beginner

Past Simple: Be-Verb (was/were)

Learn how to describe past states and identities using was and were.

To talk about states or identities in the past, we use the past tense of the Be-verb: was (singular) and were (plural).

I was a student.

For plural subjects like they or we:

They were students.

Practice

Follow along with these examples to strengthen your understanding.

Were you a student?

I was a student.

Were they teachers?

They were teachers.

Was the tea hot?

The tea was hot.

Was the water cold?

The water was cold.

Trace your learning progress and get real-time feedback with interactive exercises.

Past Simple: Be-Verb (was/were) | Ringoo