Use Verb BE like a PRO

Warm-up

Answer the questions:

1. What is your role in testing?
2. What are your main responsibilities?
3. What tools are you familiar with?
4. What is important for a good QA engineer?

Discuss:

• What is more important: manual or automated testing?
• What is a “critical bug”?

Use verb BE like a PRO

In English, every sentence needs a verb. When we describe a status, a role, or a condition in QA, we use the verb BE.

I am (I’m)
He / She / It is (He’s / She’s / It’s)
We / You / They are (We’re / You’re / They’re)

Using Pronouns in a QA & Business Context

He / She: Use for a colleague, a QA engineer, a developer, or a manager.

• He is the QA Lead.
• She is the Automation Engineer.

It: Use for a bug, a test case, a feature, a system, or a tool.

• The bug is critical. It is not fixed.
• The test case is outdated. It is not valid anymore.
• The system is slow. It is under heavy load.

They: Use for people (team members) or plural things (bugs, test cases, results).

• The bugs are critical. They are blocking the release.
• The test cases are ready. They are in the test suite.
• The developers are in the meeting. They are discussing the issue.

Contractions (Short Forms)

In meetings, stand-ups, and chats (Slack, Jira), professionals often use short forms to sound more natural.

Positive Contractions

• I’m a QA engineer.
• You’re responsible for this test case.
• The build’s (build is) stable.
• The release’s (release is) scheduled for tomorrow.

Negative Contractions

• I’m not responsible for this bug.
• You aren’t (or You’re not) assigned to this task.
• The build isn’t (or The build’s not) stable.
• The tests aren’t (or They’re not) completed yet.

Asking Questions & Short Answers

As a QA engineer, your job is to ask questions and clarify issues. Start your Yes/No questions with Am / Is / Are.

Yes/No Questions

• Is the bug reproducible?
• Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
• Are the test cases ready?
• Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.
• Am I assigned to this task?
• Yes, you are. / No, you’re not.

Wh- Questions (Information Gathering)

• Who is responsible for this bug?
• What is the expected result?
• Where is the test environment?
• Why is the build failing?
• How is the system performance?

When to use BE in QA

We use the verb BE to talk about:

Roles

• I am a QA engineer.
• He is a Test Manager.

Bug Status

• The issue is open.
• The bug is fixed.
• The defect is critical.

Testing Process

• The test cases are ready.
• The regression is complete.

System Status

• The system is stable.
• The build is broken.

Environment

• The environment is not available.
• The server is down.

Release

• The release is tomorrow.
• The deployment is delayed.

Time

• The meeting is at 10:00 AM.
• The deadline is today.

Important Rules for Ukrainian Speakers

In Ukrainian, we often skip the verb “to be” (e.g., “Я тестувальник”). In English, this is a mistake. You must use AM/IS/ARE.

• Correct: I am a QA engineer. (NOT: I QA engineer)
• Correct: The bug is critical. (NOT: The bug critical)

Be Careful: Adjectives vs. Verbs

Some words in Ukrainian look like actions (verbs), but in English, they are descriptions (adjectives). You must use the verb BE with them:

• Be ready: The test cases are ready.
• Be sure: I am sure this bug is reproducible.
• Be interested in: She is interested in automation testing.
• Be late: The release is late.
• Be responsible for: He is responsible for regression testing.
• Be blocked: I am blocked by this issue.

Pro-Tip

If you already have an action verb, do not use BE.

• I agree. (NOT: I am agree)
• I test this feature. (NOT: I am test this feature)
• I work with APIs. (NOT: I am work with APIs)

Summary

Sentence Patterns for Your Daily Work

Positive Sentences

• I am responsible for this testing area.
• The bug is in the payment module.
• These test cases are for regression testing.

Negative Sentences

• I am not sure about this expected result.
• The system is not stable today.
• The requirements are not clear.

Questions

• Am I assigned to this bug?
• Is the test environment ready?
• Are the test cases updated?

Short Answers for Meetings

In stand-ups and meetings, we usually give short, clear answers.

• Are you ready?
  Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
• Is the bug fixed?
  Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
• Are the tests completed?
  Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.

The most useful phrases for QA Specialists

Activity 1: Fill in the Gaps

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb BE (am, is, are) or their negative forms (am not, isn’t, aren’t).

(+) The bug ______ reproducible in the test environment.

(+) I ______ responsible for regression testing.

(-) The test cases ______ ready for execution.

(?) ______ the build stable after the latest changes?

(+) We ______ in the middle of test execution.

(-) The environment ______ available right now.

(+) These bugs ______ critical for the release.

(?) ______ you sure this issue is not fixed?

(+) It ______ a high-priority defect.

(?) Who ______ responsible for this bug?

(-) The system ______ stable under load.

(?) ______ the test cases updated for this sprint?

(+) You ______ assigned to this task.

(-) I ______ available for the daily stand-up today.

(+) There ______ several blockers in this release.

Activity 2: Find and Correct the Mistakes

1. I am agree with the bug report. (Correct: ________________)
2. The test cases is ready for execution. (Correct: ________________)
3. Is you assigned to this bug? (Correct: ________________)
4. The build not stable after deployment. (Correct: ________________)
5. We is running regression testing today. (Correct: ________________)
6. The issue “In Progress.” (Correct: ________________)
7. He be responsible for API testing. (Correct: ________________)
8. Is the requirements clear for testing? (Correct: ________________)
9. I am work on bug fixing today. (Correct: ________________)
10. It a critical defect in the payment module. (Correct: ________________)
11. Are the server available for testing? (Correct: ________________)
12. I not am assigned to this sprint. (Correct: ________________)
13. The results is inconsistent across environments. (Correct: ________________)
14. Why the test cases are failing? (Correct: ________________)
15. They responsible for regression testing. (Correct: ________________)

Activity 3: Sentence Transformation 

Transform the sentences into the form requested in the brackets.

1. The bug is reproducible. (Negative) → ________________
2. The test cases are ready for execution. (Question) → ________________
3. I am responsible for regression testing. (Negative) → ________________
4. The build is stable after deployment. (Question) → ________________
5. Is the environment available for testing? (Positive) → ________________
6. We are ready for the release. (Negative) → ________________
7. The API response is slow. (Question) → ________________
8. Are the test results consistent? (Positive) → ________________
9. The defect is fixed. (Negative) → ________________
10. I am not assigned to this bug. (Positive) → ________________
11. It is a critical issue. (Question) → ________________
12. Are you blocked by this issue? (Negative) → ________________
13. The requirements are clear. (Negative) → ________________
14. She is the QA Lead. (Question) → ________________
15. The test cases are executed. (Question) → ________________

Speaking Practice (QA – Verb BE)

Answer the questions in full sentences using am / is / are.

1. What is your current role in the QA team?
2. Is your build stable right now? Why or why not?
3. Are the test cases ready for execution?
4. What is the most critical bug in your current project?
5. Is the test environment available today?
6. Are you responsible for regression testing or another area?
7. Who is the QA Lead on your project?
8. Is the API response fast or slow in your system?
9. Are the requirements clear for the current sprint?
10. Is the release scheduled for this week?