Past simple: was and were

Use was and were to talk about past states, locations and situations with the verb be.

When do we use it?

Make affirmative, negative and question forms with was and were.

Form

Use was with I/he/she/it and were with you/we/they.

• I was tired.
• They were at home.
• Was she busy?
• We were not late.

Key contrast

Look for the subject, noun type, sentence form and time expression before choosing.

Common mistakes

• They was here. → They were here.
• Did she was tired? → Was she tired?

Remember

Use was and were to talk about past states, locations and situations with the verb be.

Quick check

• Read the complete sentence.
• Find the grammar clue.
• Choose the form that fits both meaning and structure.