Easy Way to Learn English Verb Tenses / IS, AM, ARE (PRESENT SIMPLE)

CONTEXT - TV SHOW
This lesson starts with a TV show, called '5PM SHOW'. 

Welcome to watch today's 5PM SHOW. 

We have guests from all over the world to join our challenge. There are six guests in our show today. 

Hi, I'm Sharon and I'm the host. We have many interesting and exciting challenges for our guests. First, we will test their memories. Please say three things about yourself and others. Name and place are the first two. You decide on the third one. 

Hi. I am Brian.
I am from Canada.
I am handsome and I am smart. 

Have you ever heard the story of Jack and the Beanstalk? 

Jack is a poor country boy. 

One day he climbs up the beanstalk and finds his family's treasure stolen by the giant. He confronts and beats the giant.

In the end, he brings the treasure back to the family so the family prospers. I am like Jack so I'm smart. 

I am Susie.

He is Brian. 

I am from Finland.

As for Jack, he is from Canada. 

I am intelligent.

Brian, you are smart.

Hi, I am Keith.

He is Brian.

She is Susie. 

I am from Canada.

Well, Susie. She is from Finland.

Hi, Brian. We are from Canada.

I am lazy so I am late for work every day.

Brian and Susie, both of you are smart. 

I am Sabrina.

This is Brian.

This is Susie.

That is Keith. 

I am from Nigeria.

Susie is from Finland.

Brian and Keith are Canadians. 

I am twenty-five years old.

Brian and Susie. They are smart.

Keith is lazy and late every day. 

I am Nancy.

You are Brian. Hi, Brian.

You are Susie. Hi, Susie.

You are Keith. Hello, Keith.

You are Sabrina. Hi, Sabrina.

I am a Jordanian.

I am in New Zealand.

I am passionate about music because it is beautiful.

Brian and Keith are Canadians.

I think Susie is a Finn.

Sabrina is a Nigerian. 

Brian and Susie are intelligent.

Keith is lazy.

I remember. Sabrina is twenty-five years old. 

I am Mike.

I am from Korea.

I am a doctor.

I am a vegetarian. 

After the break, Mike will continue. Don't forget the evening news is at 6 PM. 

BE VERBS

Now back to the lesson. You can see all the guests use 'is, am, are' to introduce themselves and others. However, there are so many different be verbs. How do we use them correctly?

BE VERB FORMS

There are five different forms of be verbs. I call them V1, V2, V3, V4 and V5. V1 is 'be'. V2 can be 'was' or 'were'. V3 is 'been'. V4 is 'being'. V5 can be 'is', 'am', or 'are' and we are going to discuss 'is, am, are' in this lesson. 

WHO/WHAT CAN COME WITH 'IS, AM, ARE'

There are three options in V5 be verb group and who/what can come with each of them is the first thing we should know when we learn 'is, am, are'. 

1. He + is .....

'He' can come with 'is'. Someone or something that means 'he' can also come with 'is', like 'Brian' or 'the man'. 

2. She + is ..... 

'She' comes with 'is' and examples like 'my sister' or 'Nancy' also mean 'she' so they can use 'is' in a sentence.

3. It + is .....

'It' also matches 'is' or you can use other subjects like 'the show' or 'music', which also means 'it'.

4. I + am .....

Only 'I' can come with 'am'.

5. We + are .....

'We' can be used with another V5 be verb, 'are'. 'You and I' (with 'I' included) and 'Sabrina and I' (with 'I') also mean 'we' so they can come with 'are'.

6. You + are .....

The word 'you' has two meanings and both can come with 'are'. 'You' can be singular, meaning 'one person' or plural, with 'more than one person' involved, eg. 'you are a chef' or 'you are chefs'. 'You and those kids' (with 'you' included) and 'you and your son' (with 'you') also mean 'you'.

7. They + are ......

'They' can come with 'are'. 'My friends' and 'your dogs' also mean 'they'.

8. There + is / are ...... 

'There' can come with 'is' or 'are', depending on who or what is after 'is' or 'are'. Look at two examples below.

- There is a host. ['a host' (only one) comes after 'is']

- There are six guests. ['six guests' (more than one) come after 'are']

SITUATIONS TO USE 'IS, AM, ARE'

Based on the context of the TV show, we will discuss the situations in which 'is, am, are' can be used in a sentence.

1. Fact / Opinion Now

When we talk about facts or opinions and they are still true now, we can use 'is, am, are'.

Example: 

He is Keith.

I am Sharon.

You are Sabrina.

- These are facts about the names of the guests and the host in 5PM SHOW.

Example: 

She is from Finland.

I am from Nigeria.

They are Canadians.

- They are about nationalities.

Example: 

He is lazy.

I am handsome.

They are smart.

- 'Personality', 'appearance' and 'characteristic' are discussed as facts or opinions. 

Example: 

She is 25 years old.

I am in New Zealand.

I am a doctor.

- These facts involve their age, location and job.

2. Repeated Act

You can use 'is, am, are' when something is repeated.

Example: 

I am late (for work) every day.

- This happens in Keith's life every day. 

3. Timetable / Schedule

'Is, am, are' can be used to describe a timetable (British English) or a schedule (American English).

Example: 

The evening news is at 6 pm.

- The host of 5PM SHOW announces the next program scheduled for that evening during break time. 

4. News Headline

In news headlines V5 verbs are often used so they sound like facts now even though the events happened in the past.

Example: 

5PM show is a winner.

- The headline on the website or in the newspaper tells us this news because that show has won many awards. 

5. Story

When people tell stories, they sometimes use V5 verbs so they sound like the events now.

Example: 

Jack is a poor country boy.

- This is part of the story, 'Jack and the Beanstalk', told by the guest, Brian.

Watch the video over and over again so you can learn by listening and speaking more, a crucial and effective way to learn a language.

[Reminder] Watch the video before starting reading the text and you can see all the pictures together if you click on one of them! You can also use the 'Translate' tool on the blog to help you understand the text. What's better, all the key vocabulary in my examples ranges from elementary to advanced levels (CEFR: A1~C2 / IELTS: 1~9) so you will learn a lot of English words if you keep studying each lesson. You will also benefit more if you use a dictionary to help you. Finally, don't forget to use English in daily life so all the grammar/vocabulary can be stored in your mind easier. While using this language, you are also learning from others and observing when is the appropriate context for different usages.