(The past of the verb TO BE)

TO BE: AM - IS - ARE (NOW)

I am a teacher.
The weather is good.
I am at work.
You are late.

TO BE: WAS – WERE (PAST)

I was a teacher.
The weather was good.
I was at work.
You were late.
POSITIVE
I EXAMPLES:
He
She
WAS I was tired last night.
It I was born in Australia.
We were at home yesterday.
We You were in bed last night.
You WERE They were late 5 days ago.
They
He was ill last week.
 NEGATIVE
I EXAMPLES:
He WAS NOT
She I wasn’t at school.
(WASN’T) She wasn’t in bed.
It
We weren’t at home last week.
We You weren’t tired yesterday.
You WERE NOT They weren’t here last night.
They (WEREN’T)
The hotel wasn’t expensive.
QUESTION?
I?
he?
EXAMPLES:
WAS she? Was the weather nice?
it? Were you at the doctor’s?
we?
Was Ted at work yesterday?
WERE you? Were Sue and Steve at the
they? party?
 SHORT
ANSWERS

I / he / she / it WAS.
Yes,
we / you / they WERE.

I / he / she / it WASN’T.
No,
we / you / they WEREN’T.
 EXAMPLES:

Were you at the supermarket? No, I wasn’t.

Was Ahmet born in Turkey? Yes, he was.

Was it hot yesterday? No, it wasn’t.

Those shoes are nice. Were they expensive? Yes, they

were.

Was the exam hard? No, it wasn’t.