Common mistakes
Was or were: choose the past form of be
You are talking about yesterday. Do you need I was, you were, or they were?
Start with the subject to choose was or were. Then practice negatives and questions.
Try what you have learned
Listen to a recording, type what you hear, and check your answer.
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was or were wuz-er-WER
Listen for the quick w sound in was or were. The vowel often drops to a short uh.
The short answer
Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they.
She was at work, but they were at home.
Why it works: She takes was, while they takes were.
4 more examples
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Arriving at the station
I was late for the morning train.
Use was with I for an ordinary past statement.
Not this:I
werelate for the morning train. What changes: This does not match standard past agreement with I in this statement. -
Thanking a friend
You were very kind to my sister.
Use were with you for one person or more.
Not this:You
wasvery kind to my sister. What changes: Use you were for standard past agreement in this sentence. -
Moving into a new home
They were happy with the new flat.
They takes were, whether it refers to one person or a group.
Not this:They
washappy with the new flat. What changes: The subject and verb do not match. -
Giving advice to a coworker
If I were you, I'd take the job.
If I were you is the usual advice pattern and works in formal writing.
Not this:If I
wasyou, I'd take the job. What changes: Was also occurs in informal English. Were is the usual choice for this advice phrase and formal writing.
Quick check
Which sentence is correct for two people in the past?
Answer: Tom and Emma were at the park.
Show the answer
Answer: Tom and Emma were at the park.
Two people make a plural subject, so choose were.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseYou want to describe where someone was yesterday. Start with the subject, then choose the matching form of be.
Match the person to the word
The problem: I know the rule but I still choose the wrong form when I speak.
Start by finding the subject. I was and they were follow different patterns. For a pronoun (a word like you), check the word itself. Counting people is not enough.
-
Not this:
You was great on stage yesterday.Say: You were great on stage yesterday.
You takes were in this standard past statement.
| Subject | Past form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I, he, she, or it | was | She was tired. |
| We or they | were | They were late. |
| You (one or many) | were | You were right. |
| Jack and Sara | were | Jack and Sara were ready. |
| One thing | was | The room was quiet. |
Your turn
Which sentence is correct for your boss and your colleague?
Answer: They were in the meeting room.
Show the answer
Answer: They were in the meeting room.
They takes were in this past statement.
Make negatives and ask questions
The problem: I am unsure where to put not or how to start a question.
Add not to was or were to make a negative. The short forms are wasn't and weren't. For yes-or-no questions, put the verb before the subject.
-
She wasn't at work yesterday.
Why it works: Short form of was not.
-
Were you at the party last night?
Why it works: Were comes before you in this question.
The verb comes after the subject.
You were at home.
Was or were comes before the subject.
Were you at home?
Your turn
Complete the sentence with the correct negative form.
Answer: We weren't ready for the cold weather yesterday.
Show the answer
Answer: weren't
We takes were, so the negative is weren't.
Give advice with unreal conditions
The problem: I heard someone say If I were you and thought it was wrong because I normally takes was.
When you imagine being your friend, use if I were you to give advice. This is about an imagined situation now, not an event in the past.
-
If I were you, I'd call the doctor.
Why it works: Use were because you are not that person.
-
I wish it were warmer outside today.
Why it works: Were is a standard choice for this present wish. Was also occurs.
Something that actually happened.
I was at the clinic on Monday.
Something the speaker imagines now.
If I were the doctor, I'd help.
Your turn
Choose the usual if I were you advice pattern for formal writing.
Answer: If I were you, I'd buy the green one.
Show the answer
Answer: If I were you, I'd buy the green one.
If I were you is the standard advice pattern taught here. Was also occurs in informal speech.
Use there was and there were
The problem: I put there was before every noun, including plural nouns.
Look at the noun after there was or there were. Use was before a singular noun or an uncountable noun such as water. Use were before a plural noun.
-
Not this:
There was two cars outside our house.Say: There were two cars outside our house.
Two cars is plural, so it needs there were.
-
There was a dog in the yard.
Why it works: A dog is one animal.
-
There were three dogs in the yard.
Why it works: Three dogs is more than one.
-
There was some water on the floor.
Why it works: Water is uncountable here, so use was.
Your turn
Choose the correct sentence to describe the kitchen counter.
Answer: There were three cups on the counter.
Show the answer
Answer: There were three cups on the counter.
Three cups is plural, so choose were.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Order the words to make a question.
Answer: Where were you yesterday afternoon?
Show the answer
Answer: Where were you yesterday afternoon?
Put the question word first, then were, then the subject.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
Your colleague asks how your weekend project went. Which sentence is correct?
In an office meeting on Monday
Answer: We were tired, but the work was finished on time.
Show the answer
Answer: We were tired, but the work was finished on time.
We takes were, while the work takes was.
Remember this
Choose the form that matches your subject. In past statements, pair I, he, she, and it with was. Pair you, we, and they with were. Remember the separate advice pattern if I were you.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
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Listening 1 of 3
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Listening 2 of 3
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Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 3
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Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
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Listening 1 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Checking attendance before class
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Listening 2 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Looking for keys in the hallway
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Listening 3 of 4
Listen, then type what you hear. Replay as often as you need.
Arriving at a music hall
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Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
Traveling through the city during a storm
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Save my progressQuestions about "Was or were: choose the past form of be"
Why do we say you were when speaking to one person?
You uses were in standard past statements, whether it refers to one person or several. Choose the verb from the subject word. Counting people alone will not help with you. The negative is you were not, or you weren't.
You were first in the queue.
You weren't at the meeting yesterday.
Do I use they was or they were for one person?
Use they were in standard English. They keeps the same verb forms when it refers to one person. You may use singular they for someone whose gender is unknown, or for a person who uses they as their pronoun.
Someone left a scarf; they were sitting by the door.
Alex said they were pleased with the result.
Why do we say if I were you when the subject is I?
This advice pattern imagines being another person now. It is different from an ordinary past statement. If I were you is the usual form taught for this phrase. You may also hear if I was you in conversation; were is a reliable choice for careful writing.
If I were you, I'd keep the receipt.
I was at the shop before nine.
Do I need did to ask a question with was or were?
No. For a yes-or-no question, put was or were before the subject. If you use a question word such as where, put that first. Use did with many other past verbs, but do not add it to these past forms of be.
Was your brother at home?
Where were the spare batteries?
Do I use there was or there were with water?
Use there was with water when you mean the uncountable substance. Use there were with plural countable nouns. If you count bottles of water, the head word bottles is plural, so it takes were. Look at the noun after the verb.
There was water in the sink.
There were two bottles of water in the fridge.
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