To talk about experiencing physical sensations like hunger, thirst, heat and cold, we use the structure be + adjective. Feel + adjective is also possible. Note that we do not usually use have + noun to express these ideas.
- I am hungry. (NOT I have hunger.)
- Are you thirsty? (NOT Do you have thirst?)
- Are you warm enough?
- I am sleepy.
- I am afraid.
- I feel hungry.
- I feel fine.
- I feel cold.
Note also the expressions:
Be right, be wrong and be lucky.
- You are right.
- He is lucky.
- Am I wrong?
Height, weight, age, size and color
Be, and not have, is used to talk about height, weight, age, size and color.
- She is nearly forty. (NOT She has nearly forty.)
- Her eyes are blue. (NOT Her eyes have blue.)
- My brother is six feet tall. (NOT My brother has six feet height.)
- She is the same height as her husband.
- What size are your shoes?
- I wish I was a few inches taller.
- I wish I was a few kilos lighter.
Note that in measuring expressions we do not use be heavy.
- She weighs forty-eight kilos. (NOT She is forty-eight kilos heavy.)
Note on the verb weigh
Weigh is one of those verbs which are not normally used in the progressive form.
- I weighed fifty-six kilos two months ago. (NOT I was weighing fifty-six kilos two months ago.)
However, weigh can be used in the progressive form when it does not mean ‘have weight’.
- The scales broke when she was weighing herself the other day.
