Question Word IS — How to Ask About One Person or Thing

IS (QUESTION) in Action — See the Pattern

Read these three sentences. Look at how it works:

• Is he tired? (Asking about one man.)
• Is she at home? (Asking about one woman.)
• Is it raining? (Asking about one thing.)

When to Use IS (QUESTION)

Is is the question form of “he is / she is / it is.” Use it for one person or thing. Names like “Tom” or “the bus” also use “is” because they refer to one person/thing.

• About a man: “Is he here?”
• About a woman: “Is she busy?”
• About a thing or animal: “Is it cold outside?”
• About a name: “Is Tom in the office?”

Easy way to remember: Is = one person or thing. He, she, it — and names like Tom, the dog, the bus. All take “is.”

Real-Life Examples With IS (QUESTION)

Here are examples you might say or hear in everyday life:

• Is he your brother? (Asking about a man.)
• Is she home from work? (Asking about a woman.)
• Is it open on Sundays? (Asking about a shop or place.)
• Is Maria still in the meeting? (Maria = one person → is.)
• Is the bus on time today? (The bus = one thing → is.)

You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.

Three Mistakes to Avoid With IS (QUESTION)

The most common trap is mixing “is” with “are.” Both are forms of “to be,” but they work with different subjects. Is is for ONE; are is for two or more (or for “you”). Don’t worry — every learner mixes these up at first.

How to remember: Is = one. He is, she is, it is, Tom is, the cat is. One subject = is.

Common is-questions: Is he here?, Is she okay?, Is it raining?, Is Tom coming?, Is your brother at home?

Test Yourself: IS (QUESTION)

Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.

Keep Going — You Are Building Something

You just learned is — the most common question helper in everyday English. Almost every conversation has at least one “is” question.

But what if there are more than one? Two friends, three cats, the people at the meeting. “Is” stops working. There is a partner word for plural subjects, and it also covers one tricky single subject most learners forget about.

Next lesson: Question Word ARE — How to Ask About You and Plural Subjects