Was or were? The past of am, is and are
Short answer: Was and were are the past of am, is and are. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they. They tell how things were or where people were before now: She was at home yesterday. We were hungry. For a negative use wasn’t or weren’t. For a question, put Was or Were first.
▶ Open the rule card · ✏️ Practice this rule
At a glance
| Subject | Past of be | Negative | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I, he, she, it | was | wasn’t | She was at home. |
| you, we, they | were | weren’t | They were happy. |
| question | Was / Were + subject...? | — | Were you at home? |
In short
- was: I, he, she, it. were: you, we, they.
- was and were are for before now.
- Questions: Were you ...? Negatives: wasn't, weren't.
What is the rule for “Past: was and were”?
The rule
was and were are the past of am, is and are.
How it looks
I / he / she / it + was · you / we / they + were
What it means
They tell how things were or where people were before now.
When to use it
Use them for yesterday, last week and other times before now.
How it works
- Is it about a time before now? Yesterday, last week, in 2010, an hour ago?
- Choose was for I, he, she, it. Choose were for you, we, they.
- Make a negative with not: was not, were not. In speech: wasn’t, weren’t.
- Make a question by moving was or were to the front.
Examples of “Past: was and were”
- She was at home yesterday.
she + was. - We were hungry.
we + were. - Were you at home?
Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't. - We weren't at school.
weren't = were not. - I was tired last night.
I goes with was. - The shops were closed.
Many shops: were. - Was your brother at school?
Question: Was + subject. Short answer: Yes, he was. - There were many people there.
there were + plural.
Common mistakes with “Past: was and were”
Yesterday I am sick.→ Yesterday I was sick.
For before now use was.They was at the zoo.→ They were at the zoo.
they goes with were.We was happy.→ We were happy.
we goes with were.He were late.→ He was late.
he goes with was.You was right.→ You were right.
you always goes with were.
Exceptions: watch out
- wasn't, weren't
wasn't = was not. weren't = were not.
Was / were and did
Be is special in the past. It does not use did. Other verbs use the past form or did.
| Verb | Past | Question |
|---|---|---|
| be | I was ill. | Was I ill? |
| other verbs | I played. | Did I play? |
See also: Past simple: regular -ed
Check yourself
- Fill the gap: “They ___ at the zoo.”
Show the answer
were they takes were.
- Fill the gap: “I ___ ill yesterday.”
Show the answer
was I takes was.
- Make it negative: “We were late.”
Show the answer
We weren’t late. were + not = weren’t.
How to practice “Past: was and were”
The interactive version adds step-by-step help, spoken instructions and a quick check. One rule card, one sound lesson and the first lesson of every stone are free to try; the rest is part of Full Access. See Full Access.
- Practice lesson: Past: was and were
Questions
Is “you was” ever correct?
In some dialects, yes, but in standard English use you were.
What about “if I were you”?
In careful English, were is used for unreal situations: If I were you, I would go. It is a later topic.
What is the past of “there is”?
There was for one thing and there were for many.
More Connecting Ideas rules
- Joining words: and, but, or, so: and, but, or and so join two ideas of the same kind.
- because: giving reasons: because gives the reason. It answers the question Why?
- there is / there are: there is tells that one thing is in a place. there are tells that many things are in a place.
- Past simple: regular -ed: To talk about the past, most action words add -ed. It is the same for every person.
- Past simple: irregular verbs and did: Some action words have a special past form. After did or didn't, use the plain action word.
- Comparing two things: -er and more … than: To compare two things, short words add -er and we say than. Long words use more … than.
Used in these writing topics
Part of the 📘 Grammar tool. Level G3: Connecting Ideas. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30