Review past simple verb to be

(was – were)

PAST SI MPLE FORM BE

1. We use the past simple form of be to talk about actions and events in the
past

2. We form the past simple like this:

I was we were
He/she/it/ was you were
They were

I was in town on Saturday He was tired after the match

You were late yesterday We were at the cinema last night
It was hot last week they were angry

3. We make the negative by adding not (was not, were not). In speaking and
informal writing. We use short forms: wasn’t and weren’t

I wasn’t here last year the film wasn’t interesting

You weren’t at school yesterday They weren’t at the concert

4. to make questions we put the verb before the subject

Were you in town on Saturday? Was James happy about the test?

5. We often use time expressions with the past simple

Yesterday yesterday morning yesterday afternoon

Yesterday evening last night last Friday last week last weekend
Last month last year
EXERCISES

 Past simple verb to be : was/wasn’t/were/weren’t

Marilyn Monroe……………………..an american film star. Her real

name…………………………Norma Jean Baker. She……………a beautiful woman and her
films…………………….very popular. People all around the world …………………very sad
when she died in 1962.

 Circle was or were

There was/were a great film on TV last night. There was/were two aliens from
another planet. They were in Rio d Janeiro, and there was/were a carnival.
There was/were a detective from the FBI. He wanted to find the aliens, but
there was/were a problem. It was difficult for him because there was/were
thousands of people at the carnival – in strange costumes!

 Choose was or were

1. The jazz concert was/were excellent

2. We was/were in Japan in 2009
3. My parents was/were in New York last year
4. John was/were late for school yesterday
5. You was/were very happy last week
6. My grandma was/were a good singer
7. The Math test was/were difficult
9. The dog was/were in the garden
10. We was/were at the movies last night
Review past simple verb to be
(was – were)

Remember:

Was (I, he, she, it)

Were (you, they, we)

EXERCISES

 Write five sentences with was or were; wasn’t or weren’t

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