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Part 1 Β· Episode 1 A1-A2

The First Hello

πŸ“ am/is/are + questions

Alexander Graham Bell Β· 1876: First telephone call πŸ“– 3 min read

Episode 1: The First Hello

am/is/are + questions β€” Alexander Graham Bell, 1876 (A1-A2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: We use am, is, are to say what someone or something is right now. It shows who we are or how we feel in this moment.

Form: I + am / he, she, it + is / you, we, they + are

Example 1: I am a student. (who I am)

Example 2: She is happy today. (how she feels)

Common mistake: Wrong: I are tired. Better: I am tired.

The Question

Luna stares at her phone. “I am tired. You are busy. He is late.” She looks up. “Why do we say ‘am’ and ‘are’? They’re both… being something?” The pocket watch on her desk glows bright gold. Professor Wisdom appears, smiling. “Luna, shall we see where it all connects?”

The Journey

The light fades. They stand in a workshop. It smells like metal and wood. Papers cover every surface. A man with dark hair works at a table. His hands shake with excitement.

This is Alexander Graham Bell. He is 29 years old. He teaches deaf students by day. But his heart belongs to sound. He believes voices can travel through wires. Everyone calls him a dreamer. Scientists laugh at his ideas.

Today is March 10, 1876. This moment will change everything. For months, Bell has failed again and again. His money is almost gone. His partner, Watson, is in the next room. They are testing a new machine. Bell is nervous but hopeful.

He speaks into the device. “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” His voice travels. Watson hears it through the wire. He runs into the room. “I heard you! I heard every word!” They are jumping, laughing, crying. The telephone is born.

Outside, Boston is cold and gray. Inside, the air feels electric. You can hear Bell’s fast breathing. You can feel the tension in the room. This is more than science. This is connection.

The Insight

Professor Wisdom points to Bell. “Listen to what he says. ‘I am excited. Watson is here. We are inventors.’ These small wordsβ€”am, is, areβ€”they show who we are right now. ‘Am’ is for I. ‘Is’ is for he, she, it. ‘Are’ is for you, we, they. They connect us to this moment. They tell us: this is true now.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

  1. “I am a teacher.” β€” This is your job now.
  2. “She is happy today.” β€” Her feeling at this moment.
  3. “They are in the garden.” β€” Their location right now.
  4. “We are ready for the test.” β€” Our state in this moment.
  5. “The coffee is hot.” β€” Its condition now.
  6. “You are my best friend.” β€” Your role in my life.

Exercises:

  1. Fill in the blank: Luna ___ a student. (I/am/is/are)

  2. Choose the correct:
    a) He am tired.
    b) He is tired.

  3. Match the sentence halves:
    – I am β†’ at home
    – She is β†’ excited
    – They are β†’ students

  4. Complete the sentence: My brother ___ at work. The children ___ in school.

  5. Your turn: Write three sentences about yourself using am, is, or are.

Answer Key:

  1. is (Luna = she, so we use “is”)
  2. b) He is tired (always use “is” with he/she/it)
  3. I am at home / She is excited / They are students
  4. is / are (brother = he = is; children = they = are)
  5. Check: Did you use “am” for I? “Is” for he/she/it? “Are” for you/we/they?

The Lesson

They return to Luna’s desk. The watch stops glowing. Luna smiles. “Am, is, are… they’re like tiny bridges. They connect me to now.” Professor Wisdom nods. “Every word has its place. Every moment has its truth.”