The document provides examples of affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms of the past tense of the verb "to be" in statements and questions. It gives the forms for the first, second, third person singular and plural (I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they). It then provides short answer responses to yes/no questions and examples of using the past tense of "to be" to talk about jobs, places, people/things, age, weather, and time. It concludes with exercises changing sentences to different forms and matching questions to answers. The document focuses on teaching English grammar concepts around using the past tense of the verb "to be".

1. AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
I was I was not I wasn’t Was I?
You were You were not You weren’t Were you?
He was He was not He wasn’t Was he?
She was She was not She wasn’t Was she?
It was It was not It wasn’t Was it?
We were We were not We weren’t Were we?
You were You were not You weren’t Were you?
They were They were not They weren’t Were they?
SHORT ANSWERS We use the Past Tense of to be:
for jobs.
Shakespeare was a famous writer.
Complete the sentences with was, were,
for places.
Yes, I was No, I wasn’t wasn’t, in Madrid last week.
She was weren’t.
Yes, you were No, you weren’t to describe people, animals and things.
Yes, he was No, he wasn’t The bus was red.
Yes, she was No, she wasn’t to talk about age.
I couldn’t sleep last night because my neighbours
Yes, it was No, it wasn’t
I was two when my sister was born.
Yes, we were No, we weren’t ________ very noisy.
to talk about the weather and the time.
Yes, you were No, you weren’t
Carla ________ very hot yesterday.
It was very happy yesterday because it
Yes, they were No, they weren’t It was 5.30 when she arrived.
________ her birthday and got a lot of presents.
The weather ________ good last week. It was terrible!
Past time expressions used with was and were are: Andy ________ very tired after a hard day at work.
yesterday (yesterday morning...)
ago (an hour ago, two months ago...)
I went to your house yesterday, but you ________
last (last night, last week, last summer...)
Change these sentences into the in 1980 Where ________ you?
there.
affirmative, negative or interrogative
form. A lot of people ________ at the meeting on Monday
evening.
 The children were excited about the excursion. Kim ________ in hospital a week ago. She had a
 broken leg.
Complete the sentences with was or Complete the sentences with wasn’t or
_____________________________________
were. Mark ________ happy on his first day at school. He
weren’t.
cried a lot.
?
My friends ________ at the party last Saturday.
Tom’s grandparents ________ from Italy, so he could
Peter ________ here three days ago.
speak Italian very good.
I ________ very bored last night.
_____________________________________ The hotel room ________ very big.
David and Ana ________ at home on Saturday. They
They ________ late this morning.
 _____________________________________ They ________ happy when they heard the
went out with their friends.
Where ________ you on Friday a very good singer.
 My grandmother wasn’t evening? news.
Karen ________ at the gym yesterday morning. She
Harry’s house ________ warm and cosy. I ________ well last week.
was running in the park.
?
The cat ________ at the top of the tree. Pam and Fredo’clock when with their friends
It ________ 7 ________ I arrived home.
The teacher and the students ________ at the My yesterday. ________ born 5 years ago.
twin brothers
_____________________________________
museum yesterday. Mozart and Beethoven ________ weekend.
You ________ at the pub last painters. They
 _____________________________________
My father ________ at home at lunchtime. ________ famous composers.
My boss ________ very friendly to me.
 The exam ________ easy, so I failed it.
________ Peter busy yesterday afternoon? The mice ________ in the kitchen.
_____________________________________
I ________ twenty-five when I started working.
Sarah and Tony ________ in London last July. The meal of the restaurant ________ very good.
? Were my friends and I at the mountains on The kids ________ hungry and they didn’t finish their
We ________ in Rome in June.
Saturday? dinner.
 I was afraid of the dark when I was a child.


2. ?
_____________________________________
 _____________________________________

_____________________________________
? Was it sunny last weekend?
Make questions with the following words Write these questions in the correct
and was or were. Then look at the order, then match them with the
pictures and give short answers. For the answers.
negative ones, write the correct answer.
1. it / cold / last winter / ? job / was / what / Peter’s / ?
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
_____________________________________ were / where / from / your grandparents / ?
2. Louis / asleep / at 2 o’clock / in the morning / ? ______________________________________
_____________________________________ your parents / how old / when they got married / were
_____________________________________ /?
3. Brad and Vicky / late for school / this morning /to
Write the words in the correct order ? ______________________________________
make sentences.
_____________________________________ was / Andy’s birthday / when / ?
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
at school / Mrs. Jones / my teacher / was sad / the children / why / were / ?
4. the lion / in the jungle / last week / ?
_______________________________________ ______________________________________
_____________________________________
in bed / yesterday / weren’t / at eight o’clock / the
_____________________________________ the weather / like / what / yesterday / was / ?
kids
5. your uncle and aunt / well / yesterday / ? ______________________________________
_______________________________________
_____________________________________ was / when / your science exam / ?
you / this morning / hungry / were / ?
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
_______________________________________
6. was (sing.) / at theat university
you / I / in 1990 / cinema / yesterday night / ? you / where / were / yesterday morning / ?
_____________________________________ ______________________________________
Correct the
_______________________________________ mistakes.
_____________________________________
last Sunday / were / Robert and Paula / at the
7. church / dressed up / last Halloween / ?
Andrew a. It was on 4th May.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________ b. 4He was a you last year?
1 3 How old was waiter.
wasn’t / the shop assistant / to us / very
_____________________________________ It was very cold and windy.5
c. ______________________________________
8. friendly / tired 2 after the party / ?
you (pl.) / These nurses wasweren’t with their friends.
d. Because they very helpful.
_______________________________________
_____________________________________ e. ______________________________________
It was yesterday, and it was very difficult.
Mark / worried / was / about the exam / ?
_____________________________________ I weren’t at home yesterday.
f. They were from Germany.
______________________________________
9. _______________________________________
Melissa / at work / last week / ? g. We were at the shopping centre all morning.
Angela born in 1980.
in the bedroom / the dogs / Tom / with /
6
_____________________________________ h. My father9 10
was twenty-nine and my mother was
8 ______________________________________
were 7
_____________________________________ Thetwenty-six. was busy?
restaurant
10. _______________________________________
Charles and Elisabeth / at home / for dinner / ? ______________________________________
_____________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
_____________________________________

3. ANSWER KEY

4. 1. The children weren’t excited about the excursion.
1. were 1. wasn’t
Were the children excited about the excursion?
1 2. was 2 2. wasn’t 3
3. were 3. weren’t 2. My grandmother was a very good singer.
4. were 4. wasn’t Was my grandmother a very good singer?
5. was 5. weren’t
3. My friends and I were at the mountains on Saturday.
6. was 6. weren’t
My friends and I weren’t at the mountains on
7. were 7. wasn’t
Saturday.
8. was 8. weren’t
9. Was 9. wasn’t 4. I wasn’t afraid of the dark when I was a child.
10. were 10. weren’t Was I afraid of the dark when I was a child?
5. It was sunny last weekend.
It wasn’t sunny last weekend.
1. were
4 2. was, was
3. wasn’t 1. Mrs. Jones was my teacher at school.
4. was 5 2. The kids weren’t in bed at eight o’clock yesterday.
5. weren’t, were 3. Were you hungry this morning?
6. were 4. I was at university in 1990
7. was 5. Robert and Paula were at the church last Sunday.
8. wasn’t 6. The shop assistant wasn’t very friendly to us.
7. Was Mark worried about the exam?
9. were
8. The dogs were in the bedroom with Tom.
10. weren’t
11. wasn’t
12. was
13. were
14. weren’t, were
15. wasn’t
16. was 1. How old were you last year?
17. weren’t
6 2. These nurses were very helpful.
3. I wasn’t at home yesterday.
4. Angela was born in 1980.
5. Was the restaurant busy?
7
1. Was it cold last winter?
Yes, it was. 8
2. Was Louis asleep at 2 o’clock in the morning?
No, he wasn’t. He was awake. What was Peter’s job?
3. Were Brad and Vicky late for school this morning? Where were your grandparents from?
Yes, they were. How old were your parents when they got
4. Was the lion in the jungle last week? married?
No, it wasn’t. It was at the circus. When was Andy’s birthday?
5. Were your uncle and aunt well yesterday? Why were the children sad?
No, they weren’t. They were ill. What was the weather like yesterday?
6. Were you at the cinema yesterday night? When was your science exam?
No, I wasn’t. I was at home. Where were you yesterday morning?
7. Was Andrew dressed up last Halloween?
Yes, he was.
8. Were you tired after the party? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yes, we were.
9. Was Melissa at work last week? b f h a d c e g
No, she wasn’t. She was at the beach / on holiday.
10. Were Charles and Elisabeth at home for dinner?
No, they weren’t. They were at a restaurant.

5. 1. The children weren’t excited about the excursion.
1. were 1. wasn’t
Were the children excited about the excursion?
1 2. was 2 2. wasn’t 3
3. were 3. weren’t 2. My grandmother was a very good singer.
4. were 4. wasn’t Was my grandmother a very good singer?
5. was 5. weren’t
3. My friends and I were at the mountains on Saturday.
6. was 6. weren’t
My friends and I weren’t at the mountains on
7. were 7. wasn’t
Saturday.
8. was 8. weren’t
9. Was 9. wasn’t 4. I wasn’t afraid of the dark when I was a child.
10. were 10. weren’t Was I afraid of the dark when I was a child?
5. It was sunny last weekend.
It wasn’t sunny last weekend.
1. were
4 2. was, was
3. wasn’t 1. Mrs. Jones was my teacher at school.
4. was 5 2. The kids weren’t in bed at eight o’clock yesterday.
5. weren’t, were 3. Were you hungry this morning?
6. were 4. I was at university in 1990
7. was 5. Robert and Paula were at the church last Sunday.
8. wasn’t 6. The shop assistant wasn’t very friendly to us.
7. Was Mark worried about the exam?
9. were
8. The dogs were in the bedroom with Tom.
10. weren’t
11. wasn’t
12. was
13. were
14. weren’t, were
15. wasn’t
16. was 1. How old were you last year?
17. weren’t
6 2. These nurses were very helpful.
3. I wasn’t at home yesterday.
4. Angela was born in 1980.
5. Was the restaurant busy?
7
1. Was it cold last winter?
Yes, it was. 8
2. Was Louis asleep at 2 o’clock in the morning?
No, he wasn’t. He was awake. What was Peter’s job?
3. Were Brad and Vicky late for school this morning? Where were your grandparents from?
Yes, they were. How old were your parents when they got
4. Was the lion in the jungle last week? married?
No, it wasn’t. It was at the circus. When was Andy’s birthday?
5. Were your uncle and aunt well yesterday? Why were the children sad?
No, they weren’t. They were ill. What was the weather like yesterday?
6. Were you at the cinema yesterday night? When was your science exam?
No, I wasn’t. I was at home. Where were you yesterday morning?
7. Was Andrew dressed up last Halloween?
Yes, he was.
8. Were you tired after the party? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yes, we were.
9. Was Melissa at work last week? b f h a d c e g
No, she wasn’t. She was at the beach / on holiday.
10. Were Charles and Elisabeth at home for dinner?
No, they weren’t. They were at a restaurant.

6. 1. The children weren’t excited about the excursion.
1. were 1. wasn’t
Were the children excited about the excursion?
1 2. was 2 2. wasn’t 3
3. were 3. weren’t 2. My grandmother was a very good singer.
4. were 4. wasn’t Was my grandmother a very good singer?
5. was 5. weren’t
3. My friends and I were at the mountains on Saturday.
6. was 6. weren’t
My friends and I weren’t at the mountains on
7. were 7. wasn’t
Saturday.
8. was 8. weren’t
9. Was 9. wasn’t 4. I wasn’t afraid of the dark when I was a child.
10. were 10. weren’t Was I afraid of the dark when I was a child?
5. It was sunny last weekend.
It wasn’t sunny last weekend.
1. were
4 2. was, was
3. wasn’t 1. Mrs. Jones was my teacher at school.
4. was 5 2. The kids weren’t in bed at eight o’clock yesterday.
5. weren’t, were 3. Were you hungry this morning?
6. were 4. I was at university in 1990
7. was 5. Robert and Paula were at the church last Sunday.
8. wasn’t 6. The shop assistant wasn’t very friendly to us.
7. Was Mark worried about the exam?
9. were
8. The dogs were in the bedroom with Tom.
10. weren’t
11. wasn’t
12. was
13. were
14. weren’t, were
15. wasn’t
16. was 1. How old were you last year?
17. weren’t
6 2. These nurses were very helpful.
3. I wasn’t at home yesterday.
4. Angela was born in 1980.
5. Was the restaurant busy?
7
1. Was it cold last winter?
Yes, it was. 8
2. Was Louis asleep at 2 o’clock in the morning?
No, he wasn’t. He was awake. What was Peter’s job?
3. Were Brad and Vicky late for school this morning? Where were your grandparents from?
Yes, they were. How old were your parents when they got
4. Was the lion in the jungle last week? married?
No, it wasn’t. It was at the circus. When was Andy’s birthday?
5. Were your uncle and aunt well yesterday? Why were the children sad?
No, they weren’t. They were ill. What was the weather like yesterday?
6. Were you at the cinema yesterday night? When was your science exam?
No, I wasn’t. I was at home. Where were you yesterday morning?
7. Was Andrew dressed up last Halloween?
Yes, he was.
8. Were you tired after the party? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yes, we were.
9. Was Melissa at work last week? b f h a d c e g
No, she wasn’t. She was at the beach / on holiday.
10. Were Charles and Elisabeth at home for dinner?
No, they weren’t. They were at a restaurant.

7. 1. The children weren’t excited about the excursion.
1. were 1. wasn’t
Were the children excited about the excursion?
1 2. was 2 2. wasn’t 3
3. were 3. weren’t 2. My grandmother was a very good singer.
4. were 4. wasn’t Was my grandmother a very good singer?
5. was 5. weren’t
3. My friends and I were at the mountains on Saturday.
6. was 6. weren’t
My friends and I weren’t at the mountains on
7. were 7. wasn’t
Saturday.
8. was 8. weren’t
9. Was 9. wasn’t 4. I wasn’t afraid of the dark when I was a child.
10. were 10. weren’t Was I afraid of the dark when I was a child?
5. It was sunny last weekend.
It wasn’t sunny last weekend.
1. were
4 2. was, was
3. wasn’t 1. Mrs. Jones was my teacher at school.
4. was 5 2. The kids weren’t in bed at eight o’clock yesterday.
5. weren’t, were 3. Were you hungry this morning?
6. were 4. I was at university in 1990
7. was 5. Robert and Paula were at the church last Sunday.
8. wasn’t 6. The shop assistant wasn’t very friendly to us.
7. Was Mark worried about the exam?
9. were
8. The dogs were in the bedroom with Tom.
10. weren’t
11. wasn’t
12. was
13. were
14. weren’t, were
15. wasn’t
16. was 1. How old were you last year?
17. weren’t
6 2. These nurses were very helpful.
3. I wasn’t at home yesterday.
4. Angela was born in 1980.
5. Was the restaurant busy?
7
1. Was it cold last winter?
Yes, it was. 8
2. Was Louis asleep at 2 o’clock in the morning?
No, he wasn’t. He was awake. What was Peter’s job?
3. Were Brad and Vicky late for school this morning? Where were your grandparents from?
Yes, they were. How old were your parents when they got
4. Was the lion in the jungle last week? married?
No, it wasn’t. It was at the circus. When was Andy’s birthday?
5. Were your uncle and aunt well yesterday? Why were the children sad?
No, they weren’t. They were ill. What was the weather like yesterday?
6. Were you at the cinema yesterday night? When was your science exam?
No, I wasn’t. I was at home. Where were you yesterday morning?
7. Was Andrew dressed up last Halloween?
Yes, he was.
8. Were you tired after the party? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Yes, we were.
9. Was Melissa at work last week? b f h a d c e g
No, she wasn’t. She was at the beach / on holiday.
10. Were Charles and Elisabeth at home for dinner?
No, they weren’t. They were at a restaurant.