English grammar: Simple past of to be

What this grammar point covers

The simple past of 'to be' is how we talk about something or someone in the past using 'was' or 'were'.

When to use it

Use the simple past of 'to be' to talk about people, places, or things in the past. For example, to describe where someone was, how they felt, or what something was like before.

Key forms

• 'I was', 'he was', 'she was', 'it was'
• 'you were', 'we were', 'they were'

Examples

Tips

• Use 'was' with I, he, she, and it.
• Use 'were' with you, we, and they.
• Don’t forget: The negative form is 'was not' (wasn't) or 'were not' (weren't).