is
Translation
is
Examples
He is a doctor.
He is a doctor.
The book is on the table.
The book is on the table.
The weather is nice today.
The weather is nice today.
He is running.
He is running.
Grammar Patterns
((Subject)) is ((Noun Phrase)) to state identity He is a doctor.
((Subject)) is ((Adjective)) to describe a quality The weather is nice today.
((Subject)) is ((Prepositional Phrase)) to state location The book is on the table.
((Subject)) is ((-ing verb)) to form the present continuous He is running.
Similar Words
Synonyms: exists, lives; Antonyms: isn't
Etymology
From Old English 'is', from the Proto-Indo-European root '*es-' meaning 'to be'. One of the most fundamental verbs.
Memory Tips
'is' links a subject to its identity, location, or state. Think of it as an equals sign (=) in a sentence: He = a doctor.