Show answer and explanation
Answer: was
I was tired yesterday.
I takes was. Yesterday indicates a past state.
English Grammar · A2 · 5 min
Using Was and Were in English
Use was and were to describe past states and locations. Review the basic agreement rules below, then complete the six practice exercises.
Practice exercises ↓01 / WAS & WERE
Subject-verb agreement
I / he / she / it
was
She was at home.
you / we / they
were
They were at home.
For past facts and states, use was with I, he, she, it, and singular nouns. Use were with you, we, they, and plural nouns.
You always takes were, whether it refers to one person or several: You were right.
For questions, place was or were before the subject: Was she at home? / Were they late? For negative sentences, add not: was not / were not.
02 / PRACTICE
Practice exercises
Enter was or were in each blank, then check your answers.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: were
The keys were on the table last night.
The keys is a plural noun phrase, so it takes were.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: were
You were right about the train time.
You always takes were, even when referring to one person.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: was
The weather was warm last weekend.
The weather is treated as singular, so it takes was.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: was
Was she at home yesterday?
In questions, the verb still agrees with the subject. She takes was.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: were
There were two cups on the desk this morning.
In there be sentences, the verb agrees with the following noun phrase. Two cups is plural, so use were.
Solved without viewing answer 0 / 6
Completed after viewing answers 0 / 6
No account or installation required. Answers are checked directly in your browser and are not uploaded anywhere. Refreshing the page clears your progress.
This exercise covers the factual past tense of be. Hypothetical structures such as “If I were you” are outside the scope of this lesson.