> grammar rules > tenses > forms of "to be"

 - gerund/inf.

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Many students seem to have problems with the forms of the verb 'to be'... So, here is a list of all forms in all tenses:

 

present simple

present progressive (only used for passive sentences)

past simple

past progressive

present perfect

(there is no form of "to be" in the progressive form)

past perfect

(there is no form of "to be" in the progressive form)

"will" future

"going to" future

modal verbs

normal statements

I am 

you are

he/she/it is

we are

you are

they are

I am being

you are being

he/she/it is being

we are being

you are being

they are being

I was

you were

he/she/it was

we were

you were

they were

I was being

you were being

he/she/it was being

we were being

you were being

they were being

I have been

you have been

he/she/it has been

we have been

you have been

they have been

I had been

you had been

he/she/it had been

we had been

you had been

they had been

I will be

you will be

he/she/it will be

we will be

you will be

they will be

I am going to be

you are going to be

he/she/it is going to be

we are going to be

you are going to be

they are going to be

I can/may/must be

you can/may/must be

he/she/it can/may/must be

we can/may/must be

you can/may/must be

they can/may/must be

questions

am I

are you 

is he/she/it

are we

are you

are they

am I being

are you being

is he/she/it being

are we being

are you being

are they being

was I

were you

was he/she/it

were we

were you

were they

was I being

were you being

was he/she/it being

were we being

were you being

were they being

have I been

have you been

has he/she/it been

have we been

have you been

have they been

had I been

had you been

had he/she/it been

had we been

had you been

had they been

will I be

will you be

will he/she/it be

will we be

will you be

will they be

am I going to be

are you going to be

is he/she/it going to be

are we going to be

are you going to be

are they going to be

can/may/must I be

can/may/must you be

can/may/must he/she/it be

can/may/must we be

can/may/must you be

can/may/must they be

negation

I'm not                  .

you're not              

he/she/it isn't         

we aren't

you aren't

they aren't

I'm not being

you aren't being

he/she/it isn't being

we aren't being

you aren't being

they aren't being

I wasn't

you weren't

he/she/it wasnt

we weren't

you weren't

they weren't

I wasn't being

you weren't being

he/she/it wasn't being

we weren't being

you weren't being

they weren't being

I haven't been

you haven't been

he/she/it hasn't been

we haven't been

you haven't been

they haven't been

I hadn't been

you hadn't been

he/she/it hadn't been

we hadn't been

you hadn't been

they hadn't been

I won't be

you won't be

he/she/it won't be

we won't be

you won't be

they won't be

I'm not going to be

you aren't going to be

he/she/it isn't going to be

we aren't going to be

you aren't going to be

they aren't going to be

in order to negate modal verbs, you must usually use their alternative form;

can > be able to

may > be allowed to

must > have to

for more info, see the section about modal verbs