Is there a present and past tense of "is" and "are" ? Or it is just how they're used in the sentence that make them past/present tense? Thanks

Present: am, is, are

Past: was, were

Present perfect: have been, has been

Past perfect: had been

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/to_be.htm

Great question! "Is" and "are" are actually present tense forms of the verb "be." However, the verb "be" itself does not have a distinct past tense form. Instead, the past tense of "be" is formed using the auxiliary verb "was" for singular subjects (like "he," "she," or "it") and "were" for plural subjects (like "we," "they," or "you").

Here's an example to help clarify:

Present tense:
- He is happy.
- They are playing.

Past tense:
- He was happy.
- They were playing.

So, to answer your question, "is" and "are" are present tense forms of "be," while "was" and "were" are used for past tense. The choice between "is" and "are" depends on the subject of the sentence.