Unit 3

Present of Be: Statements

I’m Not From Around Here

Outcomes:

  • Make simple present statements with the verb be
  • Understand sentences about a meeting
  • Write and talk about cities
  • Introduce yourself and a classmate
  • Talk and write about cities

Step 1: Grammar in Context

Vocabulary

Study the words. Then work with a partner. Practice the conversation.

dirty dishes and clean dishes
african plains tree in the foreground is near and tree in the background is far
tow girls sitting down watch tv and say this is boring
man and woman ride bicyles in city park having fun

Conversation

A: Are you from around here?

B: No, I’m not. I’m from Sydney, Australia.

A: That’s far from here! How’s Sydney?

B: It’s great. It’s fun.

Now talk about the city you are from. Use the words under the pictures in A or other words.

A: Are you from around here?
B: No, I’m not. I’m from ______.
A: That’s ______ from here!
B: It’s ______. It’s ______.

We Love Seattle!

Mark: Hi, Steve.

Steve: Hi, Mark. Uh, Mark... this is my cousin Amy, and this is her friend Jenny.

Mark: Hi. Nice to meet you.

Amy: Nice to meet you, too.

Mark: So, you’re not from around here?

Amy: No, we’re from Sydney.

Mark: Sydney, Australia? That’s really far from Seattle.

Amy: Yes, it is. How about you? Are you from Seattle?

Mark: Yes, I am.

Amy: Jenny and I love Seattle. It’s a beautiful and clean city. It’s fun, and the people are friendly.

Mark: How’s Sydney?

Amy: It’s a great city, too—and not just because I live there!

four friends talking to each other
map image of Australia

After You Read

Look at the conversation again. Click on the red word and enter the correction.

Comprehension

Jenny and Amy are in Sydney. Steve is Amy's uncle. Steve introduces Jenny and Amy to Mark. Amy talks about her family. Amy says Seattle is not a beautiful city. It's dirty. It's boring, and the people are unfriendly.

Step 2: Grammar Presentation

Present of the Verb Be

Affirmative Statements

Subject Am
I am from Seattle.
Subject Is
He
She		 is from Seattle.
It
Seattle		is clean.
Subject Are
We
Jenny and I
You
Jenny and Amy
They		 are from Sydney.

Contractions

I am = I'm
he is = he's
she is = she's
it is = it's
we are = we're
you are = you're
they are = they're

Negative Statements

Subject Am not
I am not from here.
Subject Is not
He
She		 is not from here.
It is not dirty.
Subject Are not
We
You
They		 are not from here.

Contractions

I am not = I'm not
he is not = he's not
or he isn't
she is not = she's not
or she isn't
it is not = it's not
or it isn't
we are not = we're not
or we aren't
you are not = you're not
or you aren't
they are not = they're not
or they aren't

Grammar Notes

1. Present of Be
The present of the verb be has three forms: am, is, and are:

Use am, is or are to make an affirmative statement.


Use am, is or are + not to make a negative statement.

I am from Seattle.
It is clean.
They are friendly.

I am not from Sydney.
It is not dirty.
We are not cold.
2. Contractions
We often use contractions (short forms) in speaking and writing.

Usage Note: There are two negative contractions for is not and are not.
We often use isn't or aren't after subject nouns.
We often use 's not or 're not after subject pronouns. 		I'm from Seattle. He isn't from Seattle.
Sydeny isn't cold. It's not cold.

Subject Noun
Jenny and Amy aren't cousins.

Subject Pronoun
They're not cousins.

Reference Note

For definitions of grammar terms, see the glossary on page 375.

Step 3: Focused Practice

Exercise 1: Discover the Grammar

Instructions: Read the sentences. Check (✔) Affirmative or Negative.

1. She is not from around here.
2. She is here with a friend.
3. They’re not from Sydney.
4. We’re students.
5. I'm not from Seattle.
6. It's a clean city.
7. Brazil isn't far from Columbia.
8. The women aren't from New York.















Find six sentences in A with contractions. Write them with the full forms.

1. They are not from Sydney.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

EXERCISE 2: AFFIRMATIVE STATEMENTS

Complete the sentences with I am, She is, He is, It is, We are, You are, or They are.

EXERCISE 3: CONTRACTIONS

Read the sentences. Change the full forms to contractions.

cold

hot

EXERCISE 4: NEGATIVE STATEMENTS

For each statement, write a negative statement. Add "not." Then rewrite each sentence with contractions.

1. I am hot.
2. She is from Peru.
3. They are students.
4. We are at a restuarant.
5. I am a teacher.
6. It is boring.
7. These are good chairs.
8. Jenny is my sister.















EXERCISE 5: BE - AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE

Look at the information in the chart about the students in English 1A. Then read incorrect sentences about the students. Write two new sentences. The first sentences is negative. The second sentence is the correct information.

Name Sex Country Age
AntonioMaleMexico29
BeratMaleTurkey23
JunkoFemaleJapan22
LeonardoMaleBrazil33
MinFemaleChina18
PinarFemaleTurkey18
SalehMaleSaudi Arabia33
YumikoFemaleJapan18

Exercise 6: Present of Be

Grammar Notes 1-2: Complete the email. Circle the correct answers.

woman holds an umbrella in a city park and it rains

Dear Mom and Dad,

Maya and I am / are in Seattle, but we now am not / are not at the Western Hotel any longer. The Western Hotel isn’t / aren’t good. It’s / Its expensive. The people isn’t / aren’t friendly, and the rooms isn’t / aren’t clean. It’s also far from everything.

Now we am / are at the Pacific Hotel on Second Avenue. It’s / Its clean, and it’s / its not expensive. The people here is / are great. We love Seattle. It is / are a beautiful city, and the food is / are good. It’s cool at night, and our umbrella am / is always with us. But are / we’re happy to be here.

Love,
Julie

Exercise 7: Editing

There are six mistakes in the conversations. The first mistake is corrected. Correct five more.

  1. A: The food good.
    B: You’re right.
  2. A: My cousin from Tokyo. She’s a student.
    B: I’m from Tokyo. I no am a student.
  3. A: Seattle is a big city in California.
    B: No, it’s isn’t. Seattle is in Washington.
  4. A: The people is friendly here.
    B: I know. They’re great.
  5. A: Sydney is a great city.
    B: Yes. Is beautiful.

Step 4:Exercise 8: Listening

chef with arms crossed smiles

Part A

Listen to the conversation. Which sentence is true? Circle the correct answer.

Part B

Listen again. For each statement, check True (✔) or False.

Exercise 9: I’m Not a Teacher

Conversation

Prepare for a conversation. Use the words in parentheses to construct a correct sentence. Say the correct sentence aloud.

Exercise 10: That's Not True!

Part A

Game: Work in a group. Make up one true statement and one false statement about each student. Use the information in Exercise 9 or your own information.

Part B

Work with another group: Say your statements from A. The other group guesses if they are true or false.

Example:

Group A: Ali is from a big family. He’s from a big city.
Group B: Ali is from a big family. That’s true. But he’s not from a big city! That’s false!

Exercise 11: The People Are Friendly Here!

Conversation

Work with a partner: Talk about the city you are in and the people in it. Use I agree or I disagree in your conversation. Use the words in the box.

boring, beautiful, cheap, dirty, expensive, friendly, fun, great, unfriendly

A: The people are friendly here.
B: I agree. And the city is clean.
A: Well, some places are dirty. The West Side isn’t clean.
B: I disagree. The West Side isn’t dirty. It’s clean!

From Grammar to Writing

Before You Write

Read about a city. Underline the verb be. Then complete the chart about a city you know. Work with a partner. Tell your partner about the city.

daytime skyline of Bogota, Columbia

Bogotá is a city in Colombia. It’s great. It’s not cold in winter. It’s not hot in summer. The people are friendly, and the parks are fun. I love Bogotá.

City Bogotá
Country Colombia
Weather good
People friendly
Parks fun

Write

Write a paragraph about a city. Use the present of be. Use the paragraph in A and your chart to help you.

Check Your Work

Read your paragraph in B. Underline the present of be. Then use the Editing Checklist to check your work.

Editing Checklist

Unit 3: Review

Test yourself on the grammar of the unit.

Part A: Complete the sentences with She is, He is, It is, We are, or They are.

  1. This park isn’t clean. dirty.
  2. My brother is not a student. a teacher.
  3. Amy is from Australia. in Seattle now.
  4. Michelle and Lisa are not sisters. cousins.
  5. My friends and I aren’t from Japan. from China.

Part B: Rewrite the sentences. Use contractions.

  1. It is boring.
  2. They are not from Brazil.
  3. I am not a chef.
  4. He is not in Australia.
  5. We are in class.

Part C: Correct the conversation. There are five mistakes.

A: Ali from Canada. He a student.

B: No. Ali no is a student. He’s a chef.

A: Oh. I a student. I’m a teacher, too. I be an English language student. I’m a Portuguese language teacher.