THE SINGULAR AND THE PLURAL OF VERB TO BE

It is important to understand the correct use of singular and plural forms, as students may get confused while speaking. The common mistake is the literal translation, which becomes a problem when doing exercises such as sentence construction. Some students struggle to comprehend the distinctions in each correct use of the verb "to be," leading to a loss of interest in the language.

To introduce students to English, knowing the verb "to be" is a good starting point. Firstly, students must identify the use in singular and plural:

Singular:

• I (am)
• You (are)
• She/He/It (is)

Plural:

• We (are)
• You (are)
• They (are)

If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural too. To formulate a sentence in the singular, we also add "s" at the end of the verb. For example:

• "Maria (she) works"

In the plural sentence, there is no "s." For example:

• "We play"
• "You study"
• "They read"