What Word Class Is Are?

‘Are’ is a verb, the present-tense form of “be,” used as a main verb or an auxiliary verb in English.

If you’ve ever stared at a sentence like “They are ready” and wondered what word class “are” belongs to, you’re not alone. In English grammar, “are” can feel slippery because it can act like the main action in the clause or it can work next to another verb. Either way, its word class stays the same.

It’s a small word with reach.

This guide pins it down with plain tests you can run on your own sentences. You’ll see what “are” is, what job it’s doing, and how to dodge the mix-ups that pop up in schoolwork, emails, and daily writing.

Word class means the “type” of word: verb, noun, adjective, adverb, preposition, pronoun, determiner, conjunction, or interjection. “Are” belongs to the verb class. More precisely, it’s a finite present-tense form of the verb “be.”

That’s the word class. Then there’s the role it plays in a sentence. “Are” can be the only verb in the predicate, or it can sit beside a main verb. The label stays verb in both cases, even when the role changes.

Pattern With “Are”	What It’s Doing	Quick Example
Subject + are + adjective	Main verb linking the subject to a description	“The rooms are quiet.”
Subject + are + noun phrase	Main verb linking the subject to an identity or label	“They are teammates.”
Subject + are + prepositional phrase	Main verb linking the subject to a location or state	“We are in the library.”
Subject + are + -ing verb	Auxiliary forming the present progressive	“You are waiting.”
Subject + are + past participle	Auxiliary forming the passive	“The seats are reserved.”
Are + subject + … ?	Verb-first order for a question	“Are they coming?”
Subject + are + not	Negative form with “not”	“You are not late.”
Subject + ’re	Contraction of “are” in informal writing	“They’re here.”

Word Class Of Are In English Grammar

In grammar books, you’ll often see “are” grouped under the verb “be,” along with “am,” “is,” “was,” “were,” “been,” and “being.” These are all verb forms, each tied to tense, person, and number.

If you want a dictionary confirmation, check the Cambridge Dictionary entry for “be”. It lists “are” as one of the present forms, which is another way of saying it’s part of the same verb.

Word Class, Verb Form, And Sentence Role

Three labels often get mashed together when teachers ask about “are.” Keeping them separate makes grammar tasks simpler.

Word class: verb
Verb form: present-tense form of “be”
Sentence role: main verb or auxiliary, based on what follows

Take “They are working.” The word class of “are” is verb. The form is present tense. The role is auxiliary because “working” carries the action. Now swap to “They are tired.” Same word class and form, yet the role shifts to main verb because “tired” is a complement, not a verb.

Are As A Main Verb

When “are” is the main verb, it often links the subject to a complement. That complement can be an adjective, a noun phrase, or a phrase that tells place, time, or condition.

Adjective complement: “The answers are correct.”
Noun complement: “You are the editor.”
Prepositional complement: “The notebooks are on the table.”

Notice what “are” does here. It doesn’t show a physical action like “run” or “build.” It links. Even so, linking verbs are still verbs. Word class is about category, not about whether the meaning feels “action-like.”

Are As An Auxiliary Verb

“Are” can work as an auxiliary, meaning it teams up with another verb form to build a tense or voice.

Are In The Present Progressive

Use “are” + an -ing form to show an action in progress at the present time.

Try it: “They are studying.” “We are cooking.”

Are In The Passive Voice

Use “are” + a past participle to show the subject receiving an action.

Try it: “The results are posted.” “The tickets are scanned at the door.”

In both patterns, “are” still belongs to the verb class. “Studying” and “posted” are verb forms too, yet they take different labels (present participle, past participle). Word class and verb form can work side by side.

How To Prove “Are” Is A Verb

If you’re stuck on a homework question that asks for evidence, these quick tests usually satisfy it. You can run them on almost any sentence that uses “are.”

Test 1: Swap Tense

Verbs change with tense. “Are” can shift to “were” in the past.

“They are ready.” → “They were ready.”

Test 2: Make A Question By Inversion

In English, many verbs can move in front of the subject to form a question. “Are” does this cleanly.

“They are ready.” → “Are they ready?”

Test 3: Add “Not” For A Negative

Verbs often carry negation. With “are,” you can add “not” right after it.

“They are ready.” → “They are not ready.”

Test 4: Use A Tag Question

Tag questions reuse the verb from the statement. “Are” fits the slot a verb fits.

“They are ready, aren’t they?”

If a word can carry tense, invert for questions, take “not,” and show up in tags, it’s behaving like a verb in English. That’s why the answer to “what word class is are?” is “verb,” even when the sentence feels more like a label than an action.

Subject And Verb Agreement With Are

A lot of people meet “are” first through agreement rules. Here’s the core idea: “are” pairs with you, we, they, and plural subjects in the present tense. “Is” pairs with he, she, it, and most singular subjects.

Many school charts show this as the present tense of “be.” The British Council grammar note on “be” lays out the same set of forms.

Subjects That Take “Are”

You are late. (One person or many people)
We are ready.
They are outside.
Plural noun subjects: The books are heavy.
Two nouns joined by “and”: Sam and Jo are partners.

Places Where Writers Slip

Some agreement errors happen because the subject is not a single word at the start of the sentence. These checks can keep you steady.

There + be: Match the verb to what comes after. “There are two options.” “There is one option.”
Interrupting phrases: Ignore extra words between subject and verb. “The box of pens is…” not “are…”
Collective nouns: In American English, “team” often takes “is.” In British English, “team” can take “are” when the group feels like separate people. Choose one style and stick with it in the same piece of writing.

Are In Questions, Negatives, And Contractions

Once you know “are” is a verb, the patterns get easier. This section gives you the forms people use most, plus a couple that trip up learners.

Questions With “Are”

Move “are” in front of the subject.

Statement: “You are free.”
Question: “Are you free?”

Negatives With “Are”

Place “not” after “are.” In casual writing and speech, contractions are common.

Full form: “They are not ready.”
Contracted: “They aren’t ready.”
Also common: “They’re not ready.”

Contractions That Change Spelling

“Are” contracts in two main ways, and one of them can confuse new writers.

Subject + ’re: you’re, we’re, they’re
Are + not: aren’t (not “are’nt”)

If you want a fast proofread trick, read the sentence aloud with the full form. “They’re” should expand to “they are.” If “they are” sounds wrong, the contraction is wrong too.

Are As A Linking Verb And A Helping Verb

Some worksheets use labels like “linking verb” and “helping verb.” Those labels describe the role inside the clause, not the word class.

Linking verb role: “The students are calm.” The word after “are” tells what the subject is like.

Helping verb role: “The students are working.” The -ing form carries the action, and “are” builds the tense.

Same word class in both: verb. Same spelling in both: are. Different roles, depending on what follows it.

Subject	Present Form Of “Be”	Past Form Of “Be”
I	am	was
you	are	were
he / she / it	is	was
we	are	were
they	are	were
singular noun	is	was
plural noun	are	were

Are Vs. Similar Forms That Sound Alike

On the page, “are” is short, so it gets confused with other short pieces of English. Most mix-ups fall into three buckets: sound-alike spelling, text shorthand, and dialect spelling.

Are Vs. Our

“Our” is a determiner that shows possession. It sits before a noun. “Are” is a verb, so it sits in the verb slot.

Our plan is simple.
We are ready to start.

Are Vs. Letter “R”

In casual texting, people write “r” for “are.” That’s fine in a chat, yet it’s risky in school or work writing. If your reader expects standard spelling, write “are.” It keeps the tone steady and clears up ambiguity.

Are Vs. “Hour”

“Hour” is a noun. It can follow a number or an article. “Are” can’t.

An hour has passed.
They are here.

Common Sentence Patterns With Are

When you can name the pattern, you can pick the right follow-up word without second-guessing. These are the ones that show up the most in daily writing.

Are + Adjective

This is the go-to pattern for descriptions.

The shoes are wet.
The rules are clear.

Are + Noun Phrase

This pattern gives an identity, job, or label.

They are nurses.
We are the last group.

Are + Prepositional Phrase

Great for location, time, and condition.

The mugs are on the shelf.
We are at the gate.

Are + Verb-ing

This shows an action happening now.

They are reading.
We are waiting.

Are + Past Participle

This often signals a passive clause or a state that comes from an earlier action.

The doors are locked.
The forms are signed.

Mini Checklist For Classwork And Proofreading

Use this short checklist when a grammar question asks you to label “are,” or when your sentence feels off. It keeps you from guessing.

Find the subject first. Ask “Who or what?” right before the verb slot.
Check number and person. Plural subjects and “you/we/they” point to “are.”
See what follows “are.” An adjective, noun phrase, or place phrase means “are” is the main verb. An -ing form or past participle means “are” is an auxiliary.
Swap in “were.” If the sentence still works in meaning, you’re looking at the verb “be.”
Read contractions in full. “They’re” must mean “they are.”

When you apply those steps, you can answer the question cleanly: “what word class is are?” It’s a verb, and it’s part of the verb “be.” Once that clicks, most “are” questions turn into quick pattern checks instead of guesswork.