Past Simple
Lesson 4 of 7 · ~5 minutes

Lesson 4 · Past Simple

was / were

was / were

In the past, am / is / are become was and were. It's the only verb in the course with its own rules.

Two forms

Present

I am
he / she / it is
you / we / they are

Past

I was
he / she / it was
you / we / they were
Present
Past
I am
I was
he / she / it is
he / she / it was
you / we / they are
you / we / they were

I was at home yesterday.

They were late again.

Negative and question

did doesn't go with be. The negative is wasn't / weren't; in a question the form moves to the front: Was she …? / Were you …?

Statement

She was here.
They were ready.

Negative

She wasn't here.
They weren't ready.

Question

Was she here?
Were they ready?
Statement
Negative
Question
She was here.
She wasn't here.
Was she here?
They were ready.
They weren't ready.
Were they ready?

It wasn't easy.

Where people usually slip

Not didn't be and not Did you were — the past is already inside the form of be: She wasn't here., Were you at home?

did is for ordinary verbs, which have no question form of their own.

In short

  • I / he / she / itwas
  • you / we / theywere
  • negativewasn't / weren't, no did
  • questionWas she … ? / Were you … ?
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