Basic English Grammar: How to Use WAS and WERE

Hi.

I'm Rebecca from engVid.

In this lesson you'll learn how to use the past tense of the verb "to be".

Now, as you know, the verb "to be" is a really important verb, so in this lesson you'll learn

how to use the words "was" and "were" correctly in English.

Now, this is a beginner's lesson, but even if you are at any level and you just want

to review the basics, this lesson will help you.

So, let's get started.

So, the verb "to be", of course, can be used in the present, in the past, and also in the future.

But in this lesson we are focusing on how to use it in the past.

I'm going to just review very quickly how to use it in the present, but I think you

already know that.

Right?

Okay.

So, when we say: "The present", what do we mean by that?

It could mean right now, it could mean this year, it could mean today.

Right?

So, for example: "I am at work right now.

Yesterday I was at home."

So when I say "was", that's the past.

The past can be yesterday, last night, last week, five years ago; any time before now

is the past.

Okay.

So, let's take another example.

"He is a manager this year.

Last year he was a worker".

"He is" becomes "He was".

Next: "She is in London today.

Yesterday she was in Paris."

Again, "is" became "was".

Another example: "It is cold today.

Yesterday it was hot."

So, once again, "is" became "was".

So what's the pattern here?

What do you see?

I know you see the pattern, so the pattern is that all of these became "was".

So: "I am", "I was"; "He is", "He was"; "She is", "She was"; "It is", "It was", right?

So all of these: "am" and "is" become "was" in the past.

All right?

Let's go to some other pronouns.

"We are studying right now.

Yesterday we were working".

"We were", make sure you pronounce that properly.

A lot of people make a mistake when they say "were".

It's not the word "where", like the question.

It's "were".

Okay?

Say it with me: "We were studying."

Good.

Or, sorry: "We were working."

All right.

Another example: "You are married today.

Yesterday you were single."

Okay?

Somebody just got married.

All right.

"They are here right now, but a few hours ago they were over there."

Okay?

All right.

So, what do you see here?

Another pattern.

Whatever is "are" in the present tense becomes "were" in the past tense, that's all.

So there's only two possibilities in the past tense: "was" or "were".

Okay?

So, here's a little review: "am" and "is" become "was"; and "are" becomes "were".

Now, one last little point: "was" and "were" can be used by themselves.

Okay?

So this can be a verb used by itself.

For example: "It was hot."

This is just the verb "to be" by itself, or "was" and "were" can be used as helping verbs.

For example: "We were working."

Okay?

So that's just a little something to keep in mind.

Now, next, you'll learn how to use "was" and "were" in English.

Now let's look at how to use "was" and "were" in positive sentences, negative sentences,

and also in questions.

Okay?

So, as you've already learned: "I", "He", "She", and "It" all use "was".

Right?

"I was at home", "He was at home", "She was at home", "It was at home".

"It" can be for a thing, for example, a cellphone.

All right?

If you want to make that sentence negative, then basically in English what we have to

add is the word "not": "I was not", but when we're speaking we don't usually say: "I was

not at home."

We just say something a little shorter, we say: "I wasn't at home."

Do you want to repeat that after me so you can learn how to pronounce it really well?

"I wasn't at home."

Now, when you're writing it, just remember that the apostrophe goes where we take out

the "o".

So: "was" and "not", take out the "o" and add the apostrophe, and then you'll not only

say it perfectly, you'll also spell it perfectly.

Good.

So: "I was", "I wasn't".

And then to make a question, we just change the order.

Same word, right?

"Was I at home?

I don't remember.", "Was he at school?", "Was she at work?", "Was it on the shelf?"

Okay?

So you're just changing the order when you make a question, so that's pretty straightforward.

Now let's look at what happens with: "We", "You", and "They".

For that we have to use "were".

"We were", "You were", "They were".

And how do we make it negative?

Again, you only add the word "not".

So, if you were to say the full thing, you would say: "We were not at home", but as I

said, usually we shorten it, we contract it, and it sounds like this: "We weren't at home."

Repeat after me: "We weren't at home.", "You weren't at home.", "They weren't at home."

All right?

And if you want to make a question, same principle, same rule, again, you put the word "were"

before, so: "Were we at home?", "Were you at school?", "Were they at work?"

Okay?

So you're just changing the order.

Now, how do you know that you know all of these things?

When you can make a positive sentence, a negative sentence, and a question.

So take one of them.

For example, just take a simple sentence.

Don't add a lot of vocabulary; keep it really simple.

"He was tired."

Right?

"He was tired."

Make it negative: "He wasn't tired."

Make it a question: "Was he tired?"

All right?

So take any of these pronouns...

These are all called pronouns, and make simple sentences, then make them negative, and then

make them into a question.

And when you can do that easily, then you have learned how to use "was" and "were".

Next we'll do some practice so you can get really good at this.

So now we have eight sentences on the board and you're going to help me fill in the blanks

with "was" or "were".

Let's go.

Number one: "Mr. Williams _______ at the meeting."

Do we say: "Mr. Williams was at the meeting" or "Mr. Williams were at the meeting"?

What do we say?

"Mr. Williams was at the meeting."

Very good.

"Her classes _______ interesting.

Her classes _______ interesting."

"was" or "were", which one?

"Her classes were interesting", because it's "classes", right?

It's plural.

It's like "they".

Very good.

"My suitcase _______ very heavy.

My suitcase _______ very heavy."

My suitcase is like what that we learned?

It, it's one thing.

So: "My suitcase was very heavy."

Very good.

"The stores _______ closed."

The stores, it's plural.

It's like "they", so what do we say?

They were closed.

Very good.

Number five: "It _______ raining yesterday."

"It was raining" or "It were raining", which one sounds right?

By now if you say it out loud, you will also hear what's correct.

It...

"It was raining."

Okay, good.

Number six: "I _______ hungry.

I _______ hungry."

So, what should it be?

"I was hungry" or "I were hungry"?

"I was", always "was".

"I was".

Number seven: "_______ you late?"

"Was you late?" or "Were you late?"

Which one is correct?

"Were you", okay?

Very important because we often ask questions to other people, right?

So this one with "you" is really important.

"Were you on time?", "Were you late?", "Were you in a meeting?", "Were you at home?"

Lots and lots of questions that we ask like that, so pay attention to that one, okay?

And number eight: "We _______ in Brazil."

We...

What should it be?

"We were in Brazil."

Okay?

Now, let's really quickly go through them and make them negative, because you can do

it, I know you can.

"Mr. Williams was at the meeting.

Mr. Williams wasn't".

You say it with me, okay?

"Her classes weren't interesting.", "My suitcase wasn't very heavy.", "The stores weren't closed.",

"It wasn't raining yesterday.", "I wasn't hungry.", "Weren't you late?"

Yes, you can ask a question like that.

"Weren't you late?"

You can ask a negative question also.

Okay?

Good for you.

And: "We weren't in Brazil."

Okay.

So, very, very good work.

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Thanks very much for watching.

Good luck with your English.