Difference Between Is and Are in English Grammar

Is vs Are in English Grammar

Is and Are, are two words that are used differently as singular and plural respectively. It should be noted that both ‘is’ and ‘are’ are the two forms of the root ‘to be’. They are in other words called as auxiliary verbs.

‘Is’ is the singular form of ‘to be’ whereas ‘are’ is the plural form of ‘to be’. ‘Is’ is used in present tense as in the sentence “He is in America”. Here the verb ‘is’ used in the present tense thereby conveying the idea that he is presently in America.

‘Are’ on the other hand is the plural form of the auxiliary verb ‘is’. Hence it is used in present tense as in the sentence “Francis and Robert are in the park”. Here the verb ‘are’ is used in present tense thereby conveying the idea that they are presently in a park.

The verb ‘is’ is used in questions too as “Is it good or bad?” or in confirmative assertions such as “Yes, it is.” The verb ‘was’ is also used in questions as “Was it right or wrong?” or in confirmative assertions such as “Yes, it was”

‘Is’ is used in present continuous tense too as in the sentence “The lion is roaring.” In the same way ‘was’ is used in past continuous tense as in the sentence “He was eating food.” It is often seen that the verb ‘is’ is generally used in affirmative sentences such as “He is dark-complexioned” and “The Giraffe is a tall animal”.

Sometimes the auxiliary verb ‘is’ is used in exclamatory sense as in sentences “How nice it is!” and “What a kind of flower it is!” In the same way ‘are’ too is used in exclamatory sense as in the sentences “How tall the trees are!” and “How beautiful are these roses!”

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