The document describes how Bob and Mary were younger 50 years ago when Bob was strong but now they are both old and weak. It then provides examples of using the past simple tense of the verb "to be" including forming questions and negatives. It explains how the past simple is used to describe finished actions in the past by stating a specific time. Several examples are given of people and things that were and were not present 100 years ago. The document concludes with examples showing how people and things were different 10 years ago compared to now.

2. Bob is eighty. He’s old and weak.
Mary, his wife is seventy-nine. She’s old, too.

3. Fifty years ago they were young. Bob was strong.
He wasn’t weak. Mary was beautiful. She wasn’t
old.

4. The past simple of the verb “to be” is was & were.
I We
He
was You were
She
They
It

5. • We form questions by putting was/were before
the subject pronoun.
She was ill yesterday. ( + )
Was she ill yesterday? ( ? )
• We form negations by putting not after was/were.
She was not ill yesterday.
She wasn’t ill yesterday.

6. • We use the past simple for actions which
finished at a definite stated time in the past.
That is, we know when the action happened.
I went to Mersin last summer.
My father painted our house yesterday.

7. They were in Berlin last month.
(When? Last month)

8. He was in hospital two
weeks ago.
(When? Two weeks ago)

9. square
John
John was at the square.

10. castle
Mary and Peter
Mary and Peter were at the castle.

11. palace
Jill
Jill was at the palace.

12. souvenir shop
George and Mary
George and Mary were at the souvenir shop.

13. museum
Nina and Rhonda
Nina and Rhonda were at the museum.

14. 1. Were there CDs 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.
2. Were there boats 100 years ago?
Yes, there were.
3. Were there helicopters 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.

15. 4. Were there bowls 100 years ago?
Yes, there were.
5. Were there videos 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.
6. Were there irons 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.

16. 7. Were there washing machines 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.
8. Were there motorcycles 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.
9. Were there cookers 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.

17. 10. Were there TVs 100 years ago?
No, there weren’t.
11. Were there bicycles 100 years ago?
Yes, there were.
12. Were there glasses 100 years ago?
Yes, there were.

18. Where / Lyn / last Tuesday / ?
Where was Lyn last Tuesday?
She was at the supermarket.

19. Where / children / yesterday afternoon / ?
Where were the children yesterday afternoon?
They were at the playground.

20. Where / John / last night / ?
Where was John last night?
He was at the cinema.

21. Where / Kevin and Sally / two days ago / ?
Where were Kevin and Sally two days ago?
They were at the museum.

22. Where / you and your friends / last Saturday / ?
Where were you and your friends last Saturday?
We were at a restaurant.

23. Where / Diane / yesterday / at noon?
Where was Diane yesterday at noon?
She was at a train station.

24. Lisa / actress
Lisa wasn’t an actress ten years ago.
She was a singer.

25. Betty and Tom / poor
Betty and Tom weren’t poor ten years ago.
They were rich.

26. Bob / fat
Bob wasn’t fat ten years ago.
He was thin.

27. Tina and Allison / doctors
Tina and Allison weren’t doctors ten years ago.
They were students.

28. Ted / in Italy
Ted wasn’t in Italy ten years ago.
He was in Spain.