USES
We use to be verb to express the existence or non-existence of someone or something in the past.
We can use to be verb to express age, nationality, personality, feelings or emotions, place, relationship, quality, jobs or professions, size, shape, time, etc.
PLACE I was at home yesterday. (preposition of place)
They were here. (adverb of place)
PROFESSION You were a good doctor. (noun)
PERSONALITY My father was an affectionate man. (adjective)
QUALITY It was an intelligent decision. (adjective)
AGE She was 89 years old, when she passed away. (noun)
SIZE/SHAPE My hair was short and curly last week. (adjective)
NATIONALITY Blaise Pascal was French. (adjective)
STRUCTURE
RULES
The rules are:
Affirmative
I, he, she, it – was
You, we, they – were
She was a nurse.
They were doctors.
Interrogative
In order to ask a question, was/were needs to be at the beginning of the sentence:
Was she a nurse? Yes, she was. / No, she wasn't.
Were they doctors? Yes, they were. / No, they weren't.
Negative
In negative sentences, add the adverb not and put it before the word was/were.
Remember that most of the time the contraction (shortened form) is used in negative sentences:
wasn’t = was not
weren’t = were not.
He wasn’t at the school with us.
We weren’t at the movies on Sunday.
I wasn’t hungry.
Watch this video of American pop singer Beyoncé, and take note of all the sentences where you hear was/were.
*Lyrics below
“I Was Here”
I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time
Know there was something that, meant something that I left behind
When I leave this world, I’ll leave no regrets
Leave something to remember, so they won’t forget
I was here
I lived, I loved
I was here
I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here
I want to say I lived each day, until I died
And know that I meant something in, somebody’s life
The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leave
That I made a difference, and this world will see
I was here
I lived, I loved
I was here
I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here
I lived, I loved
I was here
I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here
I just want them to know
That I gave my all, did my best
Brought someone some happiness
Left this world a little better just because
I was here
I was here
I lived, I loved
I was here
I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I wanna leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here
I lived (I lived), I loved
I was here
I did (I did), I’ve done
I was here
I lived (I lived), I loved (I loved)
I was here (oh)
I did, I’ve done
I was here