This document provides instruction on using the simple past form of the verb "to be" in English. It explains that the simple past of "am/is/are" is "was/were" and gives examples of how to use these forms affirmatively, negatively, and interrogatively. Examples are provided to demonstrate using was/were with time expressions like "last weekend" as well as in yes/no and wh- questions. Exercises are included for students to practice forming sentences in the simple past with was and were. Answers to the exercises are also provided.

1. SIMPLE PAST: BE
Made by Brenda Garcia.

2. SIMPLE PAST: BE
• Present to past:
Am/ is was are were
• Use was/ were to talk about the past.
• You can use the simple past of Be with these past time
expressions:
- This morning. - Last week. - Last weekend.
- Yesterday. - Last month.
- Last night. - Last year.

3. SIMPLE PAST: BE
AFFIRMATIVE
• I was in Calima lake last weekend.
• You were a baker.
• He was at home last night.
• She was my brother’s teacher at
school.
• It was hot last week.
• We were in a meeting.
• You were at the airport yesterday.
• They were at work.
NEGATIVE
• I wasn’t in Bogotá last weekend.
• You weren’t a teacher.
• He wasn’t in Factoria park last night.
• She wasn’t my brother’s classmate at
school.
• It wasn’t cold last week.
• We weren’t in a meeting.
• You weren’t at the airport yesterday.
• They weren’t at work.
(wasn’t = was not) (weren’t = were not)

4. SIMPLE PAST: BE
INTERROGATIVE: YES/NO
QUESTIONS
?
Were you late? Yes, I was. No, I wasn’t.
Was she an actress? Yes, she was No, she wasn’t
Were they in Cartagena
last week?
Yes, they
were.
No, they
weren’t.
INTERROGATIVE: WORD
QUESTIONS
• When were you born?
I was born in 1982.
• Where was Camilo last weekend?
He was in Candelaria.
• Who was your best friend at
school?
My best friend was Carla Lopez.

5. EXERCISES
Write the sentences with was and were. Look at the example:
We/ at home last night (-) We weren’t at home last night.
1. /you at school yesterday (?) _____________________________
2. Julia/ in the meeting (-) _____________________________
3. We/ on a plane yesterday morning (+) _____________________________
4. Where/ you last Saturday night (?) _____________________________
5. /they in class last week (?) _____________________________
6. Sam/ very happy last night (-) _____________________________
7. It/a terrible movie (+) _____________________________

6. ANSWERS
Write the sentences with was and were. Look at the example:
We/ at home last night (-) We weren’t at home last night.
1. /you at school yesterday (?) Were you at school yesterday?
2. Julia/ in the meeting (-) Julia wasn’t in the meeting.
3. We/ on a plane yesterday morning (+) We were on a plane yesterday …
4. Where/ you last Saturday night (?) Where were you last Saturday…
5. /they in class last week (?) Were they in class last week?
6. Sam/ very happy last night (-) Sam wasn’t very happy last night.
7. It/a terrible movie (+) It was a terrible movie.

7. COMPLETE THE DIALOGUES WITH
WAS, WASN’T, WERE, OR WEREN’T
A. Where ______ you last night?
B. I ______ at work all evening.
A. No, you _____. You _____ at the
movies!
B. No, I ______!
_________________________________
A. ________ you in Orlando
yesterday?
B. No, we _______. We _____ in
Miami.
A. _____ Gloria Estefan a teacher?
B. No, she ______. She ______ a
translator.
_________________________________
A. ________ the movie good?
B. No, it ______. It _____ very slow!

8. ANSWERS
A. Where were you last night?
B. I was at work all evening.
A. No, you weren’t. You were at the
movies!
B. No, I wasn’t !
_________________________________
A. Were you in Orlando yesterday?
B. No, we weren’t. We were in
Miami.
A. Was Gloria Estefan a teacher?
B. No, she wasn’t. She was a
translator.
_________________________________
A. Was the movie good?
B. No, it wasn’t. It was very slow!