A2 Grammar Lesson 1
Unit 1 – Grammar Rules
1A – Present simple of be (positive) & subject pronouns
Subject pronouns + be (positive)
We use the verb be (am / is / are) with subject pronouns to talk about who someone is, what something is, or basic information.
| Subject | Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | I am | I’m |
| You | You are | You’re |
| He | He is | He’s |
| She | She is | She’s |
| It | It is | It’s |
| We | We are | We’re |
| They | They are | They’re |
Rules & Examples
1. Contractions
A contraction shortens two words into one using ’.
We often use contractions in speaking and informal writing.
Examples:
- I’m ready.
- She’s my sister.
- They’re at home.
2. Subject pronouns are always used with verbs
We do not say a verb alone.
Examples:
- ✔ It’s late. ❌ Is late
- ✔ You’re tired. ❌ Are tired
- ✔ We’re students. ❌ Are students
3. Capital letters
- I is always capital.
- Other pronouns are capitalized only at the start of a sentence.
Examples:
- I’m happy.
- He’s my teacher.
- She’s from Italy.
4. Meaning of pronouns
- you = one person or more than one person
- he = a man
- she = a woman
- it = a thing or place
- they = people or things
Quiz 1
1B – Present simple of be (negative & questions)
Negative form
We make negatives by adding not after be.
| Subject | Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | I am not | I’m not |
| You | You are not | You aren’t |
| He | He is not | He isn’t |
| She | She is not | She isn’t |
| It | It is not | It isn’t |
| We | We are not | We aren’t |
| They | They are not | They aren’t |
Examples:
- I’m not tired.
- She isn’t from Canada.
- They aren’t students.
Question form & short answers
In questions, am / is / are comes before the subject.
| Question | Short Answer (+) | Short Answer (-) |
|---|---|---|
| Am I…? | Yes, you are. | No, you aren’t. |
| Are you…? | Yes, I am. | No, I’m not. |
| Is he / she / it…? | Yes, he / she / it is. | No, he / she / it isn’t. |
| Are we / they…? | Yes, we / they are. | No, we / they aren’t. |
Important
- We don’t use contractions in positive short answers.
✔ Yes, I am.
❌ Yes, I’m.
Quiz 2
1C – Possessive adjectives
Possessive adjectives
We use possessive adjectives to show ownership.
| Subject | Possessive Adjective |
|---|---|
| I | My |
| You | Your |
| He | His |
| She | Her |
| It | Its |
| We | Our |
| They | Their |
Examples:
- My name is Omar.
- Her phone is new.
- Their house is big.
Rules & Examples
1. Possessive adjectives don’t change
They stay the same with singular or plural nouns.
- Our teacher
- Our teachers
2. his / her / its
- his = for a man → His bag is blue.
- her = for a woman → Her bag is blue.
- its = for a thing → Its door is open.
3. it’s vs its
- it’s = it is → It’s cold today. (It is)
- its = possessive → Its color is black. (Possessive)
