Grammar › Past Simple with was and were
Was and were: yes/no questions
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
Put was or were in front of the subject. Nothing is added.
Practice this form
Loading…
Getting your first question ready.
The pattern
The statement becomes a question by swapping the first two elements:
The film was good. → Was the film good?
Short answers keep the verb
Were you at the concert? — Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t.
A positive short answer never contracts, so Yes, I was and not Yes, I’s.
Which pattern does this sentence need
Find the main verb of the statement:
- She was tired. → Was she tired?
- She slept badly. → Did she sleep badly?
If the verb is be, swap it. If it is anything else, bring in did.
Question tags
The same verb returns at the end to turn a statement into a check:
- It was your idea, wasn’t it?
- They weren’t invited, were they?
All forms
| Subject | Question | Short answer, yes | Short answer, no |
|---|---|---|---|
| I, he, she, it | Was she there? | Yes, she was. | No, she wasn't. |
| you, we, they | Were they there? | Yes, they were. | No, they weren't. |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- Was the answer written on the back page?
- Were your grandparents at home last Sunday?
- Was your father a teacher before he retired?
- Were the eggs fresh when you bought them?
- Was it difficult to find a parking spot?
- Were the players victorious in the championship match?
- Was it a good idea to go out in the rain?
- Were Mary's parents proud of her achievement?
- Was it rainy during your trip to London?
- Were the plates hot when the waiter brought them?
- Was the road closed because of the snow?
- Were the police officers polite when they stopped you?
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: Did it was expensive? correct: Was it expensive?
Be asks its own question. Did has no place here.
Wrong: Was there enough chairs? correct: Were there enough chairs?
Chairs is plural, and the verb agrees with what follows there.