Developing - Use verbs appropriately (be/have, verb phrases, agreement with subject in person, and number).
Developing - Use appropriate language structure in oral and written communication (e.g., subject-verb agreement in simple and compound sentences, correct word order, and correct placement of more detailed words and phrases).
In Lesson 6 you will learn the correct uses of the verb BE.
Rules for am is are (Present Tense)
Use am with the pronoun I.
Use is when you mean one person, place, or thing.
Use are when you mean more than one person, place, or thing, and with the pronoun you.
Singular Nouns or Pronouns
Verbs
Sentences
I
am
I am the biggest boy in the valley.
Billy
is
Billy is too young to hunt by himself.
it
is
It is the biggest coon I have ever seen.
Plural Nouns or Pronouns
Verbs
Sentences
hounds
are
Hounds are good hunters.
you
are
You are in for a long, cold night.
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Rules for was were (Past Tense)
Use was when you mean one person, place, or thing.
Use were when you mean more than one person, place, or thing.
Singular Nouns or Pronouns
Verbs
Sentences
I
was
I was twelve years old when I caught my first coon.
Billy
was
Billy was too cold to stop shaking.
it
was
It was time to go home.
Plural Nouns or Pronouns
Verbs
Sentences
hounds
were
Hounds were all over the mountain.
we
were
We were here first.
you
were
You were the last one to go home.
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Rules using Be Verbs with There
Use is or was with the pronoun there when you mean one person or thing.
Use are or were with the pronoun there when you mean more than one person, place, or thing.
Examples
Singular Subject
There is a large coon up in the tree.
There was a large coon up in the tree yesterday.
Plural Subject
There are ten coons up in the tree.
There were ten coons in the tree yesterday.
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Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). The beautiful night ________________ perfect for hunting.
am
is
are
Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). Papa ________________ happy to see my ax sharpened.
am
is
are
Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). The hounds ________________ anxious to go.
am
is
are
Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). Because I told Little Ann that today is important, she ________________ ready with her tail wiggling and twisting.
am
is
are
Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). We ________________ down by the river bottom in record time.
am
is
are
Select the correct present tense form of be (am, is, are). He told the sheriff, "I ________________ Billy Colman."
am
is
are
Select the correct past tense form of be (was, were) to complete each sentence. I ________________ as nervous as Samie, our house cat.
was
were
Select the correct past tense form of be (was, were) to complete each sentence. One of the things I promised Mama ________________ to not go into the river.
was
were
Select the correct past tense form of be (was, were) to complete each sentence. My boots ________________ as soft as a hummingbird's nest.
was
were
Select the correct past tense form of be (was, were) to complete each sentence. I could tell Mama ________________ worried and it didn't make me feel too good.
was
were
Select the correct past tense form of be (was, were) to complete each sentence. While Mama and my sisters ________________ bundling me up, Papa lit my lantern.
was
were
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There (is, are) lanterns shining all through the hills.
is
are
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There (is, are) a large raccoon down in the river bottom.
is
are
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There hanging on the tool shed (is, are) my first hide.
is
are
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There (was, were) no time to waste.
was
were
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There by the large oak tree (was, were) the largest coon I have ever seen.
was
were
Select the correct verb to agree with the subject. There (was, were) two pairs of coon eyes staring back at Billy.
was
were
Choose the sentence that is written correctly.
Billy was beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready for a rest.
Billy was beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready for a rest.
Billy were beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds were ready for a rest.
Billy were beside his hounds expecting one of them to bawl, but the hounds was ready for a rest.
Read this sentence. Billy is an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for.
What is the correct way to write this sentence?
Billy am an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for.
Billy is an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann is the best coon dogs a boy could wish for.
Billy are an inexperienced trainer, but Old Dan and Little Ann are the best coon dogs a boy could wish for.
Best as is.
Which sentence is written correctly?
This are what I had prayed for, worked and sweated for, my own little hounds bawling on the trail of a river coon.
This am what I had prayed for, worked and sweated for, my own little hounds bawling on the trail of a river coon.
This were what I had prayed for, worked and sweated for, my own little hounds bawling on the trail of a river coon.
This was what I had prayed for, worked and sweated for, my own little hounds bawling on the trail of a river coon.
Which of the following is NOT written correctly?
My dogs were just big, awkward pups, trailing their first live coon.
The ring-tail fool was not going to trick my dogs again.
My dogs didn't know it, but I was pretty well convinced that that was what the coon had done.
Neither Old Dan or Little Ann were bewildered.
Choose the sentence that is written correctly.
The trails was forgotten as I tore off through the brush.
I are afraid to believe it.
There is a stepping stone out in the river for Little Ann to stand on.
After seeing that there was nothing to be scared of, once again I were the fearless hunter.
Which of the following is NOT written correctly?
It was the king of the woods, towering far above the smaller trees.
The huge limbs was spreading out over the small birch, ash, box elder, and water oak.
I am the one who named this tree "the giant".
There was little hope from the beginning.
Read this sentence.
Along about daylight I find my second wind, and I really did make the chips fly.
What is the correct way to write this sentence?
Along about daylight I find my second wind, and I really did make the chips flies.
Along about daylight I find my second wind, and I really did make the chips flies.
Along about daylight I finds my second wind, and I really did make the chips fly.
Best as is.
Which sentence is written correctly?
Two hours later things was different.
"Yes, Papa," I said, "I are a little tired and sleepy, otherwise I'm fine."
There sure is a coon in this tree.
Papa climb on the mule's back.
Which sentence is written correctly?
You are as crazy as a bedbug.
I hears her saying something about al old coon as she disappears in the underbrush.
Old Dan and Little Ann hops up and sniff around.
God hear my prayer.
There are seven mistakes in the use of the verb be in the paragraphs below. Determine which verbs are incorrect. You must select seven.
The raccoon are a furry animal that has a bushy ringed tail. Their fur coloring makes them appear to be wearing masks. This is why they has the nickname "Bandit". The "mask" goes across the raccoon's face from cheek to cheek then around the eyes above the nose. The fur on the mask is a dark brown color. The rest of the raccoon's fur are gray to a blackish color. The tail of a raccoon has rings of different colors. The rings is black and light brown or gray.
Seven species of raccoons live in the world. The northern raccoon are 30 to 38 inches long. They weigh 12 to 25 pounds.
Raccoons have stiff, long hair. The hair are generally gray with yellow or brown. Raccoons have tails which is 12 inches long. A raccoon's tail has from 5 to 7 rings. They also have a pointed snout and long flexible fingers. They have sharp claws.
