Was/were: Past simple of ‘be’
Grammar / A1 Grammar lessons and exercises /Was/were: Past simple of ‘be’
Was/Were – Past Simple of 'Be'
Was/Were: Form
We use was for I, he, she, it and were for you, we, they.
- I was at home yesterday.
- You were late at the meeting.
- She was excited about the party.
- We were tired after the excursion.
- Were they at the conference?
No Short Forms in Affirmative
There are no short forms for was or were in affirmative sentences. The negative short forms are wasn’t (was not) and weren’t (were not).
- Tom was tired, but Susan wasn’t very tired.
- Paul and Tom were happy, but we weren’t happy.
Was/Were: Use
Was and were are the past simple forms of am/is/are.
- I’m happy. → I was happy. (am → was)
- She is at her office. → She was at her office. (is → was)
- You are late. → You were late. (are → were)
Talking About the Past
We use was/were to talk about situations and events in the past. Common time expressions include: yesterday, last night, last week, two months ago, etc.
- She was in Stuttgart last summer.
- We were late to the party last night.
"Was/Were Born" – Always in the Past
The expression be born is always used in the past: was born (singular) or were born (plural). We never use "am born" or "is born".
- “Where were you born?” “I was born in Sweden.” ✅
- “Where are you born?” “I am born in Sweden.” ❌ (Incorrect)
- Mozart was born in 1756.