PAST SIMPLE VERB TO BE
UNIT 7 – CITIES AND TOWNS
VERB TO BE: PRESENT AND PAST
I am a teacher. (present)
I was a famous actress. (past)
He is a nice person. (present)
He was a policeman. (past)
We are at school. (present)
We were babies. (past)
PRESENT
PAST
AM
WAS
IS
WAS
ARE
WERE
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
INTERROGATIVE
I was
I wasn’t
Was I?
You were
You weren’t
Were you?
He was
He wasn’t
Was he?
She was
She wasn’t
Was she?
It was
It wasn’t
Was it?
We were
We weren’t
Were we?
You were
You weren’t
Were you?
They were
They weren’t
Were they?
EXERCISE
Complete with was/were/wasn’t/weren’t.
She ……………… at an Italian restaurant.
They ……………… (not) in hospital.
I ……………… a good dancer.
……………… he a bad student?
We ……………… (not) at home. We ……………… at the
cinema.
……………… you ill yesterday?
EXERCISES (KEY)
She WAS at an Italian restaurant.
They WEREN’T in hospital.
I WAS a good dancer.
WAS he a bad student?
We WEREN’T at home. We WERE at the cinema.
WERE you ill yesterday?
THERE + TO BE
There is a kitchen. There isn’t a balcony.
There was a kitchen. There wasn’t a balcony.
There are three stools. There aren’t cupboards.
There were three stools. There weren’t cupboards.
EXERCISE
Complete with there was/were/wasn’t/weren’t.
In my grandparents’ house, ……………………… a big living room.
……………………… one TV, ……………………… three armchairs and
……………………… a big mirror. In the kitchen, ……………………… a
cooker and ……………………… a fridge, but ……………………… any
stools. On the first floor, ……………………… two bedrooms and
……………………… a bathroom. On the second floor,
……………………… a bedroom but ……………………… a toilet.
Outside, ……………………… a big garden but ……………………… any
flowers.
EXERCISE (KEY)
Complete with there was/were/wasn’t/weren’t.
In my grandparents’ house, THERE WAS a big living room.
THERE WAS one TV, THERE WERE three armchairs and
THERE WAS a big mirror. In the kitchen, THERE WAS a
cooker and THERE WAS a fridge, but THERE WEREN’T any
stools. On the first floor, THERE WERE two bedrooms and
THERE WAS a bathroom. On the second floor, THERE WAS a
bedroom but THERE WASN’T a toilet. Outside, THERE WAS a
big garden but THERE WEREN’T any flowers.