The Verb To Be

(noun or pronoun) + verb

Bill was a policeman.
He was happy.
Tara was a teacher.
Terry and Robert were sad.
The house was small.
I was a student.
Tom was tired.

1. Select the correct verb for the following:

1. We was/ were
2. I was/ were
3. She was/ were
4. They were/ was
5. You was/ were
6. It were/ was
7. He was/ were
8. They were/ was
9. He was/ were
10. You was/ were

2. Select the correct verb for the following:

1. Mary and I was/ were happy.

2. I was/ were a student.
3. Miss Thatcher were/ was a teacher.
4. Bob and Ted was/ were young.
5. You was/ were tall.
6. The dog was/ were brown.
7. He was/ were at home.
8. They were/ was sad.
9. Daniel were/ was a soldier.
10. You was/ were my best friends.

1
 Was - Were - Past Tense of the verb "To Be"

Read the following questions. Compare the simple present with the simple
past in the first example and then complete the questions using the correct
form of the verb "to be" in the past.

Present Past
Example: Where is Where was Jack yesterday?
Jack today?
What day is it What day …......... it yesterday?
today?
Where are they Where ……………. they last
today? week?
I am at home this I ………………. at home
afternoon. yesterday afternoon.
We aren't in school We ………………….. in school
now. yesterday.
What is that in your What ……………… that in your
hand? bag this morning?
When is usually she When …………….. she at
at home? home yesterday?
He isn't a teacher. He ………………… a teacher.

Now complete the following chart for the simple past of the verb "to be"

Present Past
Affirmative: I am, I'm Affirmative: I was
Negative: I am not, I'm not Negative: I was not/
wasn’t
Affirmative: You are, you're Affirmative: You
Negative: you are not, aren't
Negative: You

Affirmative: He, She, It is, Affirmative: He, She,

He's, She's, It's It

2
Negative: He, She, It is not,
isn't Negative: He, She, It

Affirmative: We are Affirmative: We

Negative: We are not, we
aren't Negative: We

Affirmative: You are, you're Affirmative: You

Negative: you are not, you
aren't Negative: You

Affirmative: They are Affirmative: They

Negative: They are not, you
aren't Negative: They

Notice that the short forms of the verb "to be" include: I'm, I'm not, you're, you
aren't, he's/ she's/ it's, he/ she/ it isn't, we're, we aren't, etc.

The short form is formed by putting an apostrophe - ' - in the place of the missing
letter.

Write some sentences using the verb "to be" in the past. Example: I was at a
party yesterday.

Was-Were

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1. She is thirty now, so last year she ___ twenty-nine.
a. was
b. were

2. ___ it a good film?

a. Was
b. Were

3. I got married when I ___ twenty-seven.

a. was
b. were

4. It was a great day, but we ___ so tired.

a. was
b. were

5. I didn't buy those jeans because they ___ too expensive.

a. was
b. were

6. When I ___ a child we lived in Rome.

a. was
b. were

7. Where ___ you yesterday afternoon?

a. was
b. were

8. ___ the weather good while we were away?

a. Was
b. Were

9. They ___ so naughty as kids.

a. was
b. were

10. Why ___ he so angry?

a. was
b. were