With our full guide on was and were, you can learn the past simple of “be.” Includes clear explanations, examples, and practice exercises to help you learn and use English grammar well.
Was / Were: Past Simple of ‘Be’
The past simple forms of the verb “to be” are “was” and “were.” They are used to talk about things, people, and places that happened in the past.
Forms of “Be” in the Past Simple
| Subject | Past Simple |
|---|---|
| I | was |
| He/She/It | was |
| You | were |
| We | were |
| They | were |
How to Use “Was” and “Were”
a) Affirmative Sentences
- Was is used with I, he, she, it:
- I was at home yesterday.
- She was very tired after work.
- Were is used with you, we, they:
- They were at the park last weekend.
- You were late for the meeting.
b) Negative Sentences
Add not after “was” or “were”:
- I was not (wasn’t) hungry in the morning.
- We were not (weren’t) at school yesterday.
c) Questions
Invert the subject and was/were:
- Was he at the party last night?
- Were you happy with the result?
Common Time Expressions
- yesterday
- last night / last week / last year
- ago (e.g., two days ago)
- in 2010
Examples:
- I was at the cinema last night.
- They were very busy two weeks ago.
Quick Tips
- Remember: I, he, she, it → was; you, we, they → were.
- For short answers in questions:
- Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t.
- Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t.
- “Was” and “were” do not change for plural or singular subjects outside these rules.
