Forms: affirmative, negative and questions
| Pronoun | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am (I'm) | I am not (I'm not) | Am I …? |
| You | You are (You're) | You are not (You aren't / you're not) | Are you …? |
| He / She / It | He is / She is / It is (He's / She's / It's) | He is not / She is not (He isn't / she's not) | Is he / she / it …? |
| We | We are (We're) | We are not (We aren't / we're not) | Are we …? |
| They | They are (They're) | They are not (They aren't / they're not) | Are they …? |
I am not:
The only negative contraction for "I" is I'm not. "I amn't" does NOT exist in standard English.
Short answers
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Are you a teacher? | Yes, I am. | No, I'm not. |
| Is he Spanish? | Yes, he is. | No, he isn't. |
| Are they ready? | Yes, they are. | No, they aren't. |
Never contract in short positive answers:
Say "Yes, I am" — not "Yes, I'm". Say "Yes, she is" — not "Yes, she's".
Exercise
1. "______ she your sister?" — Choose the correct verb form.
2. My parents ______ from Portugal.
3. Which contraction is correct for "I am not"?
4. "Is the dog in the garden?" — "Yes, ______."
5. "______ you happy?" — "No, I'm not."