This document provides instruction on using the simple past form of the verb "to be" in English. It explains that the simple past of "am/is/are" is "was/were" and gives examples of how to use these forms affirmatively, negatively, and interrogatively. Examples are provided to demonstrate using was/were with time expressions in the past. An exercise is included for the learner to practice forming sentences in the simple past with was and were. Answers to the exercise are also provided.

1. SIMPLE PAST: BE
Made by Brenda Garcia.

2. SIMPLE PAST: BE
• Present to past:
Am/ is was are were
• Use was/ were to talk about the past.
• You can use the simple past of Be with these past time
expressions:
- This morning. - Last week. - Last weekend.
- Yesterday. - Last month.
- Last night. - Last year.

3. SIMPLE PAST: BE
AFFIRMATIVE
• I was in Calima lake last weekend.
• You were a baker.
• He was at home last night.
• She was my brother’s teacher at
school.
• It was hot last week.
• We were in a meeting.
• You were at the airport yesterday.
• They were at work.
NEGATIVE
• I wasn’t in Bogotá last weekend.
• You weren’t a teacher.
• He wasn’t in Factoria park last night.
• She wasn’t my brother’s classmate at
school.
• It wasn’t cold last week.
• We weren’t in a meeting.
• You weren’t at the airport yesterday.
• They weren’t at work.
(wasn’t = was not) (weren’t = were not)

4. SIMPLE PAST: BE
INTERROGATIVE: YES/NO
QUESTIONS
?
Were you late? Yes, I was. No, I wasn’t.
Was she an actress? Yes, she was No, she wasn’t
Were they in Cartagena
last week?
Yes, they
were.
No, they
weren’t.
INTERROGATIVE: WORD
QUESTIONS
• When were you born?
I was born in 1982.
• Where was Camilo last weekend?
He was in Candelaria.
• Who was your best friend at
school?
My best friend was Carla Lopez.

5. EXERCISES
Write the sentences with was and were. Look at the example:
We/ at home last night (-) We weren’t at home last night.
1. /you at school yesterday (?) _____________________________
2. Julia/ in the meeting (-) _____________________________
3. We/ on a plane yesterday morning (+) _____________________________
4. Where/ you last Saturday night (?) _____________________________
5. /they in class last week (?) _____________________________
6. Sam/ very happy last night (-) _____________________________
7. It/a terrible movie (+) _____________________________

6. ANSWERS
Write the sentences with was and were. Look at the example:
We/ at home last night (-) We weren’t at home last night.
1. /you at school yesterday (?) Were you at school yesterday?
2. Julia/ in the meeting (-) Julia wasn’t in the meeting.
3. We/ on a plane yesterday morning (+) We were on a plane yesterday …
4. Where/ you last Saturday night (?) Where were you last Saturday…
5. /they in class last week (?) Were they in class last week?
6. Sam/ very happy last night (-) Sam wasn’t very happy last night.
7. It/a terrible movie (+) It was a terrible movie.

7. COMPLETE THE DIALOGUES WITH
WAS, WASN’T, WERE, OR WEREN’T
A. Where ______ you last night?
B. I ______ at work all evening.
A. No, you _____. You _____ at the
movies!
B. No, I ______!
_________________________________
A. ________ you in Orlando
yesterday?
B. No, we _______. We _____ in
Miami.
A. _____ Gloria Estefan a teacher?
B. No, she ______. She ______ a
translator.
_________________________________
A. ________ the movie good?
B. No, it ______. It _____ very slow!

8. ANSWERS
A. Where were you last night?
B. I was at work all evening.
A. No, you weren’t. You were at the
movies!
B. No, I wasn’t !
_________________________________
A. Were you in Orlando yesterday?
B. No, we weren’t. We were in
Miami.
A. Was Gloria Estefan a teacher?
B. No, she wasn’t. She was a
translator.
_________________________________
A. Was the movie good?
B. No, it wasn’t. It was very slow!