the past tense of the verb be

1. BE VERB:
Past Simple

2. The Past Tense of the
Verb Be
The past tense of the verb BE has two
forms: was & were. The negative
forms are was not & were not, and
the contractions wasn´t & weren´t.

3. Affirmative Statements
I was a student.
You were in Santa M arta.
He was in the of f ice yesterday.
She was in the school yesterday.
It was cold last night.
We were very busy last week.
You were at the university yesterday.
They were in the school last month.
Bill was tired yesterday.
The students were late in class yesterday.
M ary and Luisa were in the school last week.
Negative Statements
I wasn’t a student.
You weren’t in Santa M arta.
He wasn’t in the of f ice yesterday.
She wasn’t in the school yesterday.
It wasn’t cold last night.
We weren’t very busy last week.
You weren’t at the university yesterday.
They weren’t in the school last month.
Bill wasn’t tired yesterday.
The students weren’t late in class yesterday.
M ary and Luisa weren’t in the school last week

4. QUESTIONS ANSWERS
Affirmative Negative
Were you early in class yesterday? Yes, I was No, I wasn’t
Was he in the office yesterday? Yes, he was No, he wasn’t
Was she tired yesterday? Yes, she was No, she wasn’t
Were you late in class yesterday? Yes, we were No, we weren’t
Were they very busy last night? Yes, they were No, they weren’t
Was M r. Brooks in the office this morning? Yes, he was No, he wasn’t
Was my mother tired yesterday? Yes, she was No, she wasn’t
Were the students late in the school yesterday? Yes, they were No, they weren’t

5. PRACTICE
 Choose t he correct answer in parent hesis. See t he example.
0. We __were__ in t he school f ive years ago (was,were)
0. She _was_ at school yest erday. (were, was)
1. You __________ a st udent f if t een years ago (was, were)
2. We __________ singers (was,were)
3. I __________ a t eacher t wo years ago (was,were)
4. They __________ f riends (was,were)
5. It _______ warm last night (was,were)