By Vahid Alaghehband
Was and were are the past forms of to be. Use was with I, he, she, it and were with you, we, they: I was tired, They were at home.
When do you use was and when were?
It depends on the subject: was goes with I, he, she, it and singular nouns (the bus was late), and were goes with you, we, they and plural nouns (the buses were late).
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I was | I wasn't | Was I…? |
| he / she / it | she was | she wasn't | Was she…? |
| you | you were | you weren't | Were you…? |
| we / they | they were | they weren't | Were they…? |
There was and there were
Use there was with a singular or uncountable noun and there were with a plural noun: There was a problem. There were many students.
Why do we say "if I were you"?
In conditionals about unreal situations, the traditional form is were with every subject: If I were you, I'd take the job. You'll also hear if I was in conversation, but were is the safer choice in tests and formal writing.
Common mistakes
- They was late ✗ → They were late ✓.
- Did you were at home? ✗ → Were you at home? ✓ (no did with be).
- I was went to Quito ✗ → I went to Quito ✓.
Exercises with answers
- I ___ at home yesterday.
- They ___ very tired after the trip.
- ___ you at the party on Saturday?
- She ___ (not) happy with the result.
- There ___ a lot of people at the concert.
- If I ___ you, I'd study for the test.
Answers: 1. was · 2. were · 3. Were · 4. wasn't · 5. were · 6. were.
Practice the past by speaking
With Vozi Grammar you practice grammar by level, with explanations, examples and conversation by voice or text, and you get corrections of your grammar mistakes at the end.
Explore Vozi Grammar →Read next: the past simple, the past continuous (was/were + -ing) and the irregular verbs list.
Next step: if you don't know your level, take the English level test (about 15 minutes, with instant results). To keep working on this topic, see Vozi Grammar's English grammar exercises by level.
Frequently asked questions
When do you use was and were?
Use was with I, he, she and it, and were with you, we and they. Both are the past of to be: I was tired, they were at home.
Do was and were mean the same?
Yes. Both are the past of to be; only the subject changes.
Is it there was or there were?
There was with a singular or uncountable noun (there was a car) and there were with a plural noun (there were two cars).
Is "if I was you" correct?
It's common in conversation, but if I were you is the more accepted form, especially in tests and formal writing.
How do you ask a question with was or were?
Put was or were before the subject, without did: Was she at school? Were they happy?
