Is Not vs. Are Not – Which is Correct?

“Is not” agrees with a singular subject, while “are not” agrees with a plural subject or the pronoun “you.” Both are grammatically correct forms of the verb “be.” Choose based on subject–verb agreement, and use “isn’t” or “aren’t” as common contractions in informal writing and speech and everyday conversation too.

Is Not or Are Not – Which is Correct?

Is not and are not are both correct. The choice depends on the subject of the sentence. Use is not with a singular noun or with he, she, or it. Use are not with plural nouns and with you, we, or they.

These phrases are negative forms of the present-tense verb be. They can describe identity, condition, location, or an ongoing action expressed with an -ing verb.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Use the swap test: replace the subject with he or they. If he fits, choose is not. If they fits, choose are not. For example, “The student is not ready” becomes “He is not ready,” while “The students are not ready” becomes “They are not ready.” Remember that you always takes are, even when referring to one person.

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
is not	Negative verb phrase	A singular subject does not have a stated quality, identity, location, or condition	The report is not complete.
are not	Negative verb phrase	A plural subject or “you” does not have a stated quality, identity, location, or condition	The reports are not complete.

How to Use Is Not

Use is not when the subject is singular. The subject may be a singular noun, a proper name, a singular pronoun such as he, she, or it, or a singular phrase. The expression works in formal and informal English, although the contraction isn’t is more common in conversation and relaxed writing.

Example 1: The answer is not obvious.

Example 2: Maria is not available this afternoon.

Example 3: The machine is not working properly.

What are the different forms of Is Not?

Is not is the negative present-tense form used with he, she, it, and singular nouns. Its standard contraction is isn’t: “The door is not locked” becomes “The door isn’t locked.” The contraction is acceptable in most everyday contexts, but the full form may sound more formal or create emphasis.

The related past-tense negative forms are was not and wasn’t for singular subjects. For example, “The building is not open” changes to “The building was not open” when referring to the past.

Etymology of the phrase Is Not

Is comes from Old English is, a form of the highly irregular verb be. The word is related to forms found in several older Indo-European languages. Not developed from Old English nōt, meaning “not” or “not at all.” Together, is not has long served as the standard negative present-tense expression for singular subjects.

How to Use Are Not

Use are not with plural subjects and with the pronouns you, we, and they. It can connect a subject to a description or noun, indicate a location, or form the negative progressive tense with an -ing verb. Its common contraction is aren’t.

Do not use are not with a singular third-person subject. “The book are not useful” is incorrect because book is singular; the correct sentence is “The book is not useful.”

Example 1: The documents are not ready for publication.

Example 2: You are not responsible for that mistake.

Example 3: We are not meeting at the usual location.

What are the different forms of Are Not?

Are not is the negative present-tense form used with plural nouns and with you, we, and they. Its standard contraction is aren’t: “They are not interested” becomes “They aren’t interested.” The full form is often preferred in formal writing or when emphasizing the word not.

The related past-tense negative form is were not or its contraction weren’t. For example, “The guests are not here” changes to “The guests were not here” when referring to an earlier time.

Etymology of the phrase Are Not

Are is another present-tense form of the verb be. It developed through forms of Old English and related Germanic languages, with its modern shape influenced by historical forms associated with plural subjects. Like is not, the phrase combines a form of be with the old negative word not.

Related Concepts

Understanding subject–verb agreement and the different forms of be makes it easier to choose between is not and are not.

• Subject–verb agreement: A verb must match its subject in number. Singular subjects generally take is, while plural subjects take are.
• Forms of “be”: The verb be changes to am, is, or are in the present tense and to was or were in the past tense.
• Contractions: Isn’t means is not, and aren’t means are not. Contractions are common in speech and informal writing.
• Progressive verbs: Is not and are not can precede an -ing verb to create a negative progressive construction, such as “She is not listening” or “They are not listening.”

Examples from Media and Literature

The distinction appears frequently in dialogue, narration, journalism, business communication, and public statements. These representative examples show how the phrases work in different contexts:

• Literary narration: “The journey is not over” uses is not because journey is singular.
• Film dialogue: “You are not alone” uses are not because the subject is you.
• News reporting: “Officials are not releasing further details” uses are not because officials is plural.
• Documentary commentary: “The evidence is not conclusive” uses is not because evidence is treated as a singular uncountable noun.
• Workplace communication: “The revised figures are not included in the original forecast” uses are not because figures is plural.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct phrase, is not or are not, to complete each sentence.

1. The new schedule ______ available yet.
2. The employees ______ required to work on Sunday.
3. You ______ permitted to enter this area.
4. That explanation ______ convincing.
5. We ______ certain about the final result.

Answer Key

1. is not — “Schedule” is singular.
2. are not — “Employees” is plural.
3. are not — “You” always takes are in the present tense.
4. is not — “Explanation” is singular.
5. are not — “We” takes are.

Is Not Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
isn’t	The standard contraction of “is not.”
does not exist	Indicates that something has no existence, when that meaning fits the context.
does not equal	Indicates that one value, object, or idea is different from another.
fails to be	A more formal alternative indicating that something does not have a particular quality or status.

Are Not Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
aren’t	The standard contraction of “are not.”
do not exist	Indicates that plural things have no existence, when appropriate.
do not equal	Indicates that two or more values or items are different.
fail to be	A formal alternative indicating that plural subjects do not have a particular quality or status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Should I use “is not” or “are not” with “you”?
Use are not with you, whether you are addressing one person or several people. For example: “You are not late.”

Question 2: Is “isn’t” the same as “is not”?
Yes. Isn’t is the contraction of is not. The full form is often more formal or emphatic, while the contraction is common in conversation and informal writing.

Question 3: Is “aren’t” the same as “are not”?
Yes. Aren’t is the contraction of are not. It is used with plural subjects and with you, we, and they.

Question 4: Which is correct: “The information is not” or “The information are not”?
Use the information is not. Information is an uncountable singular noun in standard English, so it takes is.

Conclusion

Is not is correct with singular subjects, while are not is correct with plural subjects and with you, we, and they. Both phrases are valid; the key is subject–verb agreement. Pro Tip: Choosing the correct form in professional writing strengthens clarity and protects your credibility.