Using 'To Be' with Family Members
The verb to be is the most fundamental building block in English. Three forms carry all the weight: am, is, and are. With family vocabulary, these forms let you share names, ages, and relationships in clear, simple sentences. Short sentences. Powerful ones. — My mother is 45. My brothers are young. I am the youngest child.
At the A1 level, mastering this verb with family contexts opens a crucial door. You can introduce relatives, explain who people are, and describe ages with confidence. The structure is straightforward: subject, then the correct form of to be, then your information. No complicated tenses. No irregular patterns to fear. Just three small words — am, is, are — doing remarkable work in everyday conversation.
Why Learn This?
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use am, is, and are correctly with family member subjects
- Introduce and describe your relatives using their names and ages
- Form both positive statements and negative sentences about family
- Ask and answer simple questions about someone's family members
- Describe whether family members are young, old, tall, or kind using to be
- Combine family vocabulary with age numbers to produce natural, fluent sentences
Essential Vocabulary
mother - Your female parent; the woman who gave birth to you
father - Your male parent; the man who is your dad
sister - A girl or woman who has the same parents as you
brother - A boy or man who shares the same parents as you
grandmother - Your mother's or father's mother; an older female relative
grandfather - Your mother's or father's father; an older male relative
aunt - Your mother's or father's sister; a female relative one generation above you
uncle - Your mother's or father's brother; a male relative one generation above you
cousin - The child of your aunt or uncle
son - A male child of a parent
daughter - A female child of a parent
husband - A married man; someone's male spouse
wife - A married woman; someone's female spouse
years old - The phrase used after a number to express someone's age
only child - A person who has no brothers or sisters
Pronunciation Guide
mother - /ˈmʌð.ər/ - Stress on the first syllable; the 'th' sounds like in 'the'
father - /ˈfɑː.ðər/ - Stress on the first syllable; long 'a' sound
brother - /ˈbrʌð.ər/ - Rhymes with 'mother'; stress on first syllable
sister - /ˈsɪs.tər/ - Short 'i' sound; stress on first syllable
grandmother - /ˈɡrænd.mʌð.ər/ - Three syllables; primary stress on 'grand'
grandfather - /ˈɡrænd.fɑː.ðər/ - Three syllables; stress on the first syllable 'grand'
aunt - /ænt/ - One syllable; in American English rhymes with 'ant'
uncle - /ˈʌŋ.kəl/ - Two syllables; stress on first; ends with a soft schwa sound
cousin - /ˈkʌz.ɪn/ - Two syllables; stress on first; the 'ou' sounds like 'u' in 'sun'
daughter - /ˈdɔː.tər/ - Two syllables; the 'gh' is silent; stress on first syllable
Grammar Structure
Core Rule: Match the verb form to the subject. Three subjects. Three forms.
Positive sentences:
Examples: — My sister is 12 years old. — My parents are kind. — I am the oldest child.
Negative sentences: Add not after the verb. Contractions are natural and common.
Examples: — My brother is not old. / My brother isn't old. — My grandparents are not young. / aren't young.
Questions: Move the verb before the subject. Simple. Effective.
Examples: — Is your mother a teacher? — Are your brothers young? — How old is your aunt?
Quick Reference Chart:
When To Use
Introducing Family Members
- Use is to give a name: — This is my aunt. Her name is Fatima.
- Use is to tell the relationship: — She is my father's sister.
- Use are to introduce more than one person: — These are my brothers, Ali and Mehmet.
Stating Ages
- Use is with one person: — My grandfather is 78 years old.
- Use are with plural subjects: — My parents are both 50.
- Use am about yourself: — I am 16 years old.
- Drop 'years old' in casual speech: — My cousin is 8. — Still perfectly natural.
Describing Character and Appearance
- Use is for a single relative's trait: — My mother is kind and hardworking.
- Use are for describing the whole family: — My grandparents are very loving.
- Combine age and description: — My uncle is 45 and very funny.
Talking About Absence or Negation
- State what someone is not: — My sister is not old. She is only 7.
- Clarify a misunderstanding: — He is not my father. He is my uncle.
- Use contractions for natural flow: — They aren't cousins. They're brothers.
Example Sentences
- My name is Ayse and I am 14 years old.
- My mother is 42. She is a nurse.
- My father is 45 years old and he is very tall.
- My brother is 9 years old. He is young.
- My grandmother is 72. She is kind and patient.
- My grandfather is 75 years old. He is not well today.
- My aunt and uncle are both 38 years old.
- My cousins are 10 and 12. They are very funny.
- I am not an only child. I have two sisters.
- This is my family. We are five people.
- Her daughter is 3 years old. She is very small.
- His wife is a doctor. She is 36 years old.
Mini Dialogues
Lena: — How old is your brother?
Omar: — He is 10 years old. He is in primary school.
Lena: — Oh, that is young! I am an only child.
Omar: — Really? I have two brothers and one sister.
Lena: — Wow, your family is big!
Omar: — Yes! We are six people at home.
Teacher: — Is this your grandmother?
Student: — Yes! Her name is Rosa. She is 68 years old.
Teacher: — She is wonderful. And who is this man?
Student: — He is my grandfather. His name is Hasan. He is 71.
Teacher: — Are they healthy?
Student: — Yes, they are very active and strong!
Ali: — Hi Sara! I am excited to visit. How old is your new baby sister?
Sara: — She is only 1 year old! Her name is Lena.
Ali: — That is so sweet. And is your father at home?
Sara: — Yes, he is here. He is 40 years old now — it is his birthday!
Ali: — Oh wonderful! We are all happy for him.
David: — Excuse me, are you Maria's aunt?
Elena: — No, I am not her aunt. I am her mother's cousin.
David: — Oh, so you are her cousin too!
Elena: — Yes, that is right. My name is Elena. I am 35 years old.
David: — Nice to meet you, Elena. I am David. I am Maria's uncle.
Correct vs. Incorrect Usage
Practical Tips
- Age uses 'to be', not 'have' — In Turkish or Spanish, people sometimes say 'have' for age. In English? Never. Always use is or am. — She is 30. I am 16. Simple.
- Learn contractions early — Native speakers almost always use contractions. — He's my uncle. She's 25. They're my cousins. — Practice these from day one. They sound natural and confident.
- Use your own family to practise — Write five sentences about real relatives tonight. Their names. Their ages. Their traits. Real information makes the grammar stick faster.
- Singular vs. plural check — Before writing, ask yourself: one person or more than one? One person? Use is. More than one? Use are. Every time.
- Question trick — To turn a sentence into a question, simply move is or are to the front. — Your mother is 40. becomes Is your mother 40? No other changes needed.
- Combine age and description — Do not stop at age. Add a characteristic. — My grandfather is 75 and very wise. — Richer sentences. More natural English.
Alternative Expressions
Informal Ways to Talk About Age:
Other Ways to Describe Family Members:
Alternatives for 'old' and 'young':
Cultural Notes
Asking About Age: In many English-speaking countries, asking an adult's age directly — especially a woman's age — can feel impolite. With children, it is perfectly natural. With adults, phrases like Are you in your forties? or roughly how old is she? are softer and more considerate alternatives in social settings.
Family Vocabulary Differences: In English, the word cousin covers both male and female relatives. There is no separate word for a male or female cousin — context clarifies the gender. Similarly, grandparent is a neutral term covering both grandmother and grandfather together.
Informal Family Terms: English-speaking families commonly use affectionate shortened forms. Mum or Mom instead of mother. Dad instead of father. Grandma and Grandpa instead of grandmother and grandfather. These informal versions are extremely prevalent in everyday speech and perfectly appropriate in casual conversation.