and pans clean?

8. _______________ she your sister-in-law?

9. _______________ the forks in the dishwasher?

10. _______________ we ready?

11. _______________ it a black pen?

12. _______________ I nice?

13. _______________ you busy today?

14. _______________ the gate open?

15. _______________ the fridge empty?

16. _______________ Mr. and Mrs. Yee Chinese?

17. _______________ the pillows on the bed?

18. _______________ the fence white?

19. _______________ the books on the shelf?

20. _______________ the sheets on the clothesline?

21. _______________ the curtains blue?

22. _______________ the nail polish purple?

23. _______________ the pearls real?

24. _______________ Mrs. McMahon Scottish?

25. _______________ the turkey in the oven?

26. _______________ the birds in the birdhouse?

27. _______________ the pigs in the pen?

28. _______________ the knife sharp?

29. _______________ the bill correct?

30. _______________ the lipstick red or pink?

31. _______________ they there?

32. _______________ I funny?

To Be: Past Tense

The past tense of the verb to be is created by using was or were in place of am, is, and are.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Rewrite the following sentences to create the past tense by changing the present tense form of the verb to be to the past tense form.

1. He is my roommate.

2. It is in my pocket.

3. The snake is in the garden.

4. The diapers are in the bag.

5. Lisa is sick.

6. The kids are in the pool.

7. The bucket is full of minnows.

8. The washer and dryer are in the laundry room.

9. I am in my office.

10. The pencil is on the floor.

11. Sorry that I am late.

12. The flowers are for Jennifer.

13. My grandmother is in the hospital.

14. The exam is easy.

15. The crust is very thick.

16. The farm is very far.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Complete the following past tense sentences using was or were.

1. The baby __________________ in the crib.

2. The candles __________________ on the table.

3. It __________________ a good story.

4. They __________________ awake.

5. My godmother __________________ asleep on the couch.

6. The wine __________________ in the cellar.

7. I __________________ ready.

8. He __________________ in the shower.

9. The bowls __________________ in the cupboard.

10. The girls __________________ at the skating rink.

11. The moon __________________ bright last night.

12. The juice __________________ fresh.

13. The eggs __________________ on the counter.

14. My sister __________________ outside.

15. The keys __________________ in the car.

16. The ring __________________ expensive.

17. You __________________ at the wedding.

18. The soup __________________ hot and spicy.

19. Both pillows __________________ soft.

20. Annie __________________ a nurse.

21. The flowers __________________ in the vase.

22. The rake __________________ in the garage.

23. My slippers __________________ in the bedroom.

24. The whale __________________ huge.

25. We __________________ downtown yesterday.

26. Chris __________________ in the cafeteria with Cory.

27. It __________________ in my locker.

28. We __________________ at the library.

29. The pool __________________ small.

30. The printer __________________ broken.

31. My pockets __________________ full.

32. The teachers __________________ in the office.

To Be: Past Tense: Negative Form

Place not after the past tense form of the verb to be to create a negative sentence.

The negative form of the past tense of the verb to be can also be expressed with the contraction wasn’t or weren’t.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Rewrite the following sentences to express the negative form. Write the sentence once using was not or were not and once using the contraction wasn’t or weren’t.

1. The dress was blue.

2. The couch in the living room was dirty.

3. They were very fast.

4. It was a good joke.

5. The raccoons were in the tree.

6. The slippers were purple.

7. We were at the play last night.

8. The plates were in the dishwasher.

9. Karen was a waitress for three years.

10. My name was on the list.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the new vocabulary words needed for this exercise before you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

Use the contraction wasn’t or weren’t to complete the following negative sentences.

1. My marks __________________ good at school last year.

2. It __________________ a raccoon; it was a skunk.

3. The stain on the floor __________________ big.

4. The vegetables __________________ fresh.

5. You __________________ very polite with the landlord.

6. It __________________ the right answer.

7. The horn in my car __________________ loud.

8. We __________________ at the funeral.

9. The kids __________________ quiet today in class.

10. The grass __________________ long.

11. She __________________ very clever.

12. The lake __________________ deep.

13. The baby __________________ in the stroller.

14. He __________________ on the slide.

15. My socks __________________ on the clothesline.

16. The shaver __________________ in the bathroom.

17. The bread and butter __________________ on the counter.

18. The museum __________________ very big.

19. The rats __________________ in the cellar.

20. The nest __________________ on the ground.

21. I __________________ on the phone.

22. It __________________ a big snowstorm.

23. The binders __________________ in my locker.

24. The man __________________ Greek; he was Italian.

25. The jam __________________ in the fridge.

26. It __________________ a good movie.

27. The lights __________________ on.

28. The stove __________________ off.

29. It __________________ ugly.

30. The cat __________________ black.

31. The hammer __________________ in the toolbox.

32. The powder __________________ on the shelf.

To Be: Past Tense: Question Form

Place was or were before the subject to form questions in the past tense of the verb to be.

Use your dictionary to find the meaning