Let's solve this worksheet step by step. The task is to fill in the correct form of the
"to be" verb (also known as the
state-of-being verb) in each sentence. The verb "to be" has different forms depending on the subject and tense:
am, is, are, was, were, been, being, etc.
We need to determine:
- The
subject of each sentence.
- Whether the sentence is in the
present or
past tense.
- The correct form of "to be" that agrees with the subject.
---
1. Pat ________ proud of his sandcastle.
- Subject:
Pat (singular, third person)
- Tense: Present (no time indicator suggests past)
- Correct form:
is
✔ Pat is proud of his sandcastle.
---
2. Jimmy ________ late yesterday.
- Subject:
Jimmy (singular, third person)
- Time:
yesterday → past tense
- Correct form:
was
✔ Jimmy was late yesterday.
---
3. The dogs ________ rambunctious.
- Subject:
The dogs (plural)
- Tense: Present (no time marker, so present)
- Correct form:
are
✔ The dogs are rambunctious.
---
4. My classmates ________ smart.
- Subject:
My classmates (plural)
- Tense: Present
- Correct form:
are
✔ My classmates are smart.
---
5. Those kids ________ not on the bus.
- Subject:
Those kids (plural)
- Tense: Present
- Correct form:
are
✔ Those kids are not on the bus.
---
6. My purse ________ heavy.
- Subject:
My purse (singular, third person)
- Tense: Present
- Correct form:
is
✔ My purse is heavy.
---
7. Her attitude ________ terrible.
- Subject:
Her attitude (singular)
- Tense: Present
- Correct form:
is
✔ Her attitude is terrible.
---
8. Anna ________ irritable last night.
- Subject:
Anna (singular, third person)
- Time:
last night → past tense
- Correct form:
was
✔ Anna was irritable last night.
---
9. Martin ________ a good candidate.
- Subject:
Martin (singular, third person)
- Tense: Present (no past indicator)
- Correct form:
is
✔ Martin is a good candidate.
---
✔ Final Answers:
1. Pat
is proud of his sandcastle.
2. Jimmy
was late yesterday.
3. The dogs
are rambunctious.
4. My classmates
are smart.
5. Those kids
are not on the bus.
6. My purse
is heavy.
7. Her attitude
is terrible.
8. Anna
was irritable last night.
9. Martin
is a good candidate.
---
📝 Explanation Summary:
- Use
is for singular subjects in the present tense (e.g., Pat, Jimmy, purse, attitude, Martin).
- Use
are for plural subjects in the present tense (e.g., dogs, classmates, kids).
- Use
was for singular subjects in the past tense (e.g., Jimmy, Anna).
- Always check the subject and the time reference to choose the correct form.
This exercise helps reinforce understanding of
subject-verb agreement and
tense with the verb "to be."
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of being verbs worksheet.
