A Structure (Was / Were)
The past tense of be is was and were. We use it to talk about people, places, things, or situations in the past. Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they.
You / We / They + were
- I was at school yesterday.
- She was very tired after work.
- It was cold last night.
- We were at the library yesterday afternoon.
- They were excited about the concert.
Tip: The words yesterday, last week, last month, last year, this morning, and ago often tell you to use was or were.
B Contractions
In English, we often use contractions when speaking and writing informally. A contraction combines two words into one shorter form. With the past tense of be, the most common contractions are wasn't (was not) and weren't (were not).
were not → weren't
| Full Form | Contraction |
|---|---|
| She was not at work yesterday. | She wasn't at work yesterday. |
| They were not late. | They weren't late. |
| We were not at home last night. | We weren't at home last night. |
Tip: Use wasn't and weren't in everyday conversations, emails, and text messages. Use the full forms was not and were not when you want to sound more formal or add emphasis.
C Positive Sentences
Use was or were to describe people, places, feelings, weather, and situations that happened in the past. Positive sentences tell us that something was true or existed at a specific time in the past.
- I was very busy yesterday.
- She was at the doctor's office this morning.
- The movie was interesting.
- We were late for class.
- They were happy with the results.
Tip: Remember to choose was or were based on the subject.
✓ She was at school yesterday.
✓ They were at the library.
✗ She were at school yesterday.
✗ They was at the library.
D Negative Sentences
Use was not or were not to say that something did not happen or was not true in the past. In everyday English, we usually use the contractions wasn't and weren't.
- I wasn't at home last night.
- She wasn't ready for the meeting.
- The weather wasn't very warm yesterday.
- We weren't late for class.
- They weren't at the restaurant.
Tip: Use wasn't with I, he, she, and it.
Use weren't with you, we, and they.
✓ He wasn't tired yesterday.
✓ We weren't at school.
✗ He weren't tired yesterday.
✗ We wasn't at school.
E Yes/No Questions & Short Answers
To ask a yes/no question with the past tense of be, put was or were before the subject. Answer with Yes or No, followed by a short answer.
Yes, subject + was / were.
No, subject + wasn't / weren't.
- Was she at work yesterday?
Yes, she was. - Were they at the meeting?
No, they weren't. - Was it cold last night?
Yes, it was. - Were you busy yesterday?
No, I wasn't.
Tip: Remember to put was or were before the subject when asking a question.
✓ Was he tired after work?
✓ Were they at the library?
✗ He was tired after work?
✗ They were at the library?
F Wh- Questions
Use Wh- questions to ask for specific information about the past. Common question words include who, what, where, when, why, and how. Place the question word first, then was or were, followed by the subject.
- Where was your teacher yesterday?
She was at a conference. - Why were they late?
They were stuck in traffic. - Who was at the meeting?
Our manager was there. - How was your vacation?
It was wonderful. - When were you in Toronto?
I was there last summer.
Tip: Always put the question word before was or were.
✓ Where was she yesterday?
✓ Why were they absent?
✗ Was where she yesterday?
✗ Were why they absent?
G Use with Adjectives, Locations & Age
The past tense of be is often used with adjectives, locations, and age to describe how someone or something was at a particular time in the past.
- She was happy after the exam.
- They were tired after the trip.
- The movie was interesting.
- I was at the library yesterday.
- We were at our friend's house last weekend.
- The children were in the park.
- I was ten years old.
- She was eighteen when she graduated.
- They were very young at that time.
Tip: The verb was / were does not describe an action. It describes a state, such as a person's age, location, or condition in the past.
✓ We were at home yesterday.
✓ She was very nervous before the interview.
✗ We was at home yesterday.
✗ She were very nervous before the interview.
H Key Points to Remember
Remember these key ideas:
- Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they.
- Use the past tense of be to describe people, places, feelings, weather, age, and situations in the past.
- Make negative sentences with wasn't or weren't.
- Form yes/no questions by placing was or were before the subject.
- Form Wh- questions by putting the question word before was or were.
- Time expressions such as yesterday, last week, last month, last year, this morning, and ago often show that you need the past tense.
✓ She was at work yesterday.
✓ They weren't at school.
✓ Were you busy yesterday?
✓ Where was your brother last night?
✗ She were at work yesterday.
✗ They wasn't at school.
✗ You were busy yesterday?
✗ Was where your brother last night?