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General English · A1

Was and were: past simple of be

Describe past places, people and feelings.

What you will learn

  • Choose was or were for the subject.
  • Make negatives, questions and short answers.
  • Use past-time expressions and was/were born.

O‘tgan zamondagi joy yoki holat uchun am/is o‘rniga was, are o‘rniga were ishlatiladi: I am tired → I was tired.

Was and were are past forms of be. Use was with I, he, she and it; use were with you, we and they. They describe a past state, identity or location. Add not for a negative. Put was/were before the subject for a question. Do not add did.

Grammar Tables

On small screens, swipe tables sideways.

Present → past
SubjectPresentPast
Iamwas
he / she / itiswas
you / we / theyarewere
Forms
AffirmativeNegativeQuestion
I was late.I was not late. / I wasn’t late.Was I late?
She was here.She wasn’t here.Was she here?
You were busy.You were not busy. / You weren’t busy.Were you busy?
They were happy.They weren’t happy.Were they happy?
Short answers
QuestionYesNo
Were you tired?Yes, I was.No, I wasn’t.
Was he here?Yes, he was.No, he wasn’t.
Were they cold?Yes, they were.No, they weren’t.
Was I right?Yes, you were.No, you weren’t.

Examples

Location

I was in the library yesterday afternoon.

Kecha tushdan keyin kutubxonada edim.

Condition

The soup was cold, but the bread was warm.

Sho‘rva sovuq edi, lekin non iliq edi.

Negative

We weren’t at school last Friday.

O‘tgan juma kuni maktabda emas edik.

Question

Where were your parents last night?

Kecha kechqurun ota-onangiz qayerda edi?

Was born

My grandfather was born in 1958.

Bobom 1958-yilda tug‘ilgan.

Common Mistakes

Avoid: You was tired.

Use: You were tired.

You takes were, even for one person.

Avoid: Did she was at home?

Use: Was she at home?

Past be makes a question without did.

Avoid: They didn’t be late.

Use: They weren’t late.

Use were not for a past state with they.

Avoid: I were born in May.

Use: I was born in May.

I takes was in was born too.

Practice & Feedback

Practise freely. Scores stay on this page only and reset when you leave or reload. Feedback appears after checking each exercise.

1 · Was or were?

Choose the answer that fits the meaning and grammar.

1. I ___ very busy yesterday.
2. You ___ the first person here yesterday.
3. The shops ___ closed last Sunday.
4. The train ___ late this morning. It arrived at ten.
5. My sister ___ ill last week.
6. We ___ in the same class two years ago.
7. Ali and Umar ___ at the match yesterday.
8. The weather ___ sunny yesterday.
9. My uncle ___ a driver before he retired.
10. The children ___ hungry after the walk.

Answer every question to check this exercise.

2 · Negatives and questions

Type only the missing word or words. Read the clue carefully.

1. She ___ at the party. (was not: contraction)
2. We ___ ready. (were not: contraction)
3. ___ your room warm last night? (be: past)
4. ___ your friends here yesterday? (be: past)
5. Were you happy? Yes, I ___.
6. Was he late? No, he ___. (contraction)
7. Where ___ you born? (be: past)
8. My mother ___ born in Bukhara. (be: past)
9. Why ___ the windows open last night? (be: past)
10. Was I too early? Yes, you ___.

Answer every question to check this exercise.

3 · Talk about the past

Choose the answer that fits the meaning and grammar.

1. Choose the correct question / To‘g‘ri savol.
2. Choose the correct negative / To‘g‘ri inkor.
3. Were your parents tired? Give a positive reply / Tasdiq javob.
4. Change to yesterday / Kecha haqida: I am at work.
5. Change to last week / O‘tgan hafta: We are away.
6. Ask about birth / Tug‘ilgan joyni so‘rang.
7. Choose the correct sentence / To‘g‘ri gap.
8. Was the café open? Give a negative reply / Inkor javob.
9. Choose the correct word order / To‘g‘ri tartib.
10. Choose the full negative / To‘liq inkor.

Answer every question to check this exercise.

Review

  • I/he/she/it → was. You/we/they → were.
  • Negatives add not; questions move was/were before the subject.
  • Describe where you were yesterday and how you felt.
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