Using “isn’t” and “aren’t” in English: Rules and examples

Learning English includes understanding and properly using various grammatical structures. One such structure is the use of the contractions “isn’t” and “aren’t“. “Isn’t” is the shortened form of “is not” and is used for negation with singular nouns or the pronouns he, she, it.

• For example: “He isn’t going“

“Aren’t” is the shortened form of “are not” and is used for negation with plural nouns or the pronouns we, you, they.

• For example: “They aren’t coming“

Both of these forms are part of English grammar and are important for constructing negative sentences. These contractions are used in both spoken and written English. In this article, we will examine the rules for using “isn’t” and “aren’t” and provide examples for better understanding.

The verb “to be”: present tense forms

Before looking at how to use “isn’t” and “aren’t”, let’s briefly examine the verb “to be“. You will soon understand why this is important and how it all connects. The verb “to be” is one of the most important verbs in English. It has many meanings and functions, acting as both an auxiliary verb and a main verb in various grammatical constructions. The verb “to be” changes depending on the tense, mood, person, and number of the subject. Let’s look at the basic forms of “to be” in the present tense in the table below.

Pronoun/Noun	Affirmative	Negative	Abbreviated form of objection	Question
I	I am	I am not	I’m not	Am I?
He	He is	He is not	He isn’t	Is he?
She	She is	She is not	She isn’t	Is she?
It	It is	It is not	It isn’t	Is it?
Singular Noun	The cat is	The cat is not	The cat isn’t	Is the cat?
We	We are	We are not	We aren’t	Are we?
You (sing/pl)	You are	You are not	You aren’t	Are you?
They	They are	They are not	They aren’t	Are they?
Plural Noun	The dogs are	The dogs are not	The dogs aren’t	Are the dogs?

As you noticed, “isn’t” and “aren’t” are some of the forms of the verb “to be” in the present tense.

Using the verb “to be” with examples

I am / I am not / I’m not:

• Used with the pronoun “I”.
• Examples:
  • I am a student.
  • I am not tired.
  • I’m not hungry.

He/She/It is / He/She/It is not / He/She/It isn’t:

• Used with the pronouns “he”, “she”, “it” or any singular noun.
• Examples:
  • He is a doctor.
  • She is happy.
  • It is raining.
  • He is not here.
  • She is not my sister.
  • It is not my problem.
  • The cat is not hungry. / The cat isn’t hungry.

We/You/They are / We/You/They are not / We/You/They aren’t:

• Used with the pronouns “we”, “you”, “they” or any plural noun.
• Examples:
  • We are friends.
  • You are welcome.
  • They are students.
  • We are not ready. / We aren’t ready.
  • You are not listening. / You aren’t listening.
  • They are not coming. / They aren’t coming.
  • The dogs are not friendly. / The dogs aren’t friendly.

Negative forms in questions

Isn’t and aren’t are often used in questions to confirm or clarify information. They are formed the same way as the negative forms.

Examples:

• Isn’t he your friend?
• Isn’t she working today?
• Isn’t it beautiful?
• Aren’t we supposed to go?
• Aren’t you tired?
• Aren’t they ready?

Basic rules for using “Isn’t”

“Isn’t” is the contracted form of “is not”. It is used with singular nouns and third-person singular pronouns. That is, “isn’t” is used when the subject of the sentence is “he”, “she”, “it”, or any other word referring to one person or thing.

• Isn’t is used with third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).
• Use isn’t when you want to say that something is not happening now or is not true.
• Isn’t is also used in questions to ask about the state or existence of something or someone.
• Do not use isn’t with plural nouns or the pronouns we, you, they.

Examples of using “Isn’t”

1. When talking about the weather:
   • “It isn’t raining today.”
2. When commenting on someone’s work or activity:
   • “Her performance isn’t the best in the competition.”
3. In negating facts or states:
   • “The solution isn’t correct.”

Basic rules for using “Aren’t”

“Aren’t” is the contracted form of “are not”. It is used with plural nouns and the pronouns for the first, second, and third persons plural. That is, “aren’t” is used when the subject of the sentence is “we”, “you”, “they”, or any other word referring to more than one person or thing.

• Aren’t is used with first-person plural (we), second-person (you), and third-person plural (they) subjects.
• Use aren’t when you want to say that multiple people or things are not happening now or are not true.
• Aren’t is also used in questions to ask about the state or existence of multiple people or things.
• Do not use aren’t with singular nouns or the pronouns he, she, it.

Examples of Using “Aren’t”

1. When talking about a group’s plans:
   • “We aren’t going to the cinema this weekend.”
2. When asking someone about their thoughts or feelings:
   • “You aren’t excited about the trip, are you?”
3. When stating a lack of interest or desire:
   • “They aren’t interested in learning to dance.”

Using “isn’t” and “aren’t” in English is simple but an important aspect of grammar. Properly applying these contractions helps make speech more natural and easier to understand.