Speaking: Grammar in Speaking A1 - Lesson 1: Using "be" (am/is/are) in Spoken Statements & Questions.

Speaking: Grammar in Speaking A1

Using "be" (am/is/are)

Listen to the examples here.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use "am", "is", and "are" correctly in simple spoken statements and questions.

Matching Subjects and Verbs ✍️ (Click 🔊)

The verb "be" is very common. We choose am, is, or are based on the subject (the person or thing) of the sentence. Click 🔊 to hear the examples.

I

am

"I am a student."

He
She
It

is

"She is a teacher."
"It is hot today."

You
We
They

are

"You are my friend."
"They are from Cambodia."

Tips for Fluent Speaking

🗣️ Using Contractions for Fluency

In spoken English, we often use contractions (short forms) to speak faster and more smoothly. Click 🔊 to hear them.

• I am → I'm (I'm happy.)
• He is → He's (He's a driver.)
• She is → She's (She's my sister.)
• It is → It's (It's hot today.)
• You are → You're (You're a good student.)
• We are → We're (We're hungry.)
• They are → They're (They're from Cambodia.)
• is not → isn't (The shop isn't open.)
• are not → aren't (We aren't tired.)

💡 Making Questions with "be"

To make a simple Yes/No question with "be", we just change the order: put the verb (am/is/are) before the subject.

Statement ➡ Question

• You are tired. ➡ Are you tired?
• He is a doctor. ➡ Is he a doctor?
• They are from Siem Reap. ➡ Are they from Siem Reap?

Practice Using "be" 🎯

Activity 1: Fill in the Blank (Self-Check)

Complete the sentences with "am", "is", or "are". Type your answer and click "Check".

1. I happy.

2. She a shopkeeper.

3. We hungry.

4. The weather hot today.

5. They my friends.

Activity 2: Make it a Question

Change these statements into questions. Practice saying them with rising intonation (↗). Click 🔊 to hear the correct question.

• Statement: You are ready. → Question: "Are you ready? ↗"
• Statement: The coffee is good. → Question: "Is the coffee good? ↗"
• Statement: They are students. → Question: "Are they students? ↗"
• Statement: She is tired. → Question: "Is she tired? ↗"

Vocabulary

• be | កិរិយាស័ព្ទ "to be"
  The most common English verb, with forms like am, is, are, was, were.
• Subject | ប្រធាន
  The person or thing doing the action in a sentence (e.g., I, you, she, the market).
• Verb | កិរិយាស័ព្ទ
  An action word or a state of being word (e.g., run, eat, is, are).
• Contraction | ទម្រង់កាត់
  A shortened form of words, often using an apostrophe (') (e.g., "I am" becomes "I'm").
• Statement | សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍
  A sentence that tells something.
• Question | សំណួរ
  A sentence that asks something.

Your Grammar Mission ⭐

This week, your mission is to use "am", "is", and "are" correctly when you speak.

1. Make one statement about yourself using "I'm". (e.g., "I'm a student," or "I'm thirsty.")
2. Make one statement about someone else using "He's" or "She's". (e.g., "She's my teacher.")
3. Ask one question using "Is...?" or "Are...?". (e.g., "Are you busy?" or "Is this your moto?")