BE VERBS general grammar practice: English ESL worksheets pdf & doc - Free Printable

Let's solve this worksheet step by step. The task is to choose the correct form of the verb "to be" — either "is," "am," "are," "was," or "were" — to complete each sentence correctly.

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Understanding the verb "to be":

- Present tense:
- I am
- You are
- He/She/It is
- We/They are

- Past tense:
- I/He/She/It was
- You/We/They were

Also, subject-verb agreement matters:
- Singular subjects take singular forms (is/was)
- Plural subjects take plural forms (are/were)

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Now, let’s go through each sentence:

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1. Those notes ________ not right.
- Subject: *Those notes* → plural
- Tense: Present (no past context)
- Correct verb: are
✔ Answer: are

> Note: The options given are was and were, but "were" would be correct if it were past tense. However, since "those notes" is plural and present, we need "are", but it's not listed. Wait — let’s double-check.

Wait! The options are:
- was
- were

But “those notes” is plural, so “were” would be correct if the sentence is in past tense.

But the sentence doesn't specify time. Let's look at context.

Actually, "Those notes ___ not right." — this sounds like a present observation.

But "were" is not correct for present tense. Hmm.

Wait — perhaps the sentence is meant to be in past? But there's no indication.

But the options only give was and were — so likely, the intended tense is past.

But "those notes" is plural → were.

So even though it might seem present, with the given options, "were" is the only possible choice.

But wait — "were" is past, "are" is present.

The sentence says: "Those notes _____ not right."

If it's describing a past event (e.g., during a performance), then were is correct.

Since "are" is not an option, and "was" is singular, "were" must be the answer.

✔ Answer: were

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2. John ________ a musician.
- Subject: John → singular
- Tense: Present (no past indicators)
- Correct verb: is
Options: is or am
✔ Answer: is

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3. I ________ John's friend.
- Subject: I
- Always use am with "I"
Options: am or are
✔ Answer: am

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4. The saxophone ________ cool.
- Subject: The saxophone → singular
- Tense: Present
- Verb: is
Options: is or was
✔ Answer: is

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5. Everyone ________ at the concert.
- Subject: Everyone → singular (even though it refers to many people)
- Tense: Past (since "at the concert" implies past event)
- So: was
Options: was or were
✔ Answer: was

> Note: "Everyone" takes a singular verb.

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6. The music ________ great.
- Subject: The music → singular
- Tense: Past (likely referring to the concert)
- So: was
Options: was or were
✔ Answer: was

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7. John ________ nervous.
- Subject: John → singular
- Tense: Present? Or past?
- No clear indicator, but likely present (describing current state)
- Options: is or am
- John → is
✔ Answer: is

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8. The people ________ impatient.
- Subject: The people → plural
- Tense: Present
- Verb: are
But options: is or are
✔ Answer: are

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9. The pieces ________ well chosen.
- Subject: The pieces → plural
- Tense: Past (likely referring to past selection)
- So: were
Options: were or was
✔ Answer: were

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10. The applause ________ sincere.
- Subject: The applause → singular (unlike "claps", "applause" is uncountable)
- Tense: Past (again, from concert)
- So: was
Options: was or were
✔ Answer: was

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✔ Final Answers:

1. were
2. is
3. am
4. is
5. was
6. was
7. is
8. are
9. were
10. was

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✔ Summary Table:

| # | Sentence | Correct Answer |
|---|--------|----------------|
| 1 | Those notes ________ not right. | were |
| 2 | John ________ a musician. | is |
| 3 | I ________ John's friend. | am |
| 4 | The saxophone ________ cool. | is |
| 5 | Everyone ________ at the concert. | was |
| 6 | The music ________ great. | was |
| 7 | John ________ nervous. | is |
| 8 | The people ________ impatient. | are |
| 9 | The pieces ________ well chosen. | were |
|10 | The applause ________ sincere. | was |

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📝 Explanation Recap:

- Use "is" for singular subjects in present tense.
- Use "am" only with "I".
- Use "are" for plural subjects in present tense.
- Use "was" for singular subjects in past tense.
- Use "were" for plural subjects in past tense.
- "Everyone" and "the music" are singular, even if they refer to multiple people or things.
- "The pieces" is plural → were.
- "Applause" is uncountable → singular → was.

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or explanation in simpler terms!