Verb to be learning path · Step 6 of 8 · Level A1-A2
The verb to be in the past: was and were
The verb to be in the past has only two forms: was, for I, he, she, it and singular subjects, and were, for you, we, they and plurals. It describes who, how or where someone or something was. In the negative you add not and in questions the verb goes first.
The past at a glance
How the past of the verb to be is formed
To talk about the past with to be you only choose between two forms, and the subject decides: was for one person or thing, were for several and for you. The form does not change with the meaning: it works the same for identity, state, location or evaluation.
Affirmative
subject + was / were + complement
She was at work.
Location in the past.
Negative
subject + wasn't / weren't + complement
We weren't hungry.
A state in the past.
Question
Was / Were + subject + complement + ?
Was the film good?
An evaluation.
If you already master the present, the jump is short: what was am or is becomes was, and what was are becomes were. If you need a refresher, review the present of to be. And if subjects like the family, everyone or if I were raise doubts, there is a specific guide on when to use was or were.
Table of the verb to be in the past: affirmative, negative and question
The seven persons in the three sentence types. The negative appears in full and contracted; in conversation and messages the contraction is the norm.
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question | Short answers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | I was | I was notI wasn't | Was I? | Yes, I was.No, I wasn't. |
| you | You were | You were notYou weren't | Were you? | Yes, you were.No, you weren't. |
| he | He was | He was notHe wasn't | Was he? | Yes, he was.No, he wasn't. |
| she | She was | She was notShe wasn't | Was she? | Yes, she was.No, she wasn't. |
| it | It was | It was notIt wasn't | Was it? | Yes, it was.No, it wasn't. |
| we | We were | We were notWe weren't | Were we? | Yes, we were.No, we weren't. |
| they | They were | They were notThey weren't | Were they? | Yes, they were.No, they weren't. |
You is singular and plural, but it always takes were: You were right can be said to one person or to several.
What was and were mean: description, state, evaluation or stay
This is the real difficulty for many learners. Some languages use different verbs or tenses for a description, a temporary state, a finished evaluation or a stay; English solves all four with the same form. Read the meaning from the context, not from the verb.
Description
Description or identity in the past.
The house was very old.
How something was.
State
State or situation at a specific moment.
I was tired when I got home.
How someone felt.
Evaluation
Judgement of something that is over.
The concert was amazing.
How something turned out.
Stay
A stay or state with a beginning and an end.
We were in Lima for a week.
A period somewhere.
There is one case worth memorising separately: being born is expressed with the past of to be. I was born in 1998 gives your year of birth, and Where were you born? asks for the place.
There was and there were: saying that something existed
To say that something existed or happened, English uses there with the past of to be. The form agrees with the noun that follows, not with there: there was for a singular or an uncountable and there were for a plural.
| Structure | Example | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| There was + singular | There was a problem with the app. | One thing existed. |
| There was + uncountable | There was some coffee in the kitchen. | Some quantity existed. |
| There were + plural | There were many people at the party. | Several things or people existed. |
| There wasn't / weren't | There weren't any tickets left. | Nothing was left. |
| Was there / Were there…? | Were there any questions? | A question about existence. |
Time expressions that go with the past
These expressions place the sentence in a finished moment. When you see them, think of was or were.
Specific moments
- I was at the gym yesterday.Yesterday.
- She was very busy last week.Last week.
- They were in Canada two years ago.Two years ago.
- It was cold last night.Last night.
Periods and situations
- When I was a child, I was very shy.Childhood.
- In 2020 we were students.A year.
- The streets were empty at that moment.A moment.
- This morning the office was closed.This morning.
Watch the past of to be in 20 seconds
Four friends leaf through a photo album in the evening light. The explanation is in English and each example is pronounced by a native speaker; use the list to go back to any part.
With English captions and the forms was, were, wasn't and weren't pronounced by a native speaker.
Read the transcript
- In the past, to be has only two forms:
- Was. Were.
- For one person or one thing:
- I was at home. She was happy.
- For several people, and always with you:
- We were friends. You were there.
- And in the negative:
- Wasn't. Weren't.
The most common mistakes with was and were
Even intermediate students make them. Recognising them is the quickest way to avoid them.
I were at home.
I was at home.
I goes with was. The only exception is hypotheses like if I were you.
You was right.
You were right.
You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
I born in Madrid.
I was born in Madrid.
Being born needs the verb to be: to be born.
Did you be at the party?
Were you at the party?
To be does not use did to ask or to negate: you invert the order.
There was many people.
There were many people.
People is plural, so the correct form is there were.
She didn't was tired.
She wasn't tired.
The negative is formed by adding not to was: wasn't.
Was and were also work as auxiliaries: they form the past continuous (I was reading when you called) and the passive in the past (The letter was written in 1990). We explain it in more detail in the complete guide to the verb to be.
Practice: write was, were, wasn't or weren't
Type the missing form: was, were, wasn't or weren't. Press Enter to check each sentence or check them all at the end. Full forms (was not, were not) are also accepted.
Yesterday, at home.
I at home yesterday.
I always goes with was in the past.
Last year, in Rome.
My parents in Rome last year.
My parents is plural: it stands for they and takes were.
Negative: we did not attend the meeting.
We at the meeting.
Negative with we: were not or its contraction weren't.
Question: was the exam difficult?
the exam difficult?
In the question, was goes before the exam, which stands for it.
Negative: no café here two years ago.
There a café here two years ago.
a café is singular, so we use there wasn't.
Question: tired last night?
you tired last night?
you always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
Born in 2001.
I born in 2001.
Being born is expressed with to be born: I was born, never I born.
Many problems existed.
There a lot of problems.
It agrees with what follows: a lot of problems is plural, so there were.
Want to keep practising? There are more sentences in the was and were exercises.
Common questions about the past of to be
What forms does the verb to be have in the past?
Only two: was and were. The first goes with I, the third person singular and any singular noun; the second with you, we, they and plurals. In the negative they become wasn't and weren't.
How do you say when you were born in English?
With the past of to be plus born: I was born in Mexico. For several people: We were born in the same year. I born does not exist.
How do you ask questions with was and were?
Put was or were before the subject: Were you at home?. With a question word, it goes first: Where were you yesterday?, Why was she late?.
What is the difference between there was and there were?
Both say that something existed. There was goes with a singular or uncountable noun (There was a dog, There was some milk) and there were with a plural (There were two dogs).
Can was and were be contracted in the affirmative?
No. In the affirmative they are always written in full: I was, they were. They only contract with not: wasn't and weren't.
Are was and were also auxiliaries?
Yes. They form the past continuous (I was reading when you called) and the passive in the past (The bridge was built in 1920). In both cases the choice between was and were still depends on the subject.
Verb to be learning path · Step 6 of 8
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