THE VERB TO BE PAST

STRUCTURE

For subjects: I, He, She, It use WAS 

 You, we, they, use WERE.

AFFIRMATIVE:

Subject + verb (was/were) + complement+ time

 expression 

Example:
I was with my father at home 2
days ago.

I was a good player when I was child 

 
NEGATIVE:

Subject + verb (was/were) +  NOT + complement.

WASN`T
WEREN`T
Example: WAS NOT
 I wasn't tired in the morning
yestraday.
THEY WEREN`T AT HOMEat 10:30

INTERROGATIVE:
 Verb (was/were) + subject + complement +t exp. ?

Example:
Was Mark at school yesterday?
Yes, he was si
No , he wasn`t  no

 
Time expressions
To Be - Affirmative
Subject To Be (past) Examples

I was I was tired this morning.

You were You were very good.
He was He was the best in his class.
She was She was late for working.
It was It was a sunny day. Adj +noun
We were We were at home.
You were You were on holiday.
They were They were happy with their test result

To Be - Negative Sentences
The negative of To Be can be made by adding not after the verb (was or were).
 Subject To Be Examples

I was not I was not tired this morning.

You were not You were not crazy. Weren`t
He was not He was not married. Wasn`t
She was not She was not famous. Wasn`t
It was not It was not hot yesterday.
We were not We were not invited. Wern`t
You were not You were not at the party.
They were not They were not friends.weren`t

To Be - Negative Contractions
We can make negative contractions of the verb To Be in the Past tense by joining
the verb (was or were) and n't (e.g. were not = weren't). We don't make a contraction of
the subject and the verb (e.g. I was).

I was not tired this morning. OR I wasn't tired this morning.

You were not crazy. OR You weren't crazy.

He was not married. OR He wasn't married.

She was not famous. OR She wasn't famous.

It was not hot yesterday. OR It wasn't hot yesterday.

We were not invited. OR We weren't invited.

You were not at the party. OR You weren't at the party.

They were not friends. OR They weren't friends.

 TIME EXPRESSIONS PAST
THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY
YESTERDAY
ON MONDAY
THE LAST MONDAY
THE LAST MONTH
THE LAST SEMESTER
THE LAST WINTER
1 minute ago
2 hours ago
2 days ago
0ne year ago
2 years ago
1 decade ago
2 decades ago
1 century ego
2 centuries agos

To Be - Short Answers
Question Short Answers** Short Answers

Was I late? Yes, you were. No, you weren't.

Were you sick? Yes, I was. No, I wasn't.
Was he surprised? Yes, he was. No, he wasn't.
Was she from Italy? Yes, she was. No, she wasn't.
Was it a big house? Yes, it was. No, it wasn't.
Were we ready? Yes, we were. No, we weren't.
Were you early? Yes, we were. No, we weren't.
Were they busy? Yes, they were. No, they weren't.
FILL IN WAS OR WERE INTO THE GAPS.
If there is a (-) use the negation (wasn't or weren't).

WAS
1. Last year my best friend   22 years old.
WAS
2. The weather   cold when we   in Berlin.
WERE
3. Why   you so angry yesterday?
WAS
4. At this time last year Sandra   in Paris.
WERE WAS
5. We   tired because it   late at night.
WASN`T
6. Tim   asleep at ten o'clock yesterday. (-)
 WERE WAS
7. Our hotel last year   small, but it   very clean.
WEREN`T
8. I phoned you at the weekend, but you   at home. (-)
WAS`T
9. My dad   at work the whole week, because he was ill. (-)
WERE
10. The shops   open yesterday, but we didn't go there.
WERE
11. My friends   at the shopping mall two days ago.
WEREN`T
12. Claire and I   at school last Monday. (-)

13.   Liam at home when you came back from work?

ABSTRACT
AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJET +WAS-WERE +COMPLEMENT + TIME EXPRESSION

I WAS IN CUSCO YESTERDAY IN THE MORNING

NEGATIVE

SUBJET +WAS-WERE+ NOT +COMPLEMENT + TIME EXPRESSION

I WASN`T IN CUSCO YESTERDAY

QUESTION
WAS-WERE + SUBJET +COMPLEMENT + TIME EXPRESSION

WERE YOU IN CUSCO YESTERDAY?

YES, I WAS
NO, I WASN`T
 PRACTICE

WE WERE IN CUSCO YESTERDAY +

WE WEREN`T IN CUSCO YESTERDAY –

WERE YOU IN CUSCO YESTERDAY?

YES, WE WERE
NO, WE WEREN`T

SHE WAS IN CUSCO YESTERDAY

SHE WASN`T IN CUSCO YESTERDAY –

WAS SHE IN CUSCO YESTERDAY?

YES, SHE WAS SI
NO, SHE WASN`T NO
I WAS IN CUSCO YESTERDAY
I WASN`T IN CUSCO YESTERDAY
WERE YOU IN CUSCO YESTERDAY?
YES, I WAS
NO, I WASN`T

WORD QUESTIONS

WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY IN THE

MORNING?
I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL
WHO WERE YOU WITH?
I WAS WITH MY SISTER
WHAT TIME WERE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL?
I WAS AT 6 AM
WHY WERE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL?
Because my sister was sick
HOW LONG WERE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL?
I WAS TWO DAYS
WHEN WERE YOU SICK?
I WAS TWO DAYS AGO
SIMPLE PAST TO BE PAST
I STAYED AT HOME I WAS AT HOME
I DIDN`T STAY AT HOME I WASN`T AT HOME
DID YOU STAY AT HOME? WERE YOU AT HOME
YES, I DID YES, I WAS

MORE QUESTIONS WITH “WH”

WHY WERE YOU SAD YESTERDAY ?
BECAUSE, I WAS SICK
WHERE WERE YOU YASTERDAY AT
12 O`CLOCK?
I WAS AT THE SUPERMARKET
WHO WERE YOU AT THE SUNAT
WITH?
I WAS WITH MY SISTER
WE WERE WITH MY FRIENDS

WHO WAS THE FIRST STUDENT

WITH MAYOR SCORE TO ENTER TO
ACCOUNTING?
MARIA WAS
WHO WERE YOU WITH YESTERDAY?
I WAS ALONE
WHEN
WHAT TIME WERE YOU AT THE
NATIONAL BANK?
I WAS AT 9 0`CLOCK
HOW LONG WERE YOU WITH
HIM/HER?
I WAS WITH HER 2 YEARS
HOW LONG WERE YOU WITH MARY
AT THE SUNAT?
I WAS 10 MINUTES
DIFFERENCE SIMPLE PAST
AND TO BE PAST

I was at home yesterday

I WASN`T AT HOME YERSTERDAY
WERE YOU AT HOME YESTERDA?
YES, I WAS
NO, I WASN`T
WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY?
I AM at home
I AM NOT AT HOME
ARE YOU AT HOME ?
YES, I AM
NO, I AM NOT
WHERE WERE YOU YESTERDAY?
I stayed at home yesterday
I DIDN`T STAY AT HOME YESTERDAY?
DID YOU STAY AT HOME YESTERDAY?
YES, I DID
NO, I DIDN`T
WHERE DID YOU STAY YESTERDAY?

I stay at home
I DON`T STAY AT HOME
DO YOU STAY AT HOME ?
YES, I DO
NO, I DON`T

THEY WERE AT THE UNIVERSITY

THEY WEREN`T AT THE UNIVERSITY
WERE THEY AT THE UNIVERSITY?
YES, THEY WERE
NO , THEY WEREN`T
SHE IS A ELECTRONIC STUDENT

THEY WERE AN EXCELLENT STUDENTS

YOU WORK AT THE LAS BAMBAS MINE

I STUDIED AT SCHOOL 2 YEARS AGO