Meeting 5

Basic Tenses in English

To Be: Past Tense (page 13)

The past tense of the verb to be is created by using was or were in place of am, is

and are.

I am → I was → I was tired at school today.

you are → you were → You were downstairs.

he is → he was → He was funny.

she is → she was→ She was at work.

it is → it was → It was on the shelf.

we are → we were → We were upstairs.

they are → they were → They were here.

Rewrite the following sentences to create the past tense by changing the present tense form of the verb

to be to the past tense form.

1. He is my roommate.

2. It is in my pocket.

3. The snake is in the garden.

4. The diapers are in the bag.

5. Lisa is sick.

6. The kids are in the pool.

7. The bucket is full of minnows.

8. The washer and dryer are in the laundry room.

9. I am in my office.

10. The pencil is on the floor.

11. Sorry that I am late.

12. The flowers are for Jennifer.

13. My grandmother is in the hospital.

14. The exam is easy.

15. The crust is very thick.

16. The farm is very far.

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Complete the following past tense sentences using was or were.

1. The baby in the crib.

2. The candles on the table.

3. It a good story.

4. They awake.

5. My godmother asleep on the couch.

6. The wine in the cellar.

7. I ready.

8. He in the shower.
9. The bowls in the cupboard.

10. The girls at the skating rink.

11. The moon bright last night.

To Be: Past Tense 15

12. The juice fresh.

13. The eggs on the counter.

14. My sister outside.

15. The keys in the car.

16. The ring expensive.

17. You at the wedding.

18. The soup hot and spicy.

19. Both pillows soft.

20. Annie a nurse.

21. The flowers in the vase.

22. The rake in the garage.

23. My slippers in the bedroom.

24. The whale huge.

25. We downtown yesterday.

26. Chris in the cafeteria with Cory.

27. It in my locker.

28. We at the library.

29. The pool small.

30. The printer broken.

31. My pockets full.

32. The teachers in the office.

To Be: Past Tense: Negative Form

Place not after the past tense form of the verb to be to create a negative sentence.

I was → I was not → I was not sick yesterday.

you were → you were not → You were not at the beach.
he was → he was not → He was not at the meeting.
she was → she was not → She was not very nice.
it was → it was not → It was not on my
we were → we were not → desk. We were not
late.
they were → they were not → They were not ready.

The negative form of the past tense of the verb to be can also be expresse with the contraction wasn’t or
weren’t.
I was not → I wasn’t → I wasn’t tired last night.
you were not → you weren’t → You weren’t at work today.
he was not → he wasn’t → He wasn’t serious.
she was not → she wasn’t → She wasn’t here yesterday.
it was not → it wasn’t → It wasn’t true.
we were not → we weren’t → We weren’t at the library.
they were not → they weren’t → They weren’t busy last night.

To Be: Past Tense: Question Form

Rewrite the following sentences to create questions in the past tense by placing was or were before the
subject. Don’t forget to include a question mark (?) in your answer.

1. It was free.

2. The airplane was very low in the sky.

3. The mall was empty.

4. They were in kindergarten together.

5. It was bitter.

6. You were angry at Susan.

7. The recipe was easy.

8. The nail clippers were in the drawer.

9. The curtains were velvet.

10. The tablecloth was dirty.

11. It was enough.

12. She was a flight attendant when she was young.

13. The ashtrays were full.

14. The lady was thin.

15. Claude was seasick on the ship.

16. The crutches were behind the door.