be PAST: was, were

MEANING
Use the past tense of be [was. were to talk about things in the a, an, some
past: MEANING
When 1 was 19, I was a student. Use a an with singular nouns. It means 'one'.
In 1998, Leslie and I were colleagues. Can I have a cup of coffee, please? I= one cup of coffee)
Bec was in Delhi yesterday. Would you like an orange?(. one orange

FORM You often use some with plural nouns. You use it when it is not
important to say how much or how many.
0 0 Can I have some oranges, please?
I was a journalist. I wasn't an engineer. Can I have some books, please?
You were late. You weren't late.
He was a lawyer. He wasn't a nurse. For some with uncountable nouns, see Unit 6, p137.
She was a sales rep. She wasn't a teacher. FORM
It was an interesting job. It wasn't an easy job. Use a, an and some before nouns.
We were friends. We weren't friends.
They were students. They weren't teachers. Use a before words that start with a consonant (b, c, d, ...I.
Can I have a newspaper, please?
o 0/r9
Use an before words that start with a vowel sound la, e, i, o, ul.
Was I late? Yes. I was. / No, I wasn't.
Can I have an apple, please?
Were you late? Yes. you were./ No. you weren't.
Was he a doctor? Yes, he was. / No, he wasn't. Use an when u- is /A/: an umbrella
Was she a lawyer? Yes, she was. / No. she wasn't. Use a when u' is /ju:/: a university
Was it a good job? Yes, it was. / No, it wasn't. PRONUNCIATION
Were we friends? Yes, we were. / No, we weren't. You don't usually stress a. an or some:
Were they here? Yes, they were. /No, they weren't.
I'm a teacher la/
Contractions: Would you like a drink? hl
11: wasn't = was not weren't = were not
Can I 14ve an apple? /ant
PRONUNCIATION
Can 111;ve some new. newspapers, please?/sam/
You don't usually stress was and were in positive sentences or
questions: You usually stress some at the start of a sentence:
I was a nurse. Were you a Actor? Some people don't like this newspaper /sArn/
Say was /wad and were /xvat PRACTICE
You usually stress was, wasn't, were and weren't in negative Add a, an or some to the sentences.
sentences and short answers: a
1 I live in Seoul. It's A great city.
It wasn't an easy job. They weren't friends. 45, she was.
No, we aren't. 2 I really want new boots.

Say was /woz./, were /wail, wasn't /wnznt/ and weren't /wamt/. 3 Would you like cup of coffee after your dinner?

PRACTICE 4 I want to get good job.

Add was, wasn't, were and weren't to the correct places in the 5 My flat has spare room.
sentences.
6 My home town has good clubs.
was
1 After university I A an accountant for ten years. 7 I want to go to caf for lunch.
2 Excuse me. you at Stamford University in 2005? 8 I'm architect.
3 How do you know Carl?"
-
9 Could you bring biscuits?
We colleagues in the same office for a couple of years. -
10 It's old computer but I like it.
4 - Mario and Lucia at the party last night?"
"No. they're on holiday."
5 I in Athens last Friday. It's a really interesting city.
6 "Where Mr Gomez at ten o'clock this morning?"
"I don't know.'
7 "How your exam?" "OK. It very difficult."
8 Alex and Paul at the same school but they in the same class.

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