======The past simple of ‘to be’====== =====Introduction=====
|
They were at the reception desk 5 minutes ago but they are not there now. |
Affirmative | Negative
Full form Contracted form
| Interrogative
| |
I was |
I was not |
I wasn't |
Was I? |
You were | You were not | You weren't | Were you? |
He was | He was not | He wasn't | Was he? |
She was | She was not | She wasn't | Was she? |
It was | It was not | It wasn't | Was it? |
We were | We were not | We weren't | Were we? |
They were | They were not | They weren't | Were they? |
Question: | 'to be' + subject + adjective/noun | Was she at work? |
Affirmative answer: | Yes + subject + 'to be' | Yes, she was. |
Negative answer: | No + subject + 'to be' + not | No, she wasn't. |
Note that
We do not use the contracted form for affirmative answers.
Affirmative | Negative |
Yes, I was. | No, I wasn't. |
Yes, you were. | No, you weren't. |
Yes, she was. | No, she wasn't. |
Yes, he was. | No, he wasn't. |
Yes, it was. | No, it wasn't. |
Yes, we were. | No, we weren't. |
Yes, they were. | No, they weren't. |
Hans was 35 last year so this year he is 36.
There was a lot of traffic in London last night
Tom and Mary were in Paris last week, they were not in London.
Were your visitors Swiss? No they weren't, they were French.