Question 1

When do I use was and when do I use were?

Accepted Answer

Use "was" with "I", "he", "she", "it", and one person or thing: "I was tired", "She was at home", "The film was funny." Use "were" with "you", "we", "they", and more than one person or thing: "You were late", "We were in London", "The children were happy." The sentence normally talks about a finished past time. Look for clues such as "yesterday", "last summer", "when I was young", or "ago" before choosing the form in an answer sentence. Read fully.

Question 2

What time words commonly go with was and were?

Accepted Answer

Common past time words include "yesterday", "last night", "last week", "last Monday", "last summer", "two days ago", and "when I was young". These words show that the sentence is about the past, so present forms such as "am", "is", and "are" are not right. After you find the past time, choose "was" or "were" from the subject. "The film was good last night" uses "was" because the film is one thing. "The tickets were expensive" uses "were" because tickets are plural.

Question 3

Is you was ever correct in standard English?

Accepted Answer

In standard English, use "you were", not "you was". This is true for one person and for more than one person: "You were late yesterday" and "You were all very helpful." You may hear "you was" in some regional speech or in songs and stories, but learners should use "you were" in school, exams, work, and international communication. The same group includes "we were" and "they were". A simple memory line is "I was, you were, he was, we were, they were."

Verb To Be - Was and Were Past Positive Exercises

Quick Rule

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Am, Is, Are - Easy

Am, Is, Are - Intermediate

Am, Is, Are, Was, Were

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect