Elementary · Lesson 1 · Lesson guide
To be and personal pronouns
Welcome to Elementary, my dear student!
You finished the Beginner level, well done! Now we go deeper. We start with the most important verb in English: to be (am, is, are). You already know “I am” and “she is”. Today you will use every form with confidence: short forms, negatives, questions and short answers.
This lesson is a little harder than Beginner, and that’s good: it’s how you grow. Read each chapter carefully, build sentences in the machine, and do the “Test me” challenges before the exercises.
You can do it,Your teacher
Your browser has no English voice, so the listen buttons are hidden. Everything is written on the page.
What we’ll learn today
- 3forms: am, is, are
- 7subject pronouns
- 4sentence types
- 20minutes with this guide
By the end of this lesson, you will
- choose am, is or are for any subject: I, my parents, the book
- replace people and things with the right pronoun: my mum → she, the books → they
- use short forms (I’m, she’s, they’re) and negatives (isn’t, aren’t, I’m not)
- ask questions and give correct short answers: Is she ready? — Yes, she is.
- avoid the mistakes Uzbek speakers make most, and answer IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions
A note from your teacher
At Elementary I expect full sentences from you. Not just “nurse”, but “She is a nurse.” Let’s start!
The grammar, step by step
Six rules. Read each card, listen to the examples and say them out loud.
Rule 1
English always needs a verb
In Uzbek we say “U hamshira” with no verb. English must have one: “She is a nurse.” Without am, is or are, the sentence is broken.
- She is a nurse.(U hamshira.)
- I am thirsty.(Men chanqadim.)
- They are at work.(Ular ishda.)
Rule 2
Which one: am, is or are?
I → am. He, she, it → is (one person or thing). You, we, they → are. A noun works the same as its pronoun: my mum (= she) is, my parents (= they) are.
- My dad is a driver.(Dadam haydovchi.)
- My cousins are drivers.(Amakivachchalarim haydovchi.)
- The bag is under the bed.(Sumka karavot ostida.)
Rule 3
Short forms in speaking
In speaking and friendly writing we join the words: I’m, you’re, he’s, she’s, it’s, we’re, they’re. In formal writing (like IELTS Writing), use the full forms.
- I’m from Bukhara.(Men Buxorodanman.)
- She’s my aunt.(U mening xolam.)
- They’re pilots.(Ular uchuvchi.)
Rule 4
Negatives: add not
Put not after be: am not, is not (isn’t), are not (aren’t). Careful: there is no “amn’t”. Say I’m not.
- I’m not thirsty.(Men chanqamadim.)
- He isn’t at work.(U ishda emas.)
- We aren’t ready.(Biz tayyor emasmiz.)
Rule 5
Questions: be comes first
Swap the subject and be: She is ready → Is she ready? With a question word, be still comes before the subject: Where are you from? (not “Where you are from?”)
- Is she ready?(U tayyormi?)
- Are your cousins in London?(Amakivachchalaringiz Londondami?)
- Where are you from?(Qayerdansiz?)
Rule 6
Short answers
Answer with the pronoun and be: Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t. Never end a yes-answer with a short form: “Yes, she’s.” is wrong. A question with “you” gets an answer with “I”.
- Are you a nurse? Yes, I am.(Siz hamshiramisiz? Ha.)
- Is it cheap? No, it isn’t.(U arzonmi? Yoʻq.)
- Are they ready? Yes, they are.(Ular tayyormi? Ha.)
Remember!
Uzbek: U hamshira. English: She is a nurse. Never forget the verb!
Build your own sentences
Choose who, what, and the type of sentence. The machine chooses am, is or are, shows the meaning in Uzbek and, for questions, the short answers. Listen and repeat every sentence you make.
She is a pilot.
she → is
In Uzbek: U uchuvchi.
A note from your teacher
Try “My cousins” + “a pilot”. See how “a pilot” becomes “pilots”? More than one person, so: they are pilots.
Subject pronouns
A pronoun replaces a noun so we don’t repeat it: “Aziz is my friend. He is from Bukhara.”
One person: I, you, he, she
I = me speaking; you = the person I talk to; he = a man or boy; she = a woman or girl.
- I
- you(siz / sen)
- he(u (erkak))
- she(u (ayol))
One thing or animal: it
A book, a phone, a city, a cat: it. Never “he” or “she” for a thing.
- it(u (narsa, hayvon))
More than one: we, you, they
we = me and other people; you = more than one listener; they = other people OR things.
- we(biz)
- you(siz / sen)
- they(ular)
Remember!
They is for people and things: “The cups are old. They’re in the garden.”
Sounds that are easy to miss
In fast English, small sounds decide the meaning. Tap to compare, then press Test me.
is or isn’t?
The “n’t” at the end is short and quiet.
How to tell them apart Listen for the n sound: is / isn’t. It changes yes into no!
are or aren’t?
Same problem with are.
How to tell them apart aren’t sounds like “arnt”: one syllable, with a t at the end.
Question or statement?
The same words, in a different order.
How to tell them apart If be comes first, it’s a question. Also listen to the voice going up at the end.
he’s or his?
They sound very close: /hiːz/ and /hɪz/.
How to tell them apart He’s = he is (long ee). His = belongs to him (short i): his book.
A note from your teacher
In IELTS Listening, “is” and “isn’t” can change the whole answer. Train your ears now!
Useful questions with be
You will hear these questions everywhere, and in IELTS Speaking Part 1. Listen, repeat, then answer each one about yourself in a full sentence.
Where are you from? — I’m from Khorezm.
(Qayerdansiz? — Men Xorazmdanman.)
Where + are + you. Not “Where you are from?”
How old are you? — I’m nineteen.
(Necha yoshdasiz? — Oʻn toʻqqiz yoshdaman.)
Age uses be: I’m nineteen. Not “I have nineteen years.”
What’s your job? — I’m a nurse.
(Kasbingiz nima? — Men hamshiraman.)
What’s = what is. Use “a” before one job.
Who is your favourite teacher? — Ms Davis is.
(Sevimli oʻqituvchingiz kim? — Devis xonim.)
Who + is.
How are you today? — I’m fine, thanks.
(Bugun qalaysiz? — Yaxshiman, rahmat.)
How are + you.
Is your city big? — Yes, it is. It’s very big.
(Shahringiz kattami? — Ha. U juda katta.)
Short answer, then one more sentence.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: your home town
This is a real kind of Part 1 conversation. Notice how the candidate uses be, and never answers with just one word.
- Examiner
Let’s talk about your home town. Where are you from?(Keling, tugʻilgan shahringiz haqida gaplashamiz. Qayerdansiz?)
- Candidate
I’m from Khiva. It’s a small old city in Khorezm.(Men Xivadanman. Bu Xorazmdagi kichik qadimiy shahar.)
- Examiner
Is it a good place for young people?(U yoshlar uchun yaxshi joymi?)
- Candidate
Yes, it is. The people are friendly and the food is great.(Ha. Odamlari samimiy, taomlari ajoyib.)
- Examiner
What is the weather like there?(U yerda ob-havo qanday?)
- Candidate
It’s very hot in summer, but it isn’t too cold in winter.(Yozda juda issiq, lekin qishda unchalik sovuq emas.)
- Examiner
Are you a student, or do you work?(Siz talabamisiz yoki ishlaysizmi?)
- Candidate
I’m at university. I’m in my second year there.(Men universitetdaman. U yerda ikkinchi kursdaman.)
IELTS tip: “Yes, it is.” is correct, but too short for a good band. Add one more sentence with a reason or an example: “Yes, it is. The people are friendly…”
A note from your teacher
Practise this with your own city. Make every answer two sentences long.
Mistakes I correct every day
Most of these come from Uzbek or Russian grammar. If you know them, you will not make them.
Not: He pilot.Say: He is a pilot.(U uchuvchi.)
Uzbek has no verb here; English needs is, and a before one job.
Not: We are agree with you.Say: We agree with you.(Biz siz bilan rozimiz.)
“Agree” is already a verb. Don’t add are.
Not: My brother has fifteen years.Say: My brother is fifteen (years old).(Ukam oʻn besh yoshda.)
Age in English uses be, not “have”.
Not: How old you are?Say: How old are you?(Necha yoshdasiz?)
In questions, be comes before the subject.
Not: She is work in a shop.Say: She works in a shop.(U doʻkonda ishlaydi.)
Don’t use is with another verb in the present simple.
Not: The people here is kind.Say: The people here are kind.(Bu yerdagi odamlar mehribon.)
“People” is plural: are.
Not: Yes, I’m.Say: Yes, I am.(Ha.)
No short form at the end of a positive short answer.
Not: Their in the garden. / Its my bag.Say: They’re in the garden. It’s my bag.(Ular bogʻda. Bu mening sumkam.)
Same sound, different spelling: they’re = they are; it’s = it is. Their and its mean “belongs to”.
Can you answer my questions?
These are harder than at Beginner. Think, answer out loud, then open the card.
Complete: My cousins ___ nurses.
Make it negative: I am ready.
Make a question: The cup is old.
Answer “Is she at work?” with no.
What is wrong with “Yes, they’re.”?
Which pronoun: the children and the teacher?
Correct this: How old you are?
Their, there or they’re: “___ my friends.”
A note from your teacher
More than six correct? You’re ready for the exercises. Less? Read the grammar cards once more. No rush.
For teachers using this lesson
If you teach this lesson in a classroom, here is how I run it in about 50 minutes.
Class plan50 min
- 5 minWarm up
Students introduce a classmate: “This is Aziz. He’s nineteen. He’s from Bukhara.”
- 10 minGrammar rules 1–3
Write “U hamshira / She is a nurse” on the board. Build the am / is / are table with the class.
- 8 minSentence machine
Students call out a subject and a word; the class says the sentence before you press it. Then negatives and questions.
- 7 minShort answers and mistakes
Quick-fire questions around the class: “Is Tashkent big?” — “Yes, it is.” Correct “Yes, it’s.” every time.
- 5 minIELTS Part 1 in pairs
Pairs ask the home town questions. Every answer must be two sentences.
- 12 minExercises: Parts 1 to 4
Open the Exercises tab. Play together on the projector, or students play on their phones.
- 3 minCheck and homework
Ask three “Check yourself” questions. Homework: Part 5 (Mistake Hunter) and Part 6 (Final Boss).
Now it’s your turn!
Six parts, from forms to finding mistakes, and a Final Boss at Elementary level. Some questions are tricky on purpose. Read carefully, and learn from every mistake.
— Your teacher