Category: Verb Tenses

How to Ask Questions in the Simple Past Tense – A Practical Guide for ESL Learners
Asking Questions in the Simple Past Tense

Have you ever asked someone, “What did you do yesterday?” or “Did you watch that movie?”
These are questions in the simple past! We use them to ask about things that already happened — usually yesterday, last week, or at another time in the past. Before jumping into this lesson, review our guide on asking Yes/No questions in the simple present.

⚠️ Remember! We use did to form most questions in the simple past.

Yes/No Questions in the Simple Past

Did + subject + base form of the verb + other information?

✅ Examples:

Did I pass the grammar test?

Did you watch TV last night?

Did he score a goal yesterday?

Did she call you yesterday?

Did it rain last week?

Did they go to the concert?

Did we have any homework in class this morning?

Did Regina take piano lessons when she was a child?

Did Diego and Frida paint together?

👉 Notice that after did, the main verb returns to its base form (no -ed!).

WH- Questions in the Simple Past

When you want more information (not just yes/no), use a Wh- word (who, what, where, when, why, or how) before did.

Wh- Word + did + subject + base form + other information?

✅ Examples:

What did I make on the assignment?

What did you make for dinner last night?

Where did he travel last summer?

Who did she go to the movies with on Saturday?

Why did it take so long to drive to class?

When did they arrive?

When did we start class?

How did you learn English?

Who did Karina meet at the mall?

Why did the dogs bark all night?

Be Verb Questions in the Past (was / were)

With questions in the past with a Be verb, you do not use did. Instead, you use was or were.

Yes/No Questions in the Simple Past
- We use was with the following subjects:
I, He, She, It, and Singular Nouns.

✅ Examples:

Was I your favorite teacher?

Was he your boyfriend in high school?

Was she tired after class?

Was it hot last weekend?

Was Maria in your grammar class?
- We use were with the following subjects:
You, They, We, and Plural Subjects

✅ Examples:

Were you at school yesterday?

Were they in Mexico last weekend?

Were we loud last night?

Were your keys in your coat?

Wh- Questions in the Simple Past

✅ Examples:

Where was I last night?

When was he in your class?

Why was she late to class?

How was it?

How was the food at Taco Bell?

Where were you yesterday?

What were they doing at the park?

What were we studying in the last class?

What were Luis and Karina eating for dinner?

🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Where did she went?
✅ Where did she go?

❌ Was you happy yesterday?
✅ Were you happy yesterday?

👉 Remember! After did, always use the base form (go, eat, study).
Never say did went or did ate.

Let’s Practice!

Exercise A

Complete each question with the correct word.
Use did, was, or were.
1. ______ you go to the store yesterday?
2. What ______ you eat for breakfast?
3. ______ she call you last night?
4. Where ______ they travel last summer?
5. ______ you tired after class yesterday?
6. When ______ he finish his homework?
7. ______ it cold yesterday morning?
8. Who ______ you talk to after school?
9. ______ your friends play soccer last weekend?
10. Why ______ she cry during the movie?
Exercise B

Read each sentence carefully. Find and correct the mistake.
1. Did you went to school yesterday?
2. Where did she went on vacation?
3. Did he studied for the test?
4. What did you ate for dinner last night?
5. Was you at the party yesterday?
6. Did they was late for class?
7. Where were she yesterday?
8. Did your brother plays soccer last weekend?
9. Why did she cryed after the movie?
10. Did we are in the same class last year?
Check Your Answers

Scoring and Feedback

🔵 17 – 20 Correct

Excellent work! 🎉You really understand how to make questions in the simple past. Keep using it in your everyday conversations and writing.

🟢 14 – 16 Correct

Great job! ✅ You have a good understanding of how to make questions in the simple past. Review the ones you missed.

🟡 12 – 13 Correct

Good effort! 💪You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

🔴 0 – 11 Correct

No worries! 🌱 Questions in the simple past can be tricky at first. Go back and review the examples in the lesson.

📚 Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

Remember! Learning a language is not about perfection—it’s about progress.

Asking questions in the simple past helps you connect with people and share experiences.
Practice every day — ask your friends what they did yesterday or where they went last weekend. The more you ask, the more natural your English will sound!

💡Need personalized help using these grammar structures? Explore my ESL lessons and services for individual and group support.

Leave a comment below!

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!
October 12, 2025

English Grammar for Beginners: How to Use Be Verbs in the Present Tense

Be verbs are small but powerful words in English! We use am, is, and are to describe people, places, and things in the present tense. For example, we say I am a student, She is happy, or They are in class.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use be verbs correctly, avoid common mistakes, and sound more natural when speaking English. Don’t forget to request your free Be Verbs Practice PDF at the end of this post to keep improving your grammar and pronunciation!

Be Verbs – Subject-Verb Agreement

The Be verb must agree with the subject to make the sentence correct (Subject-Verb Agreement)

There are three forms for Be verbs in the present tense:

1. Am

We use ‘am’ with the subject pronoun I.

This form is for statements about oneself.

I am on the first floor.

I am next to the desk.

I am excited.

2. Is

We use ‘is’ with the subject pronouns he, she, it, and singular nouns.

This form is used to talk about one person or thing.

The teacher is between John and Bobby. She is intelligent.

The trash can is under the desk. It is empty.

John is sleepy. He is tired.

3. Are

We use ‘are’ with the subject pronouns you, we, they, and plural nouns.

This form is used to talk about more than one person or thing.

The notebooks are in the drawer. They are new.

The pens are on the table. They are black.

Alejandra and I are under the projector. We are nervous.

💡 Tip! If you need a refresher on subject pronouns, check out our complete guide on subject pronouns.

Be Verbs – Structure

We use the following structure for affirmative statements

Subject	Be Verb (am, is, are)	Other Information
I	am	happy.

We use the following structure for negative statements

Subject	Be Verb (am, is, are)	not	Other Information
He	is	not	a student.

We use the following structure for Yes/No questions.

Be Verb (am, is, are)	Subject + from	Location
Are	they	students?

We use the following structure for short answers

Yes/No,	Subject	Be Verb (am, is, are) + (not)
Yes,	she	is.
No,	they	are not.

We use the following structure for Wh- questions

Wh- Word	Be Verb (am, is, are)	Subject
Where	is	the coffee shop?

When do we use Be verbs?

1. With an adjective to describe someone or something

Adjectives can come after the Be Verb. They describe the subject.

Alejandra is pretty.

The adjective ‘pretty’ describes the subject ‘Alejandra.’

The homework is easy.

The adjective ‘easy’ describes the subject ‘The homework.’

Grammar exams are difficult.

The adjective ‘difficult’ describes the subject ‘grammar exams.’

They are friendly.

The adjective ‘friendly’ describes the subject pronoun ‘They.’

2. With a noun to classify the subject

Mary is a teacher.

You are a student. (singular) You are students. (plural)

They are friends.

We are students.

3. With physical or emotional states

My books are heavy. (physical state)

She is tired. (physical state)

They are happy. (emotional state)

We are excited. (emotional state)

4. To Talk about the Weather. Use “It” as the subject when talking about the weather.

It is hot in Merida.

It is sunny today.

It is cold in New York City in December.

5. To Talk about the Time. Use “It” as the subject when talking about time.

It is 9:00AM.	It is in the morning.
It is midnight.	It is in the afternoon.
It is noon.	It is at night.

6. To Talk about the Day, Month, or Season. Use “It” as the subject when talking about the day or the date.

It is Saturday.	It is the weekend.
It is August.	It is summer.
It is October.	It is fall.
It is December.	It is winter.
It is March.	It is spring.

7. Use a Be verb with a location

My sisters are in Dallas.

The restaurant is on San Pedro Ave.

My parents are at 1704 Maberry St.

Shakira and I are from Colombia.

Contractions with Be Verbs

Contractions are used for casual speech and informal writing.

Contractions combine two words. The apostrophe (’) replaces the letter removed from the Be verb.

In affirmative statements with Be verbs, we can combine a subject pronoun and a form of the Be verb.

Full Form	Contraction
I am	I’m
You are	You’re
He is	He’s
She is	She’s
It is	It’s
We are	We’re
They are	They’re

We can also combine a singular subject and the Be verb ‘is’ to form a contraction. We replace the letter ‘i’ with an apostrophe (’)

Full Form	Contraction
The book is on the table.	The book’s on the table.
John is late.	John’s late.
The teacher is nice.	The teacher’s nice.
The computer is in my backpack.	The computer’s in my backpack.

⚠️ Remember! You cannot contract a plural noun and the Be verb ‘are’.

✅ The markers are on the table.

In negative statements with Be verbs, there are two ways to make contractions.

1. Contract the subject pronoun and the Be verb or a singular subject and ‘is’

Full Form	Contraction
I am not at home.	I’m not at home.
He is not a student.	He’s not a student.
She is not a teacher.	She’s not a teacher.
It is not on the desk.	It’s not on the desk.
We are not in the cafeteria.	We’re not in the cafeteria.
They are not on the second floor.	They’re not on the second floor.
Alejandra is not in class.	Alejandra’s not in class.

⚠️ Remember! The apostrophe (‘) replaces the letter removed from the Be verb or the singular subject.

2. Contract the Be verb and the negative.

Full Form	Contraction
He is not a student.	He isn’t a student.
She is not a teacher.	She isn’t a teacher.
It is not on the desk.	It isn’t on the desk.
We are not in the cafeteria.	We aren’t in the cafeteria.
They are not on the second floor.	They aren’t on the second floor.
Alejandra is not in class today.	Alejandra isn’t in class today.

There is only one form for “I am not.”

You contract the subject pronoun ‘I’ and the Be verb ‘am’.

I am ✅ I’m

You cannot contract am and not ❌ amn’t

I am not ✅ I’m not

✅ I’m not in the language lab.

🔊 Practice! Improve your English pronunciation of contractions with this free online practice tool!
English pronunciation of contractions.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ She happy.
✅ She is happy.

❌ They is at school.
✅ They are at school.

❌ I amn’t tired.
✅ I’m not tired.

❌ Where you are from?
✅ Where are you from?

❌ He’s teacher.
✅ He’s a teacher.

📘 Get More Practice!

Want extra exercises to master am, is, and are?
Request your free Be Verbs Practice PDF

Fill out the short form below!

📚 Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

Remember! Learning a language is not about perfection—it’s about progress. Keep practicing, stay curious, and trust the process. You are moving beyond English to more opportunities, connections, and self-expression!

💡Need personalized help using these grammar structures? Explore my ESL lessons and services for individual and group support.

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!

October 8, 2025

English Future Tense with Be Going To: Easy Guide for ESL Beginners
Do you ever want to talk about tomorrow, next week, or even next year in English? Learning how to talk about the future is very important! The good news is, there are two common ways to talk about the future in English: will and be going to. In this post, we’ll focus on be going to. To learn more about using will, check out this guide. English learners use the future tense with Be Going To every day to make predictions, share plans, and even promise to do something. In this post, you’ll learn how to use the future tense with Be Going To step by step—with simple rules, examples, and common mistakes to avoid. By the end, you’ll be ready to talk about your own future in English with confidence!

When do we use the future tense with Be Going To?

We use Be Going To to talk about:
1. Simple facts about the future
I am going to finish class on Friday.
1. Predictions with evidence (when we can see something now).
Look at those clouds! It is going to rain.
1. Plans or intentions (things we already decided to do).
She is going to study English at UNAM next session.

Affirmative Statements in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Subject + be (am/is/are) + going to + base form of the verb

I am going to watch a movie tonight.

She is going to travel to Spain.

They are going to play basketball on Thursday.

My mother is going to make dinner tonight.

The students are going to take a test on Friday.

Ana is going to celebrate her birthday on Saturday.

Negative Statements in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Subject + be (am/is/are) + not + going to + base form of the verb

I am not going to watch a movie tonight.

She is not going to travel to Spain.

They are not going to play basketball on Thursday.

My mother is not going to make dinner tonight.

The students are not going to take a test on Friday.

Ana is not going to celebrate her birthday on Saturday.

Contractions in the Future Tense with Be Going To

In English, we often make sentences shorter by contracting the Be verb (am, is, are) with a subject pronoun. This makes speaking sound more natural.

I am → I’m → I’m going to study tonight.

You are → You’re going to fail if you don’t do the homework.

He is → He’s → He’s going to play soccer.

She is → She’s → She’s going to cook dinner.

It is → It’s → It’s going to rain.

We are → We’re → We’re going to travel next week.

They are → They’re → They’re going to visit us.

⚠️ Remember! We never contract going to itself—only the be verb.

💡 Tip! If you need a refresher on subjects, check out our complete guide on subject pronouns.

We can also contract the be verb (am, is, are) with not in negative sentences.

is not → isn’t

She isn’t going to eat lunch.

are not → aren’t

They aren’t going to play soccer.

⚠️ Remember! am not → There is no contraction.

❌ I amn’t going to study.
✅ I’m not going to study.

🚫 Common Mistakes with Affirmative and Negative Statements

❌ She going to study tomorrow.
✅ She is going to study tomorrow.

❌ They are going study tomorrow.
✅ They are going to study tomorrow.

❌ I am not going study English.
✅ I am not going to study English.

❌ I amn’t going to study.
✅ I’m not going to study.

⚠️ Remember! Always use a be verb (am, is, are) and to.

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Be (am/is/are) + subject + going to + base form of the verb?

Are you going to do your homework?

Is it going to rain tonight?

Is she going to visit her parents?

Are they going to eat lunch at Taco Bell?

Are the students going to celebrate the teacher’s birthday?

Are we going to fly to Cancun?

Short Answers

Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.

Yes, you are. / No, you’re not. / No, you aren’t.

Yes, he is. / No, he’s not. / No, he isn’t.

Yes, she is. / No, she’s not. / No, she isn’t.

Yes, it is. / No, it’s not. / No, it isn’t.

Yes, we are. / No, we’re not. / No, we aren’t.

Yes, they are. / No, they’re not. / No, they aren’t.

⚠️ Remember! Only the negative short answers use contractions

Wh- Questions in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Wh- word + Be (am/is/are) + Subject + going to

When are you going to do your homework?

When is it going to rain tonight?

Why is she going to visit her parents?

What are they going to eat at Taco Bell?

Who are the students going to celebrate the teacher’s birthday with?

When are we going to fly to Cancun?

How are we going to pay for our vacation?

🚫 Common Mistakes with Yes/No and Wh- Questions

When making questions with be going to, many students forget to move the be verb (am, is, are) to the beginning.

Yes/No Questions
❌ You are going to watch a movie tonight?
✅ Are you going to watch a movie tonight?

❌ She is going to call you?
✅ Is she going to call you?

👉 Always put am/is/are before the subject in questions.

Wh- Questions
❌ Where you are going to eat lunch?
✅ Where are you going to eat lunch?

❌ What he is going to do tomorrow?
✅ What is he going to do tomorrow?

👉 Start with the Wh- word (What, Where, When, Why, Who, How) → then am/is/are → then the subject.

Let’s Practice!

Exercise A

Fill in the blank(s) with the correct word(s). Use contractions if possible.
1. She ________ going to visit her grandmother this weekend.
2. They ________ going to play soccer after school.
1. I ________ not going to eat pizza tonight.
2. He ________ not going to watch TV before bed.
1. ________ you ________ to study for the test tomorrow?
2. ________ she going ________ call her friend tonight?
3. ________ they ________ come to the party?
1. What ________ you ________ eat for lunch?
2. Where ________ they ________ travel next summer?
3. When ________ he ________ start his new job?
Exercise B

Correct the mistakes in each sentence. There is one mistake per sentence.
1. She going to visit her friend tomorrow.
2. They are going play basketball after school.
3. I am go to study English tonight.
1. He isn’t going to calls you later.
2. We is not going to watch TV tonight.
3. I amn’t going to eat dinner.
1. You are going to come to class tomorrow?
2. She is going to call her mom tonight?
1. Where you are going to travel next year?
2. What he is going to eat for lunch?
Check Your Answers

Scoring and Feedback

🔵 17 – 20 Correct

Excellent work! 🎉You really understand the future with Be Going To. Keep using it in your everyday conversations and writing.

🟢 14 – 16 Correct

Great job! ✅ You have a good understanding of the future with Be Going To. Review the ones you missed.

🟡 12 – 13 Correct

Good effort! 💪You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

🔴 0 – 11 Correct

No worries! 🌱 The future with Be Going To can be tricky at first. Go back and review the examples in the lesson.

📚 Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

Remember! Learning a language is not about perfection—it’s about progress. Every time you say “I am going to learn English!” you are using the future tense with ‘be going to‘ to tell the truth about your journey. Keep practicing, stay curious, and trust the process. You are moving beyond English to more opportunities, connections, and self-expression!

💡Need personalized help using these grammar structures? Explore my ESL lessons and services for individual and group support.

Leave a comment below!

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!
September 28, 2025

Category: Verb Tenses

How to Ask Questions in the Simple Past Tense – A Practical Guide for ESL Learners

Asking Questions in the Simple Past Tense

Yes/No Questions in the Simple Past

WH- Questions in the Simple Past

Be Verb Questions in the Past (was / were)

Yes/No Questions in the Simple Past

Wh- Questions in the Simple Past

Let’s Practice!

Scoring and Feedback

Leave a comment below!

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!

English Grammar for Beginners: How to Use Be Verbs in the Present Tense

Be Verbs – Subject-Verb Agreement

The Be verb must agree with the subject to make the sentence correct (Subject-Verb Agreement)

There are three forms for Be verbs in the present tense:

Be Verbs – Structure

We use the following structure for affirmative statements

We use the following structure for negative statements

We use the following structure for Yes/No questions.

We use the following structure for short answers

We use the following structure for Wh- questions

When do we use Be verbs?

Contractions with Be Verbs

Leave a comment below!

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!

English Future Tense with Be Going To: Easy Guide for ESL Beginners

When do we use the future tense with Be Going To?

Affirmative Statements in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Negative Statements in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Contractions in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Short Answers

Wh- Questions in the Future Tense with Be Going To

Let’s Practice!

Exercise A

Exercise B

Scoring and Feedback

Leave a comment below!

And remember . . . Practice, Practice, Practice!!!!!