I was...

The verb “be” in past

was-were

Example Situations Present vs. Past Tracks 52-54 1

(5 years ago) Sit.1 George was* 53 years old. He was very poor.
He didn’t have a job. He was worried.
He didn’t have any money and he was very hungry.
His house was for sale. He sold*his house.
*A verb can carry a color in simple present (blue) and simple past (green) only in an affirmative
statement or if it’s the verb “to be”.
Present
I am Past
You are I was
Note: There are no contractions They ar You we
We are
e They w re
when using the verb to be in past. e
She is We werere
He is She wa
s
He was
It is
(today) It was

Sit.2 George is 58 now and He is rich.

He earns a lot of money. He isn’t worried anymore.
He has his own business. He owns a beautiful restaurant.
He is very happy.

More examples
Sit.3 Eight years ago Silvia was fifty. Now she’s fifty-eight.
Sit.4 I used to go to kindergarten when I was 4.
Sit.5 We didn’t worry much when we were teenagers.
Sit.6 Dave arrived ten minutes past eight this morning. He was ten minutes late.
Sit.7 They were deeply in love when they got married.
Sit.8 Jeff: Where were you? Claudia: I was in a workshop. Were you worried?

was-were
Verb to be in past
Affirmative statements

Exercises
Complete the sentences using “ was” or “ were”.
1. _____________ thirsty. (you) 6. _____________ absent? (you)
2. _____________ single. (she) 7. _____________ bored? (he)
3. _____________ strangers. (they) 8. _____________ tired? (they)
4. _____________ afraid of ghosts. (I) 9. _____________ a cop before? (you)
5. _____________ one hour late. (she) 10. _____________ difficult? (It)
 Present or past? Tracks 55-57 1
Affirmative or negative?
Sit.1 We didn’t like the restaurant very much. The food _______ cold, the dishes
_________ clean and it _______ very expensive.
Sit.2 Pete _________ absent yesterday. He ________ sick. He ________ better now.
Sit.3 John: Why ________ you so tired? (now) Linda: I ________ busy all day.
Sit.4 Yesterday was Sunday. All the banks _________ closed.
Sit.5 “Where _______ Steve? (now) He ______ here five minutes ago.”
Sit.6 This car _______ very expensive in the past. Now, it ________ worth much.
Sit.7 I called you, but you _________ home. Where ________ you?
Sit.8 Why ________ you wet? (now) Was it raining?
Sit.9 The meeting _____ canceled. We postponed it.
+ not
was-were
Sit.10 Steve arrived home late. We _______ a little worried. Negative statements

5B
Where were all these people at two o’clock yesterday afternoon?
Use the following words to complete the sentences:
in a hotel ~ on the beach ~ at a party ~ in a restaurant ~ in a bank

Bank

1 2 3 4 5
Steve The Smiths Miss. Thomson Laura Ann & David
1. He ______________________________. 4. I __________________________.
2. They ____________________________. 5. We __________________________.
3. She _____________________________. 6. Where were you?

In pairs, use the prompts to ask and answer in past. Choose the write answer.
Student A asks: Student B answers:

(Why/you/late/today?)
__________________________________________?
(Who/you/with?)N4
__________________________________________?
(Where/you/this morning?)
__________________________________________?
(How/breakfast?)
__________________________________________?
(Why/you/in the hospital?)
__________________________________________?
(It/delicious.)
__________________________________________.
(because/I/very sick.)
__________________________________________.
(I/with an old friend.)
__________________________________________.
(I/at home.)
__________________________________________.
(There (be)/ heavy traffic.)
__________________________________________.