verb A1 Beginner Very common

is

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Is (verb) means the third-person singular present form of the verb be, used with he, she, it or any singular noun to link a subject to a description, identity, state or location. Example: “She is a paramedic.”

verb

The third-person singular present form of the verb be, used with he, she, it or any singular noun to link a subject to a description, identity, state or location.

"She is a paramedic."

"The kettle is in the cupboard."

"It is colder than yesterday."

Used as an auxiliary with a present participle to form continuous tenses, or with a past participle to form the passive.

"He is working late tonight."

"The road is closed for resurfacing."

"The cake is baking in the oven right now."

Used to state that something exists or occurs.

"There is no easy answer."

"Whatever is, is right."

"There is a small cafe at the end of the road."

How to use is

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe word you use for one person or thing happening or being something right now.

When to use it

Core grammatical word; neutral in every register.

Memory tip

Contract it in speech: he's, she's, it's, that's. Keep the full 'is' when the sentence ends on it, as in 'Yes, it is.'

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

is vs are is vs its is vs it's is vs was

Common pairings

there is it is is not is going to

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “is” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ a paramedic.

Etymology

From Old English is. It does not descend from beon (the source of be and been) but from a separate ancient root, which also gives Latin est and German ist — the verb 'to be' in English is assembled from several originally distinct verbs.

Origin: Old English

Frequently asked questions

When do you use is instead of are?

Use is with a singular subject and with he, she or it; use are with plural subjects and with you, we and they. So the dog is barking but the dogs are barking. Uncountable nouns like water, advice and news also take is.

What is the difference between is and its and it's?

Is is the verb. It's is the contraction of it is or it has, so it contains the same verb. Its with no apostrophe is the possessive, as in the dog wagged its tail.

Is it 'a number of people is' or 'are'?

Use are. 'A number of' works as a plural quantifier, so a number of people are waiting. By contrast 'the number of' is singular: the number of complaints is falling.

What is the meaning of is?

"is" (verb) means the third-person singular present form of the verb be, used with he, she, it or any singular noun to link a subject to a description, identity, state or location.