Feelings: we're happy, they're tired
We are happy. They are tired. Use a form of be before a feeling word. In this lesson, learn to describe one person or a group, ask how someone feels and change full forms into contractions.
Ta fiche PDF illustrée
Le support, la méthode et les exercices corrigés à imprimer.
By the end of this lesson, you can
- Choose be to describe a feeling
- Full forms, contractions and questions
- What changes when the subject changes?
Before you startRead simple English sentences; use the starter lesson if you need help with names or numbers.
Un bon cours, ça se partage.
How do I describe feelings with we're and they're?
Put a feeling adjective after be: We're happy means We are happy; They're tired means They are tired. Use are with we and they, add not for a negative, and move are before the subject in a question: Are they tired?
Choose be to describe a feeling
Use am with I, is with he, she or it, and are with you, we or they. An adjective names a state: happy, sad, hungry, thirsty, scared, angry or tired. It does not change in the plural: They are happy.
Put not after be for a negative: We are not hungry becomes We aren't hungry. Move be before the subject for a yes/no question: They are tired becomes Are they tired? Answer Yes, they are or No, they aren't. Keep the full form in a positive short answer.
Full forms, contractions and questions
| Full form | Short form | Question |
|---|---|---|
| We are happy. | We're happy. | Are we happy? |
| They are tired. | They're tired. | Are they tired? |
| She is hungry. | She's hungry. | Is she hungry? |
A short scene after a school play
Read and explain this example
After our school play, we're tired but we're happy. Salma is thirsty. Adam isn't scared now. Are the teachers happy? Yes, they are!
What changes when the subject changes?
Imagine that you are talking about your own group after a school play. We includes you, so We're tired describes your group. If you point to a different group, say They're tired. The adjective stays tired in both sentences. Changing the people changes the pronoun, but it does not add an s to the adjective. If one actor is thirsty, the sentence becomes He is thirsty or She is thirsty.
Remember
In We're, the apostrophe replaces the missing a. Their means belonging to them; they're means they are. Do not write They happy or They are happys.
Step by step
Put the idea into practice
- Decide who feels something: I, one person, your group or another group.
- Choose am, is or are, then add one precise adjective.
- Read your sentence aloud and check whether it is a statement, negative or question.
Frequently asked questions
How do I describe feelings with we're and they're?
What is the difference between they're and their?
Can I say Yes, they're?
Quiz: 1 questions
1 questions are randomly selected from this lesson’s 1-question bank. Choose one answer for each question and get an immediate explanation.
Q1Choose the correct sentence.
Incorrect answer
They're is the contraction of they are; a feeling needs be here.
Correct answer: They're happy.
They're is the contraction of they are; a feeling needs be here.
Your score
0/1
Start with the worked examples
Read the lesson in small sections. Write your own example for each rule and try the Easy exercises before returning to the quiz.
Review: 1 missed question
Choose the correct sentence.
Correct answerThey're happy.
They're is the contraction of they are; a feeling needs be here.
Exercises with answers
4 exercises, from easy practice to challenges. Try each one yourself, then reveal the answer and explanation.
Exercise 1
EasyFill in: We … happy. They … thirsty. She … tired.
Answer and explanation
We are happy. They are thirsty. She is tired. Choose are for plural subjects and is for she.
Exercise 2
IntermediateMake a negative and a question: They are angry.
Answer and explanation
They aren't angry. Are they angry? Add not after are; move are before they in the question.
Exercise 3
ChallengeWrite three sentences about how two friends feel after a match.
Answer and explanation
Example: We're tired. My friend is thirsty. We aren't sad. Other answers are possible; check be and keep adjectives unchanged.
Exercise 4
IntermediateRewrite for one boy: They are tired. They aren't hungry. Are they happy?
Answer and explanation
He is tired. He isn't hungry. Is he happy? The singular subject changes are to is; the adjectives do not change.