Day 8 Complete Guide to "Was" and "Were" in English

 Day 8 Complete Guide to "Was" and "Were" in English

1. WAS - प्रयोग र नियमहरू

A. Past Tense of "To Be" with Singular Subjects (एकवचन कर्ताको साथ भूतकाल)

Used to describe states, conditions, or identities in the past with singular subjects.

I	Was	I was a student.	म विद्यार्थी थिएँ।
He	Was	He was at home.	उनी घरमा थिए।
She	Was	She was happy.	उनी खुशी थिइन्।
It	Was	It was raining.	पानी परिरहेको थियो।

More Examples:

• English: I was born in Kathmandu.
• Nepali: म काठमाडौंमा जन्मिएको थिएँ।
• English: She was my best friend in school.
• Nepali: उनी विद्यालयमा मेरी सबैभन्दा मिल्ने साथी थिइन्।
• English: It was a beautiful day.
• Nepali: यो एउटा सुन्दर दिन थियो।

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B. Past Continuous Tense (भूतकालको निरन्तर क्रिया)

Used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past.

Ongoing Action	Was + V+ing	I was reading a book.	म एउटा किताब पढिरहेको थिएँ।
Ongoing Action	Was + V+ing	She was cooking dinner.	उनी खाना पकाइरहेकी थिइन्।

More Examples:

• English: He was sleeping when I called.
• Nepali: मैले फोन गर्दा उनी सुतिरहेका थिए।
• English: They were watching TV. (Plural - were)
• Nepali: उनीहरू टिभी हेरिरहेका थिए।

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C. Passive Voice (Passive Voice - कर्ता वाच्य)

Used to form past passive sentences.

Passive (Singular)	Was + V3	The letter was written by her.	पत्र उनले लेखिएको थियो।
Passive (Singular)	Was + V3	The house was built in 1990.	घर १९९० मा निर्माण भएको थियो।

More Examples:

• English: The cake was eaten by the children.
• Nepali: केक बच्चाहरूले खाइएको थियो।
• English: The book was published last year.
• Nepali: किताब गत वर्ष प्रकाशित भएको थियो।

2. WERE - प्रयोग र नियमहरू

A. Past Tense of "To Be" with Plural Subjects (बहुवचन कर्ताको साथ भूतकाल)

Used to describe states, conditions, or identities in the past with plural subjects.

We	Were	We were students.	हामी विद्यार्थी थियौं।
You	Were	You were at home.	तपाईंहरू घरमा हुनुहुन्थ्यो।
They	Were	They were happy.	उनीहरू खुशी थिए।

More Examples:

• English: We were in the same class.
• Nepali: हामी एउटै कक्षामा थियौं।
• English: They were my neighbours.
• Nepali: उनीहरू मेरा छिमेकी थिए।
• English: You were very helpful.
• Nepali: तपाईंहरू धेरै सहायक हुनुहुन्थ्यो।

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B. Past Continuous Tense (Plural) (भूतकालको निरन्तर क्रिया - बहुवचन)

Used to describe ongoing actions in the past with plural subjects.

Ongoing Action	Were + V+ing	We were playing football.	हामी फुटबल खेलिरहेका थियौं।
Ongoing Action	Were + V+ing	They were studying all night.	उनीहरू रातभर पढिरहेका थिए।

More Examples:

• English: You were waiting for me.
• Nepali: तपाईंहरू मेरो लागि पर्खिरहनुभएको थियो।
• English: The children were playing in the garden.
• Nepali: बच्चाहरू बगैंचामा खेलिरहेका थिए।

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C. Passive Voice (Plural) (Passive Voice - बहुवचन)

Used to form past passive sentences with plural subjects.

Passive (Plural)	Were + V3	The books were written by him.	किताबहरू उनले लेखिएका थिए।
Passive (Plural)	Were + V3	The houses were built last year.	घरहरू गत वर्ष निर्माण भएका थिए।

More Examples:

• English: The cakes were eaten by the children.
• Nepali: केकहरू बच्चाहरूले खाइएका थिए।
• English: The emails were sent yesterday.
• Nepali: इमेलहरू हिजो पठाइएका थिए।

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D. "Were" in Second Conditional (दोस्रो सर्तात्मक)

Used in hypothetical or unreal situations (If I were...).

Hypothetical	Were + Subject	If I were rich, I would travel.	म धनी भएको भए, यात्रा गर्थें।
Unreal Situation	Were + Subject	If he were here, he would help.	उनी यहाँ भएको भए, सहायता गर्थे।

More Examples:

• English: I wish I were taller.
• Nepali: म अग्लो भएको हुन्थ्यो भनेर चाहन्छु।
• English: If she were more careful, she wouldn't make mistakes.
• Nepali: उनी अझ सावधान भएको भए, गल्ती गर्दिनथिन्।

Important Note: "If I were" is used for hypothetical/unreal situations. "If I was" is used for past real situations.

3. QUICK COMPARISON: WAS vs WERE

I	✅ I was	❌ No	म थिएँ
He	✅ He was	❌ No	उनी थिए
She	✅ She was	❌ No	उनी थिइन्
It	✅ It was	❌ No	यो थियो
We	❌ No	✅ We were	हामी थियौं
You	❌ No	✅ You were	तपाईं हुनुहुन्थ्यो
They	❌ No	✅ They were	उनीहरू थिए
Hypothetical (If)	❌ No	✅ If I were	यदि म भएको भए

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4. COMMON MISTAKES (नेपाली विद्यार्थीहरूले गर्ने गल्तीहरू)

Mistake ❌Correction ✅Explanation
I were happy.	I was happy.	Use "was" with "I"
She were at home.	She was at home.	Use "was" with "she"
We was students.	We were students.	Use "were" with "we"
They was playing.	They were playing.	Use "were" with "they"
If I was rich... (Hypothetical)	If I were rich...	Use "were" for hypothetical
He were sleeping.	He was sleeping.	Use "was" with "he"
You was wrong.	You were wrong.	Use "were" with "you"

Golden Rules:

Rule Example
Singular: I/He/She/It → Was	✅ I was happy. / She was late.
Plural: We/You/They → Were	✅ We were students. / They were early.
Hypothetical: If I were... (Unreal)	✅ If I were you, I would go.
Past Real: If I was... (Real past)	✅ If I was late, I apologized.

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5. WAS vs WERE: DETAILED COMPARISON

A. Subject-Verb Agreement (कर्ता-क्रिया मेल)

I	Was	I was tired.	म थकित थिएँ।
He	Was	He was a doctor.	उनी डाक्टर थिए।
She	Was	She was beautiful.	उनी सुन्दर थिइन्।
It	Was	It was cold.	यो चिसो थियो।
We	Were	We were happy.	हामी खुशी थियौं।
You	Were	You were right.	तपाईं सही हुनुहुन्थ्यो।
They	Were	They were friends.	उनीहरू साथी थिए।

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B. Past Continuous Tense (भूतकालको निरन्तर क्रिया)

I	Was + V+ing	I was sleeping.	म सुतिरहेको थिएँ।
He/She/It	Was + V+ing	She was reading.	उनी पढिरहेकी थिइन्।
We/You/They	Were + V+ing	They were playing.	उनीहरू खेलिरहेका थिए।

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C. Passive Voice (Passive Voice)

I/He/She/It	Was + V3	The cake was eaten.	केक खाइएको थियो।
We/You/They	Were + V3	The books were read.	किताबहरू पढिएका थिए।

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D. Negative Form (नकारात्मक रूप)

Was not / Wasn't	I wasn't at home.	म घरमा थिइन।
Was not / Wasn't	He wasn't happy.	उनी खुशी थिएनन्।
Were not / Weren't	We weren't there.	हामी त्यहाँ थिएनौं।
Were not / Weren't	They weren't late.	उनीहरू ढिलो थिएनन्।

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E. Question Form (प्रश्न रूप)

Was + Subject?	Was I wrong?	के म गलत थिएँ?
Was + Subject?	Was she tired?	के उनी थकित थिइन्?
Were + Subject?	Were you happy?	के तपाईंहरू खुशी हुनुहुन्थ्यो?
Were + Subject?	Were they at home?	के उनीहरू घरमा थिए?

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6. ADVANCED STRUCTURES WITH WAS & WERE

A. Was/Were + Going To (भविष्यको योजना - भूतकाल)

Used to express past intentions or plans that didn't happen.

Was going to + V	I was going to call you.	म तपाईंलाई फोन गर्न लागेको थिएँ।
Were going to + V	We were going to travel.	हामी यात्रा गर्न लागेका थियौं।

More Examples:

• English: She was going to buy a new car.
• Nepali: उनी नयाँ गाडी किन्न लागेकी थिइन्।
• English: They were going to visit us.
• Nepali: उनीहरू हामीलाई भेट्न लागेका थिए।

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B. Was/Were + To + Verb (Formal Future in Past)

Used to talk about scheduled events in the past.

Was to + V	He was to arrive at 5 PM.	उनी ५ बजे आइपुग्ने थिए।
Were to + V	They were to meet at 6 PM.	उनीहरू ६ बजे भेट्ने थिए।

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C. Was/Were + Supposed To (अपेक्षा)

Used to talk about expectations.

Was supposed to + V	I was supposed to work today.	म आज काम गर्ने भनिएको थियो।
Were supposed to + V	They were supposed to call me.	उनीहरूले मलाई फोन गर्ने भनिएको थियो।

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D. Was/Were + Able To (सक्नु - भूतकाल)

Used to express ability in the past for specific situations.

Was able to + V	I was able to finish it.	म यो सक्न सफल भएँ।
Were able to + V	They were able to escape.	उनीहरू भाग्न सफल भए।

Note: "Could" is used for general past ability, while "was/were able to" is used for specific achievements.

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E. If I Were You (हाइपोथेटिकल)

Used for giving advice in hypothetical situations.

If I were you, + would	If I were you, I would study.	म तपाईंको ठाउँमा भए, पढ्थें।
If I were you, + would	If I were you, I would apologize.	म तपाईंको ठाउँमा भए, माफी माग्थें।

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7. TIPS FOR IELTS USING WAS & WERE

Tip Example
Speaking Part 2: Use "was/were" to describe past events	I was born in a small village.
Speaking Part 2: Use past continuous with "was/were"	I was studying when my friend called.
Writing Task 2: Use "was/were" for past examples	The situation was different in the past.
Writing Task 2: Use passive voice with "was/were"	The policy was implemented in 2015.
Speaking Part 3: Use "If I were" for hypothetical	If I were in charge, I would invest more.
Avoid overusing "was/were"	Use varied verbs like "appeared," "seemed," "existed."

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8. EXAMPLES IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS

A. IELTS Writing Task 2 (Essay)

English:

In the past, education was only available to the wealthy. However, things were different before the industrial revolution. Many children were forced to work instead of study. The situation was particularly difficult for girls. In many countries, schools were not built in rural areas. The literacy rate was very low. Today, the situation was transformed. If I were to describe the changes, I would say they were revolutionary. Governments were able to make education accessible to all. This was a significant achievement.

Nepali:

विगतमा, शिक्षा केवल धनीहरूको लागि उपलब्ध थियो। यद्यपि, औद्योगिक क्रान्ति अघि चीजहरू फरक थिए। धेरै बच्चाहरू अध्ययन गर्नुको सट्टा काम गर्न बाध्य थिए। अवस्था केटीहरूको लागि विशेष गरी कठिन थियो। धेरै देशहरूमा, ग्रामीण क्षेत्रहरूमा विद्यालयहरू निर्माण भएका थिएनन्। साक्षरता दर धेरै कम थियो। आज, अवस्था रूपान्तरित भयो। यदि म परिवर्तनहरू वर्णन गर्नु भएको भए, म तिनीहरू क्रान्तिकारी थिए भन्थें। सरकारहरू सबैको लागि शिक्षा पहुँचयोग्य बनाउन सफल भए। यो एउटा महत्वपूर्ण उपलब्धि थियो।

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B. IELTS Speaking Part 2 (Cue Card)

English:

I would like to describe a memorable trip I was on. It was two years ago when I was travelling to the mountains. I was with my family. The weather was perfect, and the views were breathtaking. We were hiking through the forest when we saw a beautiful waterfall. I was amazed by the natural beauty. The locals were very friendly and helpful. If I were to choose my favourite place, it would be that spot. I was able to take many photographs. We were all very happy during that trip. It was truly unforgettable.

Nepali:

म एउटा यादगार यात्राको बारेमा वर्णन गर्न चाहन्छु जहाँ म थिएँ। यो दुई वर्ष अघि थियो जब म पहाडमा यात्रा गरिरहेको थिएँ। म आफ्नो परिवारसँग थिएँ। मौसम उत्तम थियो, र दृश्यहरू अद्भुत थिए। हामी जंगल मार्फत हिडिरहेका थियौं जब हामीले एउटा सुन्दर झरना देख्यौं। म प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्यले अचम्मित थिएँ। स्थानीय मानिसहरू धेरै मिलनसार र सहायक थिए। यदि म मेरो मनपर्ने ठाउँ छान्नु भएको भए, त्यो त्यही ठाउँ हुन्थ्यो। म धेरै तस्बिरहरू खिच्न सफल भएँ। हामी सबै त्यो यात्रामा धेरै खुशी थियौं। यो साँच्चै अविस्मरणीय थियो।

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C. Everyday Conversations (दैनिक कुराकानी)

English:

A: Where were you yesterday?
B: I was at home all day.
A: Why were you not at the party?
B: I was feeling unwell.
A: Were you alone?
B: No, my sister was with me.
A: What were you doing?
B: We were watching a movie. It was very interesting.
A: Were you able to finish it?
B: Yes, we were able to finish it.

Nepali:

A: तपाईं हिजो कहाँ हुनुहुन्थ्यो?
B: म दिनभर घरमै थिएँ।
A: तपाईं किन पार्टीमा हुनुहुन्थ्यो?
B: मलाई सन्चो थिएन।
A: के तपाईं एक्लै हुनुहुन्थ्यो?
B: होइन, मेरी बहिनी मसँग थिइन्।
A: तपाईं के गर्दै हुनुहुन्थ्यो?
B: हामी एउटा चलचित्र हेरिरहेका थियौं। यो धेरै रोचक थियो।
A: के तपाईं यो सक्न सफल हुनुभयो?
B: हो, हामी यो सक्न सफल भयौं।

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D. Formal Writing (औपचारिक लेखन)

English:

The meeting was held on Friday. All board members were present. The agenda was discussed thoroughly. Several decisions were made. The budget was approved by the majority. The shareholders were informed of the results. It was a productive session. The minutes were recorded and distributed.

Nepali:

बैठक शुक्रबार आयोजित भएको थियो। सबै सञ्चालक समिति सदस्यहरू उपस्थित थिए। कार्यसूची विस्तृत रूपमा छलफल गरियो। धेरै निर्णयहरू गरियो। बजेट बहुमतले अनुमोदन गरियो। सेयरधनीहरूलाई परिणामहरू जानकारी दिइयो। यो एउटा उत्पादक सत्र थियो। कार्यवृत्ति लेखिएको र वितरण गरियो।

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9. PRACTICE EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with Was or Were

I ______ very tired yesterday.	म हिजो धेरै थकित थिएँ।
She ______ happy with the results.	उनी परिणामबाट खुशी थिइन्।
We ______ at the cinema last night.	हामी हिजो राति सिनेमामा थियौं।
They ______ late for the meeting.	उनीहरू बैठकको लागि ढिलो थिए।
It ______ a wonderful experience.	यो एउटा अद्भुत अनुभव थियो।
You ______ very helpful.	तपाईंहरू धेरै सहायक हुनुहुन्थ्यो।
He ______ my best friend.	उनी मेरा सबैभन्दा मिल्ने साथी थिए।

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Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with Was/Were or Wasn't/Weren't (Negative)

I ______ at home when you called.	तपाईंले फोन गर्दा म घरमा थिइन।
She ______ happy with the news.	उनी समाचारबाट खुशी थिइनन्।
We ______ invited to the party.	हामी पार्टीमा निम्तो नभएका थियौं।
They ______ present at the meeting.	उनीहरू बैठकमा उपस्थित थिएनन्।
It ______ raining when we left.	हामी जाँदा पानी परिरहेको थिएन।
You ______ there yesterday.	तपाईंहरू हिजो त्यहाँ हुनुहुन्थ्यो?

12. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WAS & WERE (Hypothetical)

If I was... (Real Past)If I were... (Hypothetical)Nepali
If I was late, I apologized. (Real)	If I were you, I would go. (Unreal)	यदि म ढिलो भएको थिएँ भने, माफी माग्थें। / यदि म तपाईं भएको भए, जान्थें।
If she was tired, she rested. (Real)	If she were here, she would help. (Unreal)	यदि उनी थकित थिइन् भने, आराम गरिन्। / यदि उनी यहाँ भएको भए, सहायता गर्थिन्।

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13. QUICK TIPS FOR IELTS

Tip Example
Speaking: Use "was/were" to describe past experiences	I was born in Nepal.
Writing Task 2: Use passive voice with "was/were"	The policy was implemented in 2015.
Speaking Part 2: Use past continuous	I was studying when it happened.
Writing Task 2: Use "if I were" for hypothetical	If I were a policymaker, I would...
All Tasks: Avoid confusing "was" and "were"	I was (not "were") / We were (not "was")
All Tasks: Use "was/were" for passive voice	The project was completed.

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14. RAPID FIRE QUIZ

Convert these Nepali sentences to English using Was/Were:

म हिजो व्यस्त थिएँ।	I __________
उनीहरू मेरा साथी थिए।	They __________
हामी पार्कमा थियौं।	We __________
उनी सुन्दर थिइन्।	She __________
मौसम राम्रो थियो।	It __________
तपाईंहरू सही हुनुहुन्थ्यो।	You __________

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Answers:

1.      I was busy yesterday.

2.      They were my friends.

3.      We were in the park.

4.      She was beautiful.

5.      It was a nice weather.

6.      You were right.

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15. FULL COMPARISON: PAST TENSE FORMS OF "TO BE"

Present Past Nepali
I am	I was	म हुँ / थिएँ
You are	You were	तपाईं हुनुहुन्छ / हुनुहुन्थ्यो
He is	He was	उनी हुनुहुन्छ / हुनुहुन्थ्यो
She is	She was	उनी हुनुहुन्छ / हुनुहुन्थ्यो
It is	It was	यो हो / थियो
We are	We were	हामी हौं / थियौं
They are	They were	उनीहरू हुन् / थिए

 

60 Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises: Was / Were

Fill in the Blanks (1–60)

Past States / Conditions

1.      I ______ very tired after the long journey. (was / were)

2.      She ______ the best student in her class. (was / were)

3.      We ______ really happy to see you. (was / were)

4.      They ______ at the cinema last night. (was / were)

5.      He ______ a great musician in his youth. (was / were)

6.      You ______ very kind to help me. (was / were)

7.      It ______ a beautiful sunny day. (was / were)

8.      The children ______ excited about the trip. (was / were)

Past Continuous (Actions in Progress)

9.      I ______ reading a book when you called. (was / were)

10. She ______ cooking dinner at 7 PM. (was / were)

11. We ______ watching TV all evening. (was / were)

12. They ______ playing football in the park. (was / were)

13. He ______ sleeping when the earthquake happened. (was / were)

14. You ______ talking too loudly in the library. (was / were)

15. The baby ______ crying all night. (was / were)

16. The students ______ writing their exams. (was / were)

Passive Voice (Past Simple Passive)

17. The cake ______ made by my grandmother. (was / were)

18. The letters ______ delivered yesterday morning. (was / were)

19. This house ______ built in 1995. (was / were)

20. The windows ______ broken by the storm. (was / were)

21. The movie ______ directed by Steven Spielberg. (was / were)

22. The gifts ______ wrapped in colourful paper. (was / were)

23. My phone ______ stolen from my bag. (was / were)

24. The roads ______ blocked due to heavy snow. (was / were)

Negatives (Wasn't / Weren't)

25. I ______ at home when you came. (wasn't / weren't)

26. She ______ feeling well yesterday. (wasn't / weren't)

27. We ______ invited to the party. (wasn't / weren't)

28. They ______ interested in the offer. (wasn't / weren't)

29. He ______ aware of the situation. (wasn't / weren't)

30. You ______ supposed to be here early. (wasn't / weren't)

31. The food ______ very tasty. (wasn't / weren't)

32. The shoes ______ comfortable at all. (wasn't / weren't)

Questions (Was / Were)

33. ______ you at the office yesterday? (Was / Were)

34. ______ she happy with her results? (Was / Were)

35. ______ they coming to the meeting? (Was / Were)

36. ______ he born in Nepal? (Was / Were)

37. ______ we late for the show? (Was / Were)

38. ______ it raining when you left? (Was / Were)

39. ______ the kids playing in the garden? (Was / Were)

40. ______ the doors locked last night? (Was / Were)

Hypothetical / Unreal (Subjunctive – "Were" for All)

41. If I ______ you, I would accept the offer. (was / were) – unreal

42. I wish I ______ taller. (was / were) – unreal

43. If she ______ here, she would help us. (was / were) – unreal

44. He acts as if he ______ the boss. (was / were) – unreal

45. If we ______ rich, we would travel the world. (was / were) – unreal

46. I wish it ______ summer all year. (was / were) – unreal

47. If they ______ more careful, they wouldn't have failed. (was / were) – unreal

48. She wishes she ______ a famous singer. (was / were) – unreal

Reported Speech (Past Tense)

49. He said he ______ going to the market. (was / were)

50. She told me they ______ already here. (was / were)

51. They said the movie ______ very boring. (was / were)

52. He mentioned that the documents ______ ready. (was / were)

53. She said she ______ not feeling well. (was / were)

54. They told us the results ______ announced yesterday. (was / were)

Mixed / Review

55. My grandparents ______ born in the 1940s. (was / were)

56. There ______ a strange noise coming from the attic. (was / were)

57. There ______ many people waiting outside. (was / were)

58. The police ______ investigating the case. (was / were)

59. The news ______ very shocking. (was / were) – news is singular

60. The scissors ______ not sharp enough. (was / were) – scissors are plural

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Answers with Short Reasons

No.	Answer	Reason
1	was	Singular subject (I)
2	was	Singular subject (She)
3	were	Plural subject (We)
4	were	Plural subject (They)
5	was	Singular subject (He)
6	were	You always takes were in the simple past
7	was	Singular subject (It)
8	were	Plural subject (Children)
9	was	Past continuous with I
10	was	Past continuous with She
11	were	Past continuous with We
12	were	Past continuous with They
13	was	Past continuous with He
14	were	Past continuous with You
15	was	Past continuous with the baby (singular)
16	were	Past continuous with students (plural)
17	was	Passive singular (cake)
18	were	Passive plural (letters)
19	was	Passive singular (house)
20	were	Passive plural (windows)
21	was	Passive singular (movie)
22	were	Passive plural (gifts)
23	was	Passive singular (phone)
24	were	Passive plural (roads)
25	wasn't	Negative singular (I)
26	wasn't	Negative singular (She)
27	weren't	Negative plural (We)
28	weren't	Negative plural (They)
29	wasn't	Negative singular (He)
30	weren't	Negative with You
31	wasn't	Negative singular (food)
32	weren't	Negative plural (shoes)
33	Were	Question with You
34	Was	Question with She
35	Were	Question with They
36	Was	Question with He
37	Were	Question with We
38	Was	Question with It
39	Were	Question with Kids (plural)
40	Were	Question with Doors (plural)
41	were	Subjunctive/unreal: If I were you
42	were	Subjunctive/unreal: I wish I were
43	were	Subjunctive/unreal: If she were
44	were	Subjunctive/unreal: as if he were
45	were	Subjunctive/unreal: If we were
46	were	Subjunctive/unreal: I wish it were
47	were	Subjunctive/unreal condition
48	were	Subjunctive/unreal: She wishes she were
49	was	Reported speech – singular (He)
50	were	Reported speech – plural (They)
51	was	Reported speech – singular (movie)
52	were	Reported speech – plural (documents)
53	was	Reported speech – singular (She)
54	were	Reported speech – passive plural (results)
55	were	Plural subject (grandparents)
56	was	Singular noun: There was a noise
57	were	Plural noun: There were many people
58	were	Police is normally treated as plural
59	was	News is grammatically singular
60	were	Scissors is grammatically plural

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Complete Summary Chart

Use	Singular	Plural
Past State	I/He/She/It was	We/You/They were
Past Continuous	I/He/She/It was + V-ing	We/You/They were + V-ing
Passive Voice	Singular subject was + V3	Plural subject were + V3
Negatives	I/He/She/It wasn't	We/You/They weren't
Questions	Was + I/he/she/it...?	Were + we/you/they...?
Subjunctive	Were for all subjects in formal unreal situations	Were for all subjects
There + be (past)	There was + singular noun	There were + plural noun
Special nouns	News, information, advice → was	Scissors, people, police → were

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Key Rules to Remember

1.      Was → used with I, he, she, it and singular nouns.

o    I was tired.

o    She was happy.

o    The boy was absent.

2.      Were → used with you, we, they and plural nouns.

o    You were late.

o    We were happy.

o    The students were ready.

3.      You always takes "were" in the simple past, whether you refers to one person or more than one person.

o    You were my best friend.

o    You were all very helpful.

4.      Past Continuous:
was/were + V-ing

o    She was reading.

o    They were playing.

5.      Past Simple Passive:
was/were + V3

o    The letter was written yesterday.

o    The letters were written yesterday.

6.      Negative Forms:

o    was not → wasn't

o    were not → weren't

o    He wasn't there.

o    They weren't ready.

7.      Questions: Put was/were before the subject.

o    Was she at home?

o    Were they at school?

8.      Subjunctive / Unreal Situations: In formal standard English, use were with all subjects.

o    If I were you, I would study harder.

o    I wish she were here.

o    If he were rich, he would travel the world.

9.      There was → singular noun.

o    There was a problem.

o    There was a man outside.

10. There were → plural noun.

• There were many problems.
• There were three students outside.

11. Some nouns ending in -s are grammatically singular:

• The news was shocking.

12. Some nouns are grammatically plural:

• The scissors were sharp.
• The police were investigating the case.
• The people were waiting outside.