WAS / WERE

SIMPLE PAST
Last night Now

Now Arthur is at work.

At midnight last night, he wasn´t at work.
He was in bed.
He was asleep.
Am/ is (present) Was (past)

 I´m tired (now) I was tired last night.

 Where is Beth? (now) Where was Beth yesterday?
 The weather is nice today. The weather was nice last week.
Are (present)
Were (past)

You are late (now) You were late yesterday.

They aren´t here (now) They weren´t here last Sunday.

Positive Negative Interrogative

I I I?
He He He?
She WAS She WAS NOT WAS she?
It It It?

We we We?
You WERE you WERE NOT WERE you?
They they they?

 Last year Amy was 22, now she´s 23.

 When I was a child, I was afraid of dogs.
 We were hungry after the trip, but we weren´t tired.
 The hotel was uncomfortable, but it wasn´t expensive.
 Was the weather nice when you were on vacation?
Those shoes are nice. Were they expensive?
Why were you late this morning?

Short answers:
Yes, I/ he/ she/ it was No, I/ he/ she/ it wasn´t
We / you/ they were we/ you/ they weren´t

 «Were you late?» «No, I wasn´t»

 «Was Scott at work yesterday?» «Yes, he was»
 «Were Ann and John at the party?» «No, they weren´t»

Worked, got, went, etc. (Simple past)

They watch tv every night. (simple present)

They watched tv last night. (simple past)
Watched is the simple past.
I/ he/ she/ it/ we/ you/ the watched
The simple past is often –ed (regular verbs) for example:
o I brush my teeth every morning. This morning I brushed my teeth.
o Terry worked in a bank from 1990 to 1999.
o Yesterday, it rained all morning. It stopped at lunchtime.
We enjoyed the party last night. We danced a lot and talked to a lot of
people.
The party ended at midnight.

o We did a lot of work yesterday.

o I usually get up early, but this morning I got up at 9.30.
o Caroline went to the movies three times last week.

I didn´t…. Did you....?

We use did in simple past negatives and questions.

Base form Positive Negative Question

Play I played I play I play?
Start I started I didn´t start did I start?
Watch he watched he watch he watch?

Do/ does (present did (past)

I don´t watch tv very often I didn´t watch tv yesterday.
Does she go out often? Did she go out often?
We use did/ didn´t + base form (watch/ play/ go, etc.
Positive negative
I watched I didn´t watch
He had he didn´t have
They went did they go?
You did did you do?

 I played tennis yesterday, but I didn´t win.

 «Did you do your homework?» «No, I didn´t have time»
 We went to the movies, but we didn´t enjoy the film.

Study the word order in questions:

Did + subject + base form

Did your sister call you?
What did you do last night?
Where did your parents go for vacations?

Short answers:
«Did you see Joe yesterday?» «No, I didn´t.
«Did it rain on Sunday?» «Yes, it did»
«Did Helen come to the party?» «No, she didn´t»
«Did your parents have a good trip?» «Yes, they did»