Lesson

Past simple: to be - was/were (affirmative & negative)

Was/were usage

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

What is the past simple of "to be"?

The past simple of the verb "to be" uses two forms: was and were. We use these forms to describe states, locations, and situations in the past.

  • Use was with singular subjects (I, he, she, it).
  • Use were with plural subjects (we, you, they).
  • Form negative sentences with was not / were not (or contractions: wasn't / weren't).

Table

Past simple of "to be" — Quick Reference

Form Structure Example
Affirmative (singular) I / he / she / it + was She was at the office yesterday.
Affirmative (plural) we / you / they + were They were in the meeting last week.
Negative (singular) I / he / she / it + was not (wasn't) I wasn't available for the call.
Negative (plural) we / you / they + were not (weren't) We weren't in the building on Friday.
Question Was / Were + subject + ...? Was he at the conference? / Were they late?

Tip

Main rules for 'to be' in the past

Keep these rules in mind when using was/were:

  • Use 'was' with singular subjects: I, he, she, it → I was, He was.
  • Use 'were' with plural subjects: we, you, they → We were, They were.
  • For negatives, place not after the verb: was not / were not (or contractions wasn't / weren't).
  • In short answers, repeat was/were: —Were you at the meeting? —Yes, I was.

Time markers (yesterday, last month, in 2018) often signal past simple.

Example

Examples in context

He was the team leader last year.

I wasn't at the conference last Tuesday.

We were on the same flight to Madrid.

They weren't available for the call.

Tip

Common mistakes with was/were

Watch for these frequent errors when using the past of 'to be':

  • Using 'were' with a singular subject or 'was' with a plural subject (subject-verb agreement).
  • Forgetting the negative particle 'not' or placing it in the wrong position.
  • Using the base verb after did (wrong: He did be happy → correct: He was happy).
  • Incorrect word order in questions (wrong: You were at the meeting? → correct: Were you at the meeting?)

Check subject number and the sentence type (affirmative, negative, question) before choosing was or were.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Check whether the subject is singular or plural.

Quiz

Complete: They _____ at the office yesterday.

Hint: Check the subject: plural or singular?

Quiz

Choose the correct negative sentence:

Hint: Look for the correct contraction and subject number.

Key Points

GrammarPoint

was

verb (past of 'to be') CEFR A2 //wɒz//

Past simple form of 'to be' used with singular subjects.

He was at the office yesterday.

GrammarPoint

were

verb (past of 'to be') CEFR A2 //wɜːr//

Past simple form of 'to be' used with plural subjects.

They were at the meeting on Monday.

GrammarPoint

wasn't

contraction (negative) CEFR A2 //ˈwɒzənt//

Contraction of 'was not'. Used for negative past statements with singular subjects.

I wasn't present at the meeting.

GrammarPoint

weren't

contraction (negative) CEFR A2 //ˈwɜːrənt//

Contraction of 'were not'. Used for negative past statements with plural subjects.

They weren't ready for the presentation.

GrammarPoint

past simple

grammar term CEFR B1 //pɑːst ˈsɪmpəl//

A tense used to describe completed actions or states in the past.

We used the past simple to describe last year's results.

Expression

negative contraction

grammar term CEFR A2 //ˈnɛɡətɪv kənˈtrækʃən//

Shortened negative forms like wasn't and weren't used in informal speech and writing.

In the email he wrote: 'I wasn't available yesterday.'