WAS / WERE

Cómo preguntar y dar información acerca de situaciones o hechos

ocurridos en el pasado.

El verbo ser o estar en Inglés se conoce como TO BE y se conjuga en

presente simple con las formas am – is – are y en pasado Simple con
WAS y WERE (era, estaba, fui)

Tres formas de conjugarlo en Pasado Simple.

Como verbo SER

Como verbo ESTAR

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

I was Yo era/fui I was Yo estaba/estuve

You were Tú eras/fuiste You were Tú estabas/estuviste

Usted era/fue Usted estaba/estuvo

He was Él era/fue He was Él estaba/estuvo

She was Ella era/fue She was Ella estaba/estuvo

It was Él/Ella era/fue It was Él/Ella estaba/estuvo

We were Nosotros éramos We were Nosotros estábamos

Nosotros fuimos Nosotros estuvimos

You were Vosotros érais/fuisteis (*) You were Vosotros estábais/estuvisteis (*)
Ustedes eran (**) Ustedes estaban (**)
Ustedes fueron (**) Ustedes estuvieron (**)

They were Ellos/as eran/fueron They were Ellos/as estaban/estuvieron

NEGATIVE NEGATIVO
Como verbo SER o ESTAR

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

Normal Contracted Normal Contracción

I was not I wasn't Yo no era/no fui No era/No fui

Yo no estaba/no estuve No estaba/No estuve

You were not You weren't Tú no eras/no fuiste No eras/No fuiste

Usted no era/no fue No era/No fue
Tú no estabas/no estuviste No estabas/No estuviste
Usted no estaba/no estuvo No estaba/No estuvo

He was not He wasn't Él no era/no fue No era/No fue

Él no estaba/no estuvo No estaba/No estuvo

She was not She wasn't Ella no era/no fue No era/No fue
Ella no estaba/no estuvo No estaba/No estuvo

It was not It wasn't Él/Ella era/fue No era/No fue

Él/Ella estaba/estuvo No estaba/No estuvo

We were not We weren't Nosotros no éramos No éramos

Nosotros no fuimos No fuimos
Nosotros no estábamos No estábamos
Nosotros no estuvimos No estuvimos

You were not You weren't Vosotros no érais (*) No érais (*)
Vosostros no fuisteis (*) No fuisteis (*)
Ustedes no eran (**) No eran (**)
Ustedes no fueron (**) No fueron (**)
Vosotros no estábais (*) No estábais (*)
Vosostros no estuvisteis (*) No estuvisteis (*)
Ustedes no estaban (**) No estaban (**)
Ustedes no estuvieron (**) No estuvieron (**)

They were not They weren't Ellos/as eran/fueron Ellos/as eran/fueron

Ellos/as estaban/estuvieron Ellos/as estaban/estuvieron
INTERROGATIVE INTERROGATIVO
Como verbo SER Como verbo ESTAR

ENGLISH ESPAÑOL ENGLISH ESPAÑOL

Was I? ¿Era yo? ¿Fui yo? Was I? ¿Estaba yo? ¿Estuve yo?

Were you? ¿Eras tú? ¿Fuiste tú? Were you? ¿Estabas tú? ¿Estuviste tú?
¿Era usted? ¿Fue usted? ¿Estaba usted? ¿Estuvo usted?

Was he? ¿Era él? ¿Fue él? Was he? ¿Estaba él? ¿Estuvo él?

Was she? ¿Era ella? ¿Fue ella? Was she? ¿Estaba ella? ¿Estuvo ella?

Was it? ¿Era él (ella)? Was it? ¿Estaba él (ella)?

¿Fue él (ella)? ¿Estuvo él (ella)?

Were we? ¿Éramos nosotros? Were we? ¿Éstábamos nosotros?

¿Fuimos nosotros? ¿Estuvimos nosotros?

Were you? ¿Érais/Fuisteis vosotros? (*) Were you? ¿Estábais vosotros? (*)
¿Eran/Fueron ustedes? (**) ¿Estaban/Estuvieron ustedes? (**)

Were they? ¿Eran ellos? ¿Fueron ellos? Were they? ¿Estaban ellos? ¿Estuvieron ellos?

Positivo Negativo Interrogativo

I I I …?
He was He was not Was he…?
she She (wasn’t) She…?
it it It…?
we we
We…?
you were you were not were you…?
they they (weren’t) They…?
 Respuestas cortas

I/he/she/it was I/he/she/it wasn’t

Yes, We/you/they were No, We/you/they weren’t

EJEMPLOS:

a) I was born in 1987. (Nací en 1987)

b) My father wasn’t at home yesterday. He was at work (Mi papá no

estuvo en la casa ayer. Estaba en el trabajo).

c) How old were you in 1993? (¿Qué edad tenías en 1993?)

NOTA: No se utiliza DID en negaciones ni preguntas con was / were.

Actividades

1. – Completa las oraciones con was/wasn’t o were/weren’t.

1.-Michael Jackson (1) was a very popular artist. He (2) born in 1958.

2. - Last Saturday Carlos and Irma (3) home. They (4) in the
country all weekend.

3. - I (5) worried because they (6) lost.

4. – (7) Valentin and Isabel at the party? No, they (8)

5. - For most people Pelé (9) one of the best soccer players in the

world. 6.-What (10) your favorite subject in high school?

It (11) math.
2. - Completa el dialogo con was, were, wasn´t o weren’t.

Dough: Where (1) you last night, Martin? I called you but you (2)
at home.

Martin: No, I (3) . Betty and I (4) at a friend’s house. We

had dinner there and then watched TV.

Dough: Did you watch a film?

Martin: No, there (5) a boxing match on Channel 7. It (6)

great, but the girls (7)
upset!

Dough: They hate boxing, right?

Martin: Yes, and there (8) another TV in the house.

3.-Completa el ejercicio con el pasado de los verbos en paréntesis, recuerda

que el pasado del verbo “to be” es was o were, dependiendo de la persona.
(12 puntos)

1.- How (be) was your weekend? Terrible! I (be) sick.

I (have) temperature and sore throat.

2.-Last night I (go) to the movies. But I (enjoy)(neg.)

the film much, because it (be)

very violent.

3.-The dress (be) really fine and It (cost) (neg.) very much.

4. - Max’s parents (be) very

proud because he (studied) very
hard and (pass) his examinations.

5. - you (go) to Johannesburgo to the Soccer World Cup? Of

course. It (be) wonderful!

Ejercicio 1. Completa las oraciones con was , wasn’t o were ,
weren’t

1. I in Canberra last Spring .

2. My brother and I at school last
Saturday. We at the mall
3. Tina at home yesterday, she at work.
4. You very busy on Friday, right?
5. Jessica and Kimberly late for school yesterday.
6. My elementary school really big .
7. He in a hurry because there a lot of traffic.
8. Last night you angry because your girlfriend at home.
9. My father at work yesterday because he sick.
10.Trixi and Felix my cats, they died 5 years ago.

Ejercicio 2. Complete con la pregunta correcta.

1. ?
He was born in 1916.
2. ?
It was sunny and hot.
3. ?
She was friendly and talkative.
4. ?
I was with my sister.
5. ?
They were at the beach last summer.
6. ?
The party was great, I was really happy.
7. ?
She was happy because it was her birthday.
8. ?
My best friend was Andy.
9. ?
Her birthday party was last summer.
10. ?
John Lennon was from Liverpool.
Ejercicio 3. Lee el siguiente parrafo acerca del científico Charles Darwin y
contesta las preguntas

Charles Darwin was born on February 12,

1809. He was a British naturalist who
became famous for his theories of
evolution and natural selection. In South
America, Darwin found that fossils of
extinct animals were similar to modern
species. Many people were strongly
opposed to the idea of evolution because
it conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Throughout his life, Darwin was a
reserved, thorough, hard working
scholar.

1.-Who was Charles

Darwin? 2.-Where was he
born?
3.-When was he born?
4.-Why was he famous for?
5.-Why were people opposed to his
theories? 6.-What was he like?
 ANSWER KEY EXERCISES

1) 2. - was 3.- weren’t 4.-were 5.- was 6.-were 7.-were

8.-weren’t 9.- was 10.- was 11.- was

2) 1.- were 2.- weren’t 3.- wasn’t 4.- were 5.- was 6.- was
7.- were 8.- wasn´t

3) 1.- was / had 2.-went /didn’t enjoy /was 3.- was

/ didn’t cost 4.- were / studied / passed 5.-
Did / go / was

ANSWER KEY EXAM

Exercise I

1. Was

2. Weren’t / were

3. Wasn’t, was

4. Were

5. Were

6. Was

7. Was / was

8. Were / wasn’t

9. Wasn’t / was

10. Were

Exercise II

1. When was he born?

2. How was the weather?

 3. What was she like?

4. Who were you with?

5. Where were they last summer?

6. How was the party?

7. Why was she happy?

8. Who was your best friend?

9. When was her birthday party

10.Where was John Lennon from?

Exercise III

1. A British Naturalist

2. In Britain / England

3. 1809

4. For his theories of evolution and natural selection

5. Because it conflicted their religious beliefs

6. Reserved and hardworking

Para que puedas seguir practicando esta estructura puedes consultar el

siguiente material en el CADI:

AUDIO LIS 089

LECTURA REA 110

VIDEO VID032

ESCRITURA WRI072

GRAMATICA GRA017, GRA024,

GRA138, GRA170,
GRA191, GRA278,
También puedes consultar los siguientes libros:

 GRAMMAR SPECTRUM 1 codificación GKB 008 (Unidad 9, pág. 22)

 ESSENTIAL GRAMMAR IN USE codificación GKB ( Unidad 10, págs.

82,83)

 GRAMMAR DIMENSIONS 1 codificación GKB 014 (Unidad 17, págs.

257- 265)