Verb To Be Question Form
Verb to be question form structure is similar to other verbs, but you don’t need to add an extra helping verb. As you know from doing the Verb To Be standard form, it’s an irregular verb and it has eight different conjugations:
be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been.
A bit like one of the X-Men!
It can be used as a main verb to explain a state or condition, and it can also be used as an auxiliary verb (helping verb) along with a main verb and sometimes another auxiliary verb, depending on tense.
It’s the only verb that doesn’t need a helping verb to make negative or into a question. Sure enough the Verb To Be can be a helping verb too, but as a main verb it doesn’t need a help. Cool hey?
As with all question structures, we simply invert the subject verb order.
Look at these examples of different tenses. See how the question starts with be in present and past tenses, but because the future tense always needs will, the question starts with will.
She is a doctor. >>> Is she a doctor?
You were at the games yesterday. >>> Were you at the game yesterday?
I am listening to music. >>> Am I listening to music?
They will be here at six o’clock. >>> Will they be Here at six o’clock?
Let’s take a look at the different ways we can use the Verb To Be in Question Form for each verb tense.
Present Simple Tense
In the present simple tense, the verb to be has three forms: am for first person I, is for third person he, she, it, and are for all other persons. And as with all sentences to questions we simply invert the subject verb order.
Examples:
Am I late for the meeting?
Is he a doctor?
Are they happy with the results?
Past Simple Tense
In the past simple tense, the verb to be takes the forms was for the first and third person singular (I, he, she, it) and were for other subjects. As in the simple present tense, invert the subject and the verb to form a question.
Examples:
Was I wrong about that?
Were you at the party last night?
Was she satisfied with her performance?
Future Simple Tense
The future simple tense is formed using the auxiliary verb will along with the bare infinitive form of the verb to be (be). To create questions, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb will and place be after the subject.
Examples:
Will I be on time for the appointment?
Will he be a doctor?
Will they be at home?
Present Continuous Tense
In the present continuous tense, the verb to be functions as an auxiliary verb, combined with the present participle (ing-form) of the main verb. To form questions, invert the subject and be and leave the past participle (main verb) after the subject..
Examples:
Am I doing this correctly?
Is he studying for the exam?
Are they working on the project?
You can also use verb to be as a main verb in the present continuous tense. This means you’d need an auxiliary be: am, is, are and a past participle being.
Example:
Is he being silly?
Am I being selfish?
Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense uses the verb to be as an auxiliary verb in its past forms was/were and the present participle of the main verb. To create a question, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb to be: was or were.
Examples:
Was I talking too loudly?
Were you listening to the radio?
Was she painting the room?
As with present continuous, you can use verb to be as the main verb as well.
Example:
Was I being rude yesterday?
Were they being well behaved last night?
Future Continuous Tense:
For the future continuous tense, use the auxiliary verbs will and be along with the present participle of the main verb. To form questions, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb will.
Examples:
Will I be traveling to Europe next year?
Will he be playing soccer this weekend?
Will they be attending the conference?
Present Perfect Tense
In the present perfect tense, the verb to be takes the past participle form been and is used with the auxiliary verb have/has. To form a question, invert the subject and the verb have/has, and place been after the subject.
Examples:
Have I been helpful?
Has he been to London before?
Have they been on this level for a long time?
Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense uses the verb to be in the past participle form been, and the auxiliary verb had. To create a question, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb had.
Examples:
Had I been there before?
Had you been there all night?
Had she been sick before she left?
Future Perfect Tense
In the future perfect tense, the verb to be takes the past participle form been and is used with the auxiliary verbs will and have. To form questions, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb will, and place have and been after the subject.
Examples:
Will I have been successful by the end of the year?
Will he have been married for ten years next month?
Will they have been here by then?
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
The present perfect continuous tense uses the verb to be as an auxiliary verb in the form been along with have/has and the present participle of the main verb (verbing). To create a question, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb have/has and place been and verbing after the subject.
Examples:
Have I been working too hard?
Has he been studying for the exam all week?
Have they been traveling for the past three months?
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
For the past perfect continuous tense, use the verb to be as an auxiliary verb in the form been along with had and the present participle of the main verb (verbing). To create a question, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb had and place been and verbing after the subject.
Examples:
Had I been waiting for you for two hours?
Had she been practicing the piano every day?
Had they been living in that house for many years?
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
The future perfect continuous tense needs four verbs in total: will + have + been + present participle of the main verb (verbing). To create question, invert the subject and the auxiliary verb will, and place have been verbing after the subject.
Examples:
Will I have been working here for five years by the end of 2023?
Will he have been studying non-stop until the exam?
Will they have been traveling together for six months?
Verb To Be Worksheets
Practice the most used verb in English with this package of 10 different worksheets. They cover Affirmative and Negative Sentence structure, and also Question structure in the present simple tense. Ideal for younger students up to grade 2.
