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Past of 'to be'

Optional support — your core lesson stays exactly as it is.

🧩 Supplementary Practice

Extra practice — Past of 'to be'

Need the words to stick? Recognise, recall, then use them.

Extra support for language you've already met.

Step 1 · Let's Understand

Past of 'to be' — words & phrases

Recognise it, remember it, then use it.

Recognise the meaning

Recognise

Match each word with its meaning.

yesterday
last night
last week
last weekend
last year
two hours ago
happy
tired

Answer, then check.

Group the words

Notice

Group by use of 'was' or 'were'.

  • was (I/he/she/it)I was tired · He was happy · She was at school · It was cold
  • were (you/we/they)You were late · We were on holiday · They were ill

Words in real phrases

Chunks

Say each one aloud. Copy the rhythm.

I was busy yesterday.

yesterday

We were at home last night.

last night

She was ill last week.

last week

Where were you last weekend?

last weekend

I was in Italy last year.

last year

Can you remember?

Recall

Say the word first, then check.

Use it

Use it

Write 3 sentences about you using words from past of 'to be'.

Step 2 · Let's Practise

Extra speaking practice

Model first, then say it yourself.

Model language

Chunks

Listen, then say each phrase twice.

Where were you ___?

I was at ___

How were you?

I was tired / happy / busy.

Were you with ___?

Guided speaking

Speak

Pairs: ask your partner 'Where were you on…?' and 'How were you?' for 3 different times.

  • Use: "Where were you ___?"
  • Use: "I was at ___"
  • Use: "How were you?"
  • Use: "I was tired / happy / busy."

Model answer

Last weekend was great. On Saturday I was at the beach with my family. The weather was sunny and the water was warm. We were very happy. On Sunday I was at home. I was tired but relaxed.

Complete the conversation

Practise

Choose the natural reply.

  1. B: …

  2. B: …

  3. B: …

Answer, then check.

Challenge

Speak

Now do it again with no notes. Speak for 60 seconds.

  • Talk about past of 'to be' without stopping.

Step 2 · Let's Practise

Common difficulties

The parts learners usually find hard in this lesson.

Pronunciation: was /wəz/ — weak form

Chunks

In normal speech 'was' is weak: /wəz/. The strong form /wɒz/ is only for emphasis. 'Were' is /wə/.

I was tired.

She was at home.

We were happy.

They were late.

Tricky ones — say it, then check

Recall

These are the parts beginners often get wrong.

Common difficulties

Practise

Slow down and choose carefully.

  1. For 'we' use…

  2. For 'he' use…

Answer, then check.

Step 3 · Let's Use It

was / were

Strengthen the grammar from this lesson — a different route into it.

Quick explanation

Understand

'Was' goes with I / he / she / it. 'Were' goes with you / we / they. Negative: wasn't / weren't. Questions: Was I…? Were you…?

  • I was at home yesterday.
  • She was tired.
  • We were at the cinema.

Notice the pattern

Notice

Read the sentences. What is the same in each one?

  • I was at home yesterday.
  • She was tired.
  • We were at the cinema.
  • They weren't happy.

Choose the right form

Practise

One answer only. Take your time.

  1. I ___ at home yesterday.

  2. They ___ at the party.

  3. She ___ tired.

  4. ___ you at school?

Answer, then check.

Fix the mistake

Common mistakes

Each sentence has one wrong word. Write it correctly.

I were at home yesterday.

They was at the party.

She were very tired.

Build the sentence

Build it

Put the words in the right order.

Iwasathomeyesterday
Shewasverytired
Wewereonholiday

Answer, then check.

Make it yours

Use it

Write 2–3 true sentences about you using was / were.

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