The verb ''TO BE'' - WAS/WERE - PAST TENSE | Basic English Grammar: How to Use WAS and WERE

Summary

In this educational video, Tanya explains how to use the verb 'to be' in the past, present, and future tenses. She covers the use of 'was' and 'were' in the past tense, explaining their application with singular and plural subjects. The video also provides examples of positive, negative, and question forms, as well as contractions like 'wasn't' and 'weren't.' Tanya offers clear explanations and practical examples to help viewers understand how to form sentences and questions in the past tense, along with tips on giving short answers. A great resource for learners aiming to master basic verb usage in English.

Takeaways

• 😀 The verb 'to be' is used in past, present, and future tenses with different forms: was, were, is, am, and will be.
• 😀 In the past tense, we use 'was' with singular subjects (I, he, she, it) and 'were' with plural subjects (we, you, they).
• 😀 In the present tense, we use 'is' for singular subjects, 'am' for 'I', and 'are' for plural subjects.
• 😀 In the future tense, 'will be' is used to describe something that will happen in the future.
• 😀 Positive sentences in the past tense use 'was' and 'were' for singular and plural subjects, respectively.
• 😀 Negative sentences in the past tense use 'was not' or 'were not' (shortened to 'wasn't' and 'weren't').
• 😀 To form questions in the past tense, place 'was' or 'were' before the subject.
• 😀 Short answers to questions in the past tense are formed by using 'yes' or 'no' followed by the appropriate form of 'to be' (was/were).
• 😀 In positive sentences, 'was' and 'were' are used to describe actions or states that happened in the past.
• 😀 Contractions like 'wasn't' and 'weren't' are commonly used in everyday speech for negative past tense sentences.
• 😀 Understanding the difference between singular and plural subjects helps in correctly using 'was' and 'were'.

Q & A

What are the main forms of the verb 'to be' covered in this video?

The video covers the verb 'to be' in three tenses: past, present, and future. In the past tense, we use 'was' and 'were'; in the present tense, we use 'am', 'is', and 'are'; and in the future tense, we use 'will be'.

How do we use 'was' and 'were' with singular and plural subjects?

'Was' is used with singular subjects (I, he, she, it), and 'were' is used with plural subjects (we, you, they).

Can you give an example of using 'was' in a sentence?

Sure! An example of using 'was' is: 'I was a student.' Here, 'I' is a singular subject, so we use 'was'.

When should we use 'will be'?

'Will be' is used in the future tense to indicate actions or situations that will happen in the future. For example, 'Next year, I will be 11 years old.'

How do we form negative sentences using the verb 'to be'?

To form negative sentences, we add 'not' after the verb. For example, 'I was not a student' or 'He was not a teacher'. In contractions, 'was not' becomes 'wasn't' and 'were not' becomes 'weren't'.

What is the difference between the full and contracted forms of the negative?

The full form includes 'was not' or 'were not', while the contracted form shortens this to 'wasn't' and 'weren't'. For example, 'I was not a student' becomes 'I wasn't a student'.

How do we form questions in the past tense with 'to be'?

In the past tense, to form questions, we place 'was' or 'were' before the subject. For example, 'Was I a student?' or 'Were you a good student?'

What are short answers to questions using 'was' and 'were'?

Short answers to questions with 'was' and 'were' are as follows: 'Yes, I was' / 'No, I wasn't', 'Yes, they were' / 'No, they weren't', etc.

What are the forms of the verb 'to be' in the present tense?

In the present tense, the forms of the verb 'to be' are 'am' (for 'I'), 'is' (for 'he, she, it'), and 'are' (for 'we, you, they').

How do you explain the sentence 'Next year I will be 11 years old'?

The sentence 'Next year I will be 11 years old' uses 'will be' to indicate a future event, showing that the speaker will be 11 years old in the upcoming year.