Introduction & Warm-up
Today's Objectives
Talk About Past States
Describe how things were in the past
Express Past Time
Use yesterday, last week, ago with was/were
Share Memories
Talk about past experiences and situations
Past "To Be" Warm-up
Click to hear past forms:
🕰️ From Present to Past
You already know "am/is/are" for now. Add "was/were" to talk about the past - how things were before, not how they are now!
Was & Were Forms
Past Forms of "To Be"
In the past, "to be" has only TWO forms: was and were. Much simpler than present tense!
| Subject | Past Form | Example | Time Expression |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | was | I was young | yesterday, last year |
| He / She / It | was | She was here | this morning, ago |
| You / We / They | were | You were right | last week, before |
Easy Memory Rule
WAS (Singular)
WERE (Plural + You)
Negative Forms with Was/Were
Just like present tense, add not after was/were to make negatives:
| Positive | Full Negative | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I was happy | I was not happy | I wasn't happy | I wasn't ready |
| She was here | She was not here | She wasn't here | He wasn't at home |
| They were busy | They were not busy | They weren't busy | We weren't late |
Questions with Was/Were
Move was/were to the front to make questions:
Yes/No Questions
Information Questions
🎯 Key Rule
WAS: I, he, she, it (singular subjects)
WERE: you, we, they (plural subjects + "you")
Remember: "You" is ALWAYS "were" - even for one person!
Common Past Time Expressions
Common Past Situations
Past Locations
Past Feelings & States
Role-Play Scenarios
Sharing Weekend Memories
Scenario: Monday Morning Catch-up
It's Monday morning at work/school. You're talking with a colleague about what happened over the weekend, sharing experiences and memories.
Past Forms Used in Conversation:
Essential Past "To Be" Expressions
Past Personal States
About Past Events
About Other People
Practice
Talking About the Past
Practice using essential past "to be" expressions for both statements and questions!
Share About the Past
Use the phrases below to talk about your past experiences, feelings, and people.
Personal States & Events:
"I was happy yesterday."
"It was a good day."
About Other People:
"He was my teacher."
"They were at the party."
Essential Past "To Be" Expressions
Past Personal States
About Past Events
About Other People
Ask About the Past
Use these question starters to ask about past experiences, events, or people.
Ask a Friend:
"Where were you last night?"
"Was it difficult?"
Essential Past "To Be" Expressions
Past Questions
Quiz
Sequential Quiz: Was & Were Mastery
Test your understanding of past forms of "to be" in all contexts.
I _____ very happy yesterday.
Share your emotional state from yesterday.
They _____ at the concert last night.
Tell where your friends went last night.
_____ you at home when I called?
Ask about someone's location during a phone call.
The movie _____ really boring.
Express your opinion about a movie you watched.
We _____ tired after the long trip.
Describe how you and your friends felt after traveling.
Past Mastery: You can now talk about the past with was/were! Next, you'll learn future forms of "to be" to complete your time travel with this essential verb.