Was/Were or Did?
I can choose the right past question or negative for be and for an action verb.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Start with the contrast
Yesterday the café was busy. We were hungry. Did we wait long? No, we didn’t. The food wasn’t expensive.
Read the situation transcript
Yesterday the café was busy. We were hungry. Did we wait long? No, we didn’t. The food wasn’t expensive.
Why is “Was the café busy?” different from “Did you wait?”?
Compare your idea
Busy is used with be; wait is an ordinary action verb that needs did in this past question.
How it works
Use was or were as the past of be: I/he/she/it was; you/we/they were. To ask a question, move was or were before the subject.
For most other simple-past verbs, use did in questions and didn’t in negatives. Do not add did to a simple be question: Were you tired? But: Did you work?
Was/Were + subject + description/place? Did + subject + base verb?
Notice this
Were you tired?
This asks about a state with be.
Compare this
Was the café busy?
The café is a singular subject.
Hear the examples
Were you tired?
This asks about a state with be.
Was the café busy?
The café is a singular subject.
Did you wait?
This asks about an action.
We didn’t wait long.
Didn’t is followed by a base verb.
One mistake worth avoiding
Instead of: Did you were tired?
Say: Were you tired?
Be forms this past question without did.
You say
Hear the prompt, answer aloud, then deliberately reveal or hear one possible model. Check it and retry with a changed detail.
Your turn 1
Ask where a friend was yesterday.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
Where were you yesterday?
Check yourself: Use were with you.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 2
Ask what the friend did.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
What did you do yesterday?
Check yourself: Use did plus the base verb do.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 3
Say one past state and one past action.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
I was tired, but I finished my work.
Check yourself: Keep be and the action verb separate.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Two guided self-checks
Say or write your answer before opening a model.
Self-check 1
Make a question: She was at home.
Compare a model and explanation
Was she at home?
Move was before she.
Self-check 2
Make a negative: They played outside.
Compare a model and explanation
They didn’t play outside.
Use didn’t with the action verb.
Check your understanding
Choose one answer to each question, then check your answers. One of the ten questions is listening.
Automatic scoring needs JavaScript. Use the answer key after attempting all ten questions.
Answer key with explanations
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___ you at home last night?
Were: At home needs be; you takes were.
-
___ she call you yesterday?
Did: Call is an action verb, so use did plus call.
-
The tickets ___ expensive.
were: Tickets is plural, so use were.
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Choose the correct negative.
I wasn’t hungry.: Hungry is an adjective used with was.
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Which question asks about an action?
Did you cook?: Cook is the action verb; the other questions use be with descriptions.
-
Correct “Was they late?”
Were they late?: They takes were.
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Choose the correct pair.
Was he busy? Did he work?: Use was for busy and did plus work for the action.
-
Was the speaker tired?
Yes: I was tired directly reports the past state.
-
Complete: We didn’t ___ at the café.
eat: After didn’t, use eat; were cannot complete this action pattern.
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What should you check first?
Whether the sentence uses be or another simple-past verb: That distinction determines was/were versus did in these questions.
Take it with you
I can choose the right past question or negative for be and for an action verb.