James
Rebecca
Ronnie
Jon
Adam
Emma
Alex
Valen
Basic English Grammar – BE verb
Learn about the past, present, and future of the verb to be. What can follow it? What can’t follow it? This is a great lesson for beginners, and for intermediate students who need a reminder.
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Test your understanding of the English lesson by answering these questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.
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thanks for the great Video, Alex. I’ve always confuse if I can say “I am at school” instead of “I am in school”? I hope in the future you will do a video on preposition :)
Apple, I think they’ve already made a lesson about prepositions, try to find that lesson, but however I’ll explain you, it’s not difficult at all. You use AT when you talk about specific place. For example at the hotel, at the reception, at the gym, at the pool, at the post office, at the police station etc. And IN you use, for instance, in the house, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the box etc. I personally think this isn’t hard for comprehension. Take care :)
hello how can I watch video?
tanx
10 out of 10 =) Good work!
thanks a lot and i truly don’t know whatto tell you because you are doing a great job
I got 4 out of 10…; ( !
10 out of 10 =) Good work!
10 out of 10 =) Good work!
thanx alex
i scored 10. thanks alex
Thanks for your lesson.
Thanks for the lesson. very useful.
Alex, please could you tell me what is the correct way to say next sentence:
There is a number of ways to solve that problem.
There are a number of ways to solve thet problem.
Which of these two sentences is correct? Thank you in advance :)
Sorry, I meant There are number of ways to solve the problem :) Who works, they make mistakes :)
I think number two is correct, because it’s about countable things. I mean, way – countable noun. For example you may instead of “number” use “some”
Dima, thank you very much for explanation, this is really confusing, I respect your opinion, but we’ll wait until Alex responds on this, and then we’ll be 100% sure. Thank you once again :)
“There are a number of ways to solve that problem.” is the correct answer.
Finally! Thank you Alex, what would we do without you? Take care :)
ALEX, I LOVE YOU, YOU´RE A GREAT ENGLISH TEACHER AND HANDSOME TOO. KISSES FOR YOU…I LOVE U, I LOVE U.
thanks a lot for teaching me english lesson
thank you so much.
hey hanody how r u?
i hope u r doing well
do u mind if i wanna be friends
i wish to talk and chat in english and we can leran each other
10 out of 10!!! yes!!!
thank you Alixe too much : )
Hi how are mr oldman. I’m from Tangier and i want to learn english.
thank u so much teacher
i wanna to explain lesson about countable an uncountable in difficult cases like what englishstudent say over there in his comment
You are doing a wonderful work towards teaching English to the non-native speakers of the language. Please keep the good work up.
Dear Mr.Alex,
Thank you very much for all your video lessons. They are really informative and very useful. Could you, please tell us rules that govern the maintenance of tenses and forms of speeches in academic essay writing. I requested you a couple of times in the past. I would be thankful, if you could go into depth of the details of essay writing.
understandable lesson, take care too.
Thanks
Hey Alex,
By the method you teach me, is very comprehensible and understand-able.
I have given your quiz and got 100% marks. 10 out of 10.
Why will not a person, taught by you, do not gain 100% marks.
Have a nice day.
Useful Lesson…Thanks ;)
I can’t seem to get the quiz exercise to work. Am I missing something, or is the quiz option not functioning?
me neither. What’s the problem with the quiz?
It is very interesting… i got perfect score 10…
Thanks you’re great!!
thank you teacher
9-10 thanks Alex
very good lesson,thank you
tankyou vry much ur d bst ^^
thank alot
I enjoyed this lesson
THANK YOU SO MUCH
we are looking forward to your wonderful advanced lessons ,alex.
9 from 10 , thanks it’s really good quiz
fine,it is good
Hi Alex
Very interesting and comprehensible lesson.
I hope you will release next videos like that.
I posted a comment on the first list but there is not my name there.
Hello Alex, can you explain to me why this is not correct
-Which sentence is correct?
1)He’s singing.
4)He’s singer.(my mistake)
-When were they there?
2)They were there all night.
3)They were dance there all night.(my mistake)
-Who is the opening act for the concert?
2)The Strokes is opening act.( my mistake)
3)The opening act is The Strokes.
1. If you talk about having a job in English, you need an article before the job title. For example, “He’s a singer” is correct, but “He’s singer” is incorrect.
2. As mentioned in the lesson, you can not put another verb after the verb “to be” in any tense. It’s like saying “I was go,” which is incorrect.
3. You need the article “the” before opening act to be correct here. There is only one opening act, so you must use the definite article.
Thank you very much for all your video lessons.
i want to know “to be” when can i use?
thank for helping me.
Dear Alex,
Thanks for clarifying the be verb
2 of 10 i ned practise mor
hello i want to ask you i want to learn how to pronounce englis sound well
Thanks. That was great. Cheers.
I need your help! I cannot understand the differences between “sort/kind of” When they are used as ‘hedge phrases’ or ’softeners’… please! I need your help!!!… Thanks!
thanks
Dear Alex,
I would be very grateful if you could provide a lesson on the difference between Already, Now, Still and Yet.
Yours,
Omid
There is a lesson on “already” and “yet” on our website. You can view it here: http://www.engvid.com/grammar-already-yet/
“Now” means that something is happening at the moment, and “still” means that something started in the past, and has continued until the present. For example:
“I just finished my lunch, but I am still hungry.”
I was hungry before lunch. I finished my lunch. However, I am STILL hungry!
I got 10 out of 10 as usually i’m a student and i just wanna know about salang.Could you please make some lesson on it… I hope you’ll.Thank you
Of course!
i like it
Ooooppppssss…9 out of 10 not bad… you know what when it comes to communication, grammar, my english is bad. waaahhhh
can u pls discuss in your class how to use hes and his in a sentence.
He’s = he is
His = possessive
“He’s a teacher.”
“This is his wallet.”
I hope this helps!
I GOT IT !
Thank you for your lesson
i go it ^^
thamks alex
very helpful and i really enjoyed the lesson :) .. thanks
thank alex for that lesson was very useful to me ,I got 10 out of 10 before Icouldn’t do but
now I understod,thank you very much, you are a good teacher !!
When were they there?
They was there all night.
They were there all night.
They were dance there all night.
There were there all night.
has being listed twice as a answer opption
Humberto, please check the answers again and you will see that there is not a twice listed answer.
thanks
Thank you, Alex. You’re a great teacher, you know. I need to ask you… Could you make any lesson about numbers? I mean ‘how’ to pronounce the numbers. If Engvid have lessons about it, just ignore my request, because I’ll search again. Anyway, thanks for the that great review. x) PS: forgive my mistakes, and correct me where necessary, please. xD
There is a lesson on the difficulty some students have with pronouncing “thirteen” and “thirty” here: http://www.engvid.com/english-pronunciation-numbers/
A longer lesson on numbers is a good idea! Thanks for the suggestion!
Hello Alex. I have a question:
You say we never can use “be” with verbs like “see”, “make”, “go”. Can we use “be” with “to make”, “to go”, “to do”..
For example, can we say : “what am I to do?”, “what am I to say?”
Thank you in advance …
These are all correct. :) An infinitive is possible, but I did not list it among the options because we don’t often use it in informal conversation; especially not in statements.
10 out of 10
Dear Alex,
please show exercises to join sentences using but, and, because. Thanks
Good idea for a future lesson!
I LOVE IT! 10/10, thanks for the efforts to explain further more all of these things. I’ve been studying my grammars in this site for 1 year and thanks to god I learned a lot and thanks to you as well :)Take care and God bless us all.
Alex,thanks for all your lessons and videos they are great and very helpfull I really apreciate what you do, god bless you.
I enjoyed the session . Thanks alex. 9 out of 10.
thanks you alotttttttttttttt
thank you thank you thank you for all
I had a problem when I was beginner with this, you will help all the beginner with this lesson, thank you Alex.
8 out of10 is my score( tach and go)
thnk you
Thank you alex for the class !
Thank you Alez for the class !
Thank you Alex , remind me the way use VERB BE
Thanks a lot for hosting such a good website like this for us. I scored 9 out of 10.
thank you so much
Many thanks
thank you so so much
thanks to your lesson.
9 out of ten not bad..
hai
my friends ,i am using to this one in only 6 month .6 month past iam not able to speek english …. now iam ok , i have confedent to talk to my college and my friends
thank you so much
eng vid te
regards,
roy
9 out of 10. Very interesting lesson. Thamk you so much Alex.
Hello! Thank you so much for all your classes! I would really like to get an explanation about Subjunctive, would you please make a class about it?? Thanks!
Good suggestion. I’ll keep it in mind for a future lesson.
dear Alex very thank for my quiz
hello everybody cold please help in this question?
Combine the following sentences into one sentence using relative clauses. Use the underlined sentence as the independent/main clause.
Istanbul is a port in Turkey on the Bosporus. It lies partly in Europe, partly in Asia. It was formely the Roman city of Constantinople from 330 to 1453.It was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
tnx and such a great work
I don’t understand who is target group for this lesson. I think if someone could understand what you explained IN ENGLISH*, he DEFINITELY knows what verb ‘be’ means because such things are the essentials of grammar. Isn’t that strange video?
There are beginners who don’t know the verb “to be,” and even those who think they know it often make mistakes with what can come after it. For example, I have taught advanced students who use “I was see on the weekend,” which is incorrect.
Dear teacher Alex, I always refer to you, because you always respond regularly on our questions and comments. Now I have one question about reported speech, hope you can help me. If one person says, “I would rather do this job!” Now I want to say it in my own words, how do I do it? For instance, they said they. . .?
“They said they would rather have done that job,” or “…would rather do that job” depending on when you reported.
so helpful i like it
Thank you Alex. You’re an awesome teacher :-)
hi everyone thank’s for the engvid and thank’s for all the teachers
Thank you Alex. This my first time to be in your web. I love it . This is what I need a grammar.
thank you so much.
thank your to correct my first exercise
This EngVid is a great site that we can improve our english speacially in Teofel
Great help!!
Hi Alex,
Hope you are doing great! :-) Can we use “to be” verb with past participle. For instance
1) I am done.
2) It is completed
3) he is finished
According to your video “to be” doesn’t go with verb. how about the above mentioned examples? I have seen these kind of sentences in day to day activities. If the above mentioned sentences are correct, then which of past participle works with “to be”? Looks like there are some exceptions. For example: He is gone –> incorrect one.
thanks in advance,
subu
Yes, you can use past participles after the verb to be, but they become passive sentences. (Ex. “These shoes were made in China”) In your examples, you are actually using adjectives, and not past participles.
I like Quizs best of all.
Thanks!
hi Alex
its great lesson thanks for this,
Thank you for your lesson.My sore is seven. i still need practise.
i hope will improve my khowledge with your lessons
thanks your effors
Alex, I really hope you’ll make some advanced lessons in future, if you cannot several than at least one about Future Perfect & Future Perfect continuous. I’d like to learn something more about other 6 verb tenses which are much more difficult than previous six(basic onces). Please Alex, we learn the best from you.
thanks for this lesson…it helps me alot..
thanx..alex…gr8 job…
Good day Sir Alex, could you explain for me, how to correct use of words LATTER & LATER…because I really really confusing that words.. thaks god bless..
“Later” is an adverb, and is used to describe a future time.
“I will do my homework later.” (not now, but in the future)
“Latter” is used as an adjective signifying the second of two options.
“I like Coke more than Pepsi. Do you prefer the former (Coke) or the latter?” (Pepsi)
I hope this helps!
is it correct to say “jesus christ in the latter day saint”? there is no option?
Thanks Alex, your answer is great, I am extremely happy from the bottom my heart, your awesome a million thanks to you…
Any time! I’m glad you found the lesson useful!
Congratulations your lesson is very usefull.Thanks
Thank’s Alex is wonderful
Thanks Alex
Thank you very much for this lesson MR.Alex
thank you very much and stay blessed
10 out of 10
Thanks Alex, very clear you online class
Dear Alex,
You are the best instructor i have ever seen.
You have helped me and my brother alot …
We are very grateful ..
Hope you the best .
regards ,
A&A
thanks alex GOd bless you
Dear Mr.Alex ,
Can you tell us about some common symptoms
in medicine so we can be familiar with?
with love ,
DoubleCream
its fantastic sir thanks for that
Thank you, so much Mr.Alex. Today is my first day in your class and it is very helpful I hope you undastand my written, have a great day ! Margarita0603 :)
Hi Alex,
Can you please explain me how “went” is becoming “pastance”. And i’m look forward to hearing from you.
Warm Regards,
Mohammed Shahith
Hi Alex,
I have a question for you before go to question i would like to wish for the festival.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year for you and your family,your friends and not but least our Engvid staff/team.
I noticed a important note on this lesson i.e “Do not follow the “be” verb with another verb, unless it is a passive sentence and the verb is in the past participle form.
How i can identify which sentences are passive sentence and which sentences are past participle form/sentence.
Warm Regards,
Mohammed Shahith
Thanks a million
score 10/10 ;)
Thanks a lot, Alex.I confused about “He’s singer” why is incorrect?
In the next lesson,Could you teach me about article and preposition?
I don’t understand. How to use? when can use it?
Thank you my teacher.It make me understand.
Thanks Alex,,,
The word Thank is not enough to thank you, Alex
Your way is very good in teaching.
correct my sentence if there is mistakes
Thank you again
hello sir !..thanks 4 the lesson..it’s really good…can u please explain to me …why this is not correct?
Which sentence is correct?
I was to the park.(my answer)
I went to the park.(correct answer)..
hello sir …may u please make a lesson on types of verbs and when to use which type and how??it will be really helpful…
thanks..
Thanks Alex,,,
thanks very much mr: Alex
I got 10 out 10!!!.thanks a lot.Alex.
Great Alex thanks you.
7 of 10 . ok
Thank the test
THanks Alex…. 10/10…. come on¡¡
Thx Sir Alex
nice nice !!! good
Hi Sir Alex, just registered myself on this website it really impressed me when I saw the way you teaching to the students but still I have to improve my english please so advise for that? waiting for your reply?
I want to learn English from beginning please advise, in fact I’m a urdu medium student.
be+verv3. As ” be played, be done” , Plz explain……
Thank you Mr. Alex for lesson. I absolutely love learning English. English is the most interesting language that I have ever learned.
i got 9 out of 10.
alex will you please deliver a lesion on active & passive voice
God, bless you.
I Mr, Your teaching filled me up with confident.Thank you very much.
thanks! but English language learning needs more work before seccessefully.
THENKS SIR FOR THIS
Thanks so much for this wonderful lesson!!
Thank you Alex. I hope to learn more from you.
thank you
thank you so much for this lesson. I hope learn more from you.
why i got mistake in the last number in the quiz? is’nt it that the verb be follewed by the past participle? that’s why i did not choose the first one. i confuse!
10/10 :))
thanks.
You scored 9 out of 10
Thanks
Really the quiz was interested . I got 10/10 . Thank you so much Mr Alex for your teaching .
Thanks a lot you are best teach. I really confuse when use ” which or that ” could you tell me ?
thanks Alex
this is so Great ….
Hi Alex: The Cinema was moved to another location. Is this a correct sentense we using verb with To-be verb? Could you help Thanks.
That is correct. You can also use the verb “to be” before a passive verb. :)
Thanks Alex.
10 out of 10… My kids love it.
excellent
Thank you for all the refresher. It’s been fifteen years since I’ve been in school, and this website gave me a lot of help. Especially,, with me trying to go back to school. I hope you guys continue to teach. Also, I’m so greatful with the rest of the teachers who put all their efforts to come up with this idea. What intimidates me, is the essay part. I’ve been thinking about taking my placement test in two weeks, but I feel I’m not ready yet.
I will go to Japan, next year.(Simple future tense) Here Be very follow with base verb. Could please define this (Is this correct)………Thanks Alex.
thanks
Thanks for your clearly explainations~
tanx………
I got 10 out of 10 . Thank you so much for this lesson ! It was really helpful.
I am a India. I am a Gujarati person… I like your lesson so much..
i got 8 out of 10..but still i am not satisfy with my knowledge…your lesson is nice…but i am always confuse..i fond of speak in english…please put in your lesson more & more rules which important for learner….
Thank you,
Thanks Dear best Teacher Alex
thank u vary much …..
in ronnie’s lesson i have learnt to use was when i am talking for “I” and now in the quiz at the first quiz ” i was to the park” and “I went to the park” I choose i was to the park and the quiz gave me that was a wrong answer. could you explain what happened?
i appreciate your response.
tnx a lot,
daniela
9/10 I love your video’s :)
THANKS Alex for the lecturing.I got a 100 out of a 100.
Thanks
Thanks Alex
I got 8/10 but next time I’ll not be misktake..
thank very much Alex
Hi Alex. I appreciated your lesson. The only suggestion I’d give you is that it’d be easier and clearer for the students if you, when writting, put an indefinite article before the profession – ex: I am an architect. You said but not wrote. I think it would be better. Regardless of this, your class is perfect. Thank you.
thank u alex four lesson
I not understand incorrect: His girlfriend is the Jojan.
plese help me
thank you.:-)
This is my first experience with English language and I guess what was me very well.
nice ,i can;t see video but enjoy quiz
Hi Alex. You explain very very good. I really like your lessons. Please, think of making a lesson about PARTICIPLE-2. Their role as verb and as adjective. This is my only difficulty.
Fantastic!
can one says “I had had some ice cream from the ice cream polar last year. If not could you do a lesson on that please.
I got 9 out of 10
hi sir,what is the difference between
he will sing.
he will be singing.
he is going to sing.
pls help me..thx
Thank you so much Alex for the lesson. You are the best. Alex, please could you help me ? I would like to stay one month with a family who speaks English. I want to improve my English. Thanks in advance
hi , please help me to understand ;Rebecca said in one lesson that for HOME the prepositon AT doesn’t exist .i.e -I go home not I go at home .Which is correct?
Thanks for your lesson.
woooouuu… was incredible you are the best….
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continue so
Billion thanks for the score.
Please i will like to share these few words with you,i always feel scared to speak english in a congregation most especially with my foreigner friends, i was believe that what am saying is not correct.and they will be making jest of me.Please advise me
thank’s Mr alex
and the verb to be before adverbs? I am fine, for example
Thanks Mr. Alex it’s a nice lesson. I can’t wait for my students this coming school year. More power.
Please, let me know if the following sentence is in order.
I ask James,” James, can you do this?”
James replied: “Oh,yes. I can do this”.
Now, I want to convey to someone like”I asked James and he said that he can do it”. Is this formation correct?