Verb “To Be” – English Grammar Exercises for A1
You are a new student looking for your classroom, or you are at the office and your boss is asking where important documents are. You need to ask for directions or state exactly where things and people are located.
Choose the best option to complete each sentence.
1 The boss is looking for the contract. The important report ______ on my desk.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) has
2 Excuse me, I am lost. I think I ______ in the wrong building.
(a) am
(b) be
(c) is
3 “Where are the blue folders?” “They ______ in the cabinet.”
(a) is
(b) have
(c) are
4 Can you help me? The library ______ next to the cafeteria.
(a) is
(b) has
(c) are
5 Boss: “Where is the marketing team?”
You: “We ______ in Meeting Room B right now.”
(a) is
(b) are
(c) am
6 Excuse me, ______ Mr. Smith in his office? I have an appointment.
(a) Does
(b) Are
(c) Is
7 The keys ______ on the table. Where are they?
(a) aren’t
(b) isn’t
(c) don’t
8 Excuse me, where ______ the restrooms on this floor?
(a) is
(b) are
(c) do
9 Where is my laptop? Oh, it ______ in your bag!
(a) has
(b) are
(c) is
10 The printer and the scanner ______ on the second floor.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) have
11 ______ the teachers in the staff room? I need to ask a question.
(a) Do
(b) Are
(c) Is
12 I ______ at the reception desk. Where are you?
(a) is
(b) have
(c) am
13 The new students ______ in Classroom 4A today.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) be
14 “Where is the manager?”
“She ______ not in the building today.”
(a) does
(b) is
(c) has
15 Everyone ______ in the conference room for the presentation. Hurry up!
(a) is
(b) are
(c) am
16 Where ______ the scissors? I need to cut this paper.
(a) is
(b) do
(c) are
17 I need help, but nobody ______ at the front desk right now.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) does
18 My bag and my jacket ______ under the chair.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) has
19 Excuse me, ______ this the right classroom for English 101?
(a) are
(b) does
(c) is
20 The people in this office ______ very helpful with directions.
(a) is
(b) are
(c) have
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b) is
- Why it’s correct: “The important report” is a singular subject (it), which takes “is”. We use “To Be” + preposition (on) to show location.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “are” is for plural subjects. (c) “has” is a common translation trap; in English, a report doesn’t “have” a location, it is in a location.
2 (a) am
- Why it’s correct: The subject “I” always takes “am”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “be” is the base form and is not conjugated. (c) “is” does not match “I”.
3 (c) are
- Why it’s correct: “They” (the folders) is a plural subject, taking “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” is for singular subjects. (b) “have” is incorrect for stating a location.
4 (a) is
- Why it’s correct: “The library” is a singular place (it), taking “is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “has” is the translation trap. (c) “are” is for plural subjects.
5 (b) are
- Why it’s correct: “We” is a plural subject, requiring “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” and (c) “am” do not match the subject “We”.
6 (c) Is
- Why it’s correct: “Mr. Smith” (he) is a singular subject. To ask a Yes/No question about location, we start with “Is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “Does” is used for action verbs, not for locations. (b) “Are” is for plural subjects.
7 (a) aren’t
- Why it’s correct: “The keys” is a plural subject, so the negative form is “are not” (aren’t).
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “isn’t” fails to recognize that “keys” is plural. (c) “don’t” is for action verbs.
8 (b) are
- Why it’s correct: “The restrooms” is plural. The question is “Where are the restrooms?”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” is a very common mistake when learners forget to check if the noun is plural. (c) “do” is for action verbs.
9 (c) is
- Why it’s correct: “It” (the laptop) takes “is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “has” is the translation trap. (b) “are” is for plural subjects.
10 (a) are
- Why it’s correct: “The printer and the scanner” form a plural compound subject (they). Therefore, you must use “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “is” is a trap. Learners often look only at “the scanner” and choose “is”, forgetting about the printer. (c) “have” is incorrect for location.
11 (b) Are
- Why it’s correct: “The teachers” is plural, so the question must start with “Are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “Do” is for action verbs. (c) “Is” is for singular subjects.
12 (c) am
- Why it’s correct: “I” takes “am” to state where you are currently located.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” does not match “I”. (b) “have” is the translation trap.
13 (a) are
- Why it’s correct: “The new students” is plural (they), taking “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “is” is for singular subjects. (c) “be” is unconjugated.
14 (b) is
- Why it’s correct: “She” takes “is”. The negative “is not” shows she is not in that location.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “does” is for action verbs. (c) “has” is the translation trap.
15 (a) is
- Why it’s correct: The pronoun “Everyone” is grammatically singular. It must take “is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “are” is a trap for learners who think “everyone” means a plural group. (c) “am” is only for “I”.
16 (c) are
- Why it’s correct: In English, “scissors” is always a plural noun (like pants or glasses). It requires “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” is a common mistake because it’s a single object, but grammatically it is plural. (b) “do” is for action verbs.
17 (b) is
- Why it’s correct: Just like “everyone”, the pronoun “Nobody” acts as a singular subject and takes “is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “are” is for plural subjects. (c) “does” is for action verbs.
18 (a) are
- Why it’s correct: “My bag and my jacket” is a plural compound subject (they), taking “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (b) “is” fails to recognize the two items. (c) “has” is the translation trap.
19 (c) is
- Why it’s correct: “This” is a singular demonstrative pronoun, referring to one classroom. It takes “Is”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “are” is for plural subjects (these). (b) “does” is for action verbs.
20 (b) are
- Why it’s correct: The word “people” is an irregular plural noun (the plural of person). It always takes “are”.
- Why the others are wrong: (a) “is” is a common A1 mistake because “people” doesn’t end in ‘s’, so learners think it’s singular. (c) “have” is incorrect here.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Location Formula: When you want to say where something or someone is, you must use the Verb “To Be” + a preposition of place (in, on, at, under, next to).
- Do not use “have” to describe locations.
- ❌ The book has on the table.
- ✅ The book is on the table.
- “To Do” vs. “To Be”: When asking where something is, never use “Do” or “Does”. Use “Am/Is/Are”.
- ❌ Where do the restrooms?
- ✅ Where are the restrooms?
- Compound Subjects: “The printer AND the scanner” = two things (They). Always use “are“.
- Tricky Singulars & Plurals:
- Singular (Use “is”): Everyone, Everybody, Nobody. (e.g., Everyone is in the room).
- Plural (Use “are”): People, Scissors, Glasses, Pants. (e.g., The people are in the office).