State of Being Verbs Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - 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.

---

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)

---

Now, let’s go through each sentence:

---

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: Those notes were not right. → makes sense if referring to a past event.

✔ Answer: were

---

2. John ________ a musician.
- Subject: John → singular
- Tense: Present (no past indicator)
- Verb: is
✔ Answer: is

---

3. I ________ John's friend.
- Subject: I → first person singular
- Tense: Present
- Verb: am
✔ Answer: am

---

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

---

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

> Note: "Everyone" takes singular verbs.

---

6. The music ________ great.
- Subject: The music → uncountable noun, singular
- Tense: Past (implied by context of concert)
- Verb: was
✔ Answer: was

---

7. John ________ nervous.
- Subject: John → singular
- Tense: Present (no past clue)
- Verb: is
✔ Answer: is

---

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

---

9. The pieces ________ well chosen.
- Subject: The pieces → plural
- Tense: Past (likely, because it refers to a past performance)
- Verb: were
✔ Answer: were

---

10. The applause ________ sincere.
- Subject: The applause → singular (uncountable noun)
- Tense: Past (referring to the concert)
- Verb: was
✔ Answer: was

---

✔ Final Answers:

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

---

🔍 Explanation Summary:

- Use "is" for singular subjects in present tense.
- Use "am" for "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.
- Words like *everyone*, *music*, *appliance*, *pieces* — check whether they are singular or plural.
- Context clues (like "concert") suggest past tense.

This worksheet tests both subject-verb agreement and tense.

Let me know if you'd like a printable version with answers filled in!