To Be: Past Tense ·4 ·

Te st tense o the verb to be is cre ted by using was or were in l ce o am, is,
nd are.
I → Iw s → I w s tired t school tod y.
you re → you were → You were downst irs.
he is → he w s → He w s unny.
she is → she w s → She w s t work.
it is → it w s → It w s on the shel .
we re → we were → We were u st irs.
they re → they were → Tey were here.

EXERCISE

4 ·1
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words
needed or this exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your
language in the space provided.

snake arm
diaper minnow
sorry crust
beach grandmother
pencil hairdresser
bag exam
roommate thick
laundry room pool
bucket washer
pocket dryer

13
 Rewrite the ollowing sentences to create the past tense by changing the present tense orm o the verb
to be to the past tense orm.

1. He is my roommate.

2. It is in my pocket.

3. The snake is in the garden.

4. The diapers are in the bag.

5. Lisa is sick.

6. The kids are in the pool.

7. The bucket is ull o minnows.

8. The washer and dryer are in the laundry room.

9. I am in my o ce.

10. The pencil is on the oor.

11. Sorry that I am late.

12. The owers are or Jenni er.

13. My grandmother is in the hospital.

14. The exam is easy.

15. The crust is very thick.

16. The arm is very ar.

14 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 EXERCISE

4 ·2
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words needed or this
exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

huge cupboard
ring asleep
crib skating rink
story slipper
resh wedding
so t egg
spicy shower
baby awake
with vase
wine locker
cellar soup
rake whale
downtown bedroom
broken last night
godmother couch
yesterday both
candle library
nurse ca eteria

Complete the ollowing past tense sentences using was or were.

1. The baby in the crib.

2. The candles on the table.
3. It a good story.
4. They awake.
5. My godmother asleep on the couch.
6. The wine in the cellar.
7. I ready.
8. He in the shower.
9. The bowls in the cupboard.
10. The girls at the skating rink.
11. The moon bright last night.

To Be: P T n 15
 12. The juice resh.
13. The eggs on the counter.
14. My sister outside.
15. The keys in the car.
16. The ring expensive.
17. You at the wedding.
18. The soup hot and spicy.
19. Both pillows so t.
20. Annie a nurse.
21. The owers in the vase.
22. The rake in the garage.
23. My slippers in the bedroom.
24. The whale huge.
25. We downtown yesterday.
26. Chris in the ca eteria with Cory.
27. It in my locker.
28. We at the library.
29. The pool small.
30. The printer broken.
31. My pockets ull.
32. The teachers in the o ce.

16 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 To Be: Past Tense:
Negative Form
·5·

Pl ce not er the st tense or o the verb to be to cre te neg tive sentence.

Iw s → I w s not → I w s not sick yesterd y.
you were → you were not → You were not t the be ch.
he w s → he w s not → He w s not t the eeting.
she w s → she w s not → She w s not very nice.
it w s → it w s not → It w s not on y desk.
we were → we were not → We were not l te.
they were → they were not → Tey were not re dy.
Te neg tive or o the st tense o the verb to be c n lso be ex ressed
with the contr ction wasn’t or weren’t.
I w s not → I w sn’t → I w sn’t tired l st night.
you were not → you weren’t → You weren’t t work tod y.
he w s not → he w sn’t → He w sn’t serious.
she w s not → she w sn’t → She w sn’t here yesterd y.
it w s not → it w sn’t → It w sn’t true.
we were not → we weren’t → We weren’t t the libr ry.
they were not → they weren’t → Tey weren’t busy l st night.

EXERCISE

5·1
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words
needed or this exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your
language in the space provided.

dress list
purple year
tree joke
raccoon plate
waitress play (n)
ast name

17
 Rewrite the ollowing sentences to express the negative orm. Write the sentence once using was not or
were not and once using the contraction wasn’t or weren’t.

1. The dress was blue.

2. The couch in the living room was dirty.

3. They were very ast.

4. It was a good joke.

5. The raccoons were in the tree.

6. The slippers were purple.

7. We were at the play last night.

8. The plates were in the dishwasher.

9. Karen was a waitress or three years.

10. My name was on the list.

18 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 EXERCISE

5·2
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words needed or this
exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

phone stove
quiet cat
mark ugly
clever slide
landlord horn
butter sock
deep long
loud big
jam lake
o toolbox
binder ground
shaver stroller
nest rat
right answer movie
powder snowstorm
stain light
uneral hammer
Greek bread
polite museum
vegetable on

Use the contraction wasn’t or weren’t to complete the ollowing negative sentences.

1. My marks good at school last year.

2. It a raccoon; it was a skunk.
3. The stain on the oor big.
4. The vegetables resh.
5. You very polite with the landlord.
6. It the right answer.
7. The horn in my car loud.
8. We at the uneral.

To Be: P T n :N g v Fo 19
 9. The kids quiet today in class.
10. The grass long.
11. She very clever.
12. The lake deep.
13. The baby in the stroller.
14. He on the slide.
15. My socks on the clothesline.
16. The shaver in the bathroom.
17. The bread and butter on the counter.
18. The museum very big.
19. The rats in the cellar.
20. The nest on the ground.
21. I on the phone.
22. It a big snowstorm.
23. The binders in my locker.
24. The man Greek; he was Italian.
25. The jam in the ridge.
26. It a good movie.
27. The lights on.
28. The stove o .
29. It ugly.
30. The cat black.
31. The hammer in the toolbox.
32. The powder on the shel .

20 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 To Be: Past Tense:
Question Form
·6·

Pl ce was or were be ore the subject to or questions in the st tense o the verb
to be.
Iw s → w sI → W s I unny?
you were → were you → Were you w ke?
he w s → w s he → W s he very t ll?
she w s → w s she → W s she downtown?
it w s → w s it → W s it on the oor?
we were → were we → Were we st?
they were → were they → Were they slee ?

EXERCISE

6·1
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words
needed or this exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your
language in the space provided.

recipe easy
ship velvet
ree enough
angry nail clippers
low kindergarten
door ight attendant
lady tablecloth
thin bitter
young seasick
crutches behind
ashtray together
sky airplane

21
 Rewrite the ollowing sentences to create questions in the past tense by placing was or were be ore the
subject. Don’t orget to include a question mark (?) in your answer.

1. It was ree.

2. The airplane was very low in the sky.

3. The mall was empty.

4. They were in kindergarten together.

5. It was bitter.

6. You were angry at Susan.

7. The recipe was easy.

8. The nail clippers were in the drawer.

9. The curtains were velvet.

10. The tablecloth was dirty.

11. It was enough.

12. She was a ight attendant when she was young.

13. The ashtrays were ull.

14. The lady was thin.

15. Claude was seasick on the ship.

16. The crutches were behind the door.

22 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 EXERCISE

6·2
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words needed or this
exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

plastic boring
rotten water
swan ripe
teller on re
cashier driveway
a ter parking lot
jar laptop computer
rib hardware store
marker aw ul
result snow ake
snow every day
iron instructions
teddy bear new
grocery store report card
warm open
high school pumpkin
deodorant ruit
bank high chair
blanket president
weather brush

Complete the ollowing sentences using was or were to orm questions in the past tense.

1. the weather aw ul?

2. the snow akes big?
3. he at school every day?
4. you a cashier at the grocery store?
5. the movie boring?
6. the vegetables resh?
7. your report card good?
8. the jars on the shel ?
9. the laptop computer new?

To Be: P T n : Qu on Fo 23
 10. the teddy bear in the crib?
11. the ruit in the bowl ripe?
12. the baby in the high chair?
13. you in my class in high school?
14. the hardware store open?
15. the ribs good?
16. the swan white?
17. the blankets warm?
18. Sandra on the phone?
19. they at the museum?
20. the pumpkins rotten?
21. the brush in the bathroom?
22. the house on re?
23. the results good?
24. the driveway ull o snow?
25. the iron hot?
26. he the president?
27. the water cold?
28. the deodorant in the bathroom?
29. Linda a teller at the bank?
30. the parking lot ull?
31. the instructions in the plastic bag?
32. the marker yellow?
33. I ast enough?
34. you at the uneral?
35. they in the garden?
36. she at the meeting?
37. it expensive?
38. we late or school yesterday?
39. he at the beach with Mary?

24 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 Exceptional Uses with
the Verb To Be
· 7·

Te ollowing re co on ex ressions th t use the verb to be.

to be cold to be hungry to be twenty- ve ye rs old
to be hot to be thirsty to be sc red/ r id
to be right to be wrong to be sh ed

EXERCISE

7·1
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words
needed or this exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your
language in the space provided.

because thunder
snowball please
mother ather
behavior this morning
spider race
lightning son
all the time size
daughter guest
birthday last
break ast dark

Rewrite the ollowing sentences using the correct orm o the verb to be. Use the
in ormation in parentheses at the end o each sentence to help you determine the correct
tense and to know whether the sentence is a rmative or negative.

1. My daughter (to be) a raid o the dark. (present tense, a rmative)

2. (To be) Jason right? (present tense, a rmative)

25
 3. She (to be) hungry or break ast this morning. (past tense, negative)

4. Please open the windows. I (to be) very hot. (present tense, a rmative)

5. I (to be) ashamed o the size o my shoes. (present tense, negative)

6. Cathy (to be) thirty-three years old on her last birthday. (past tense, a rmative)

7. We (to be) very thirsty a ter the race. (past tense, a rmative)

8. You (to be) wrong again. (present tense, a rmative)

9. I (to be) right all the time. (present tense, negative)

10. (To be) you scared o thunder? (present tense, a rmative)

11. He (to be) a raid o the lightning. (past tense, negative)

12. I (to be) cold this morning. (past tense, a rmative)

13. (To be) the guests hungry? (present tense, a rmative)

14. My mother and ather (to be) ashamed o my behavior. (past tense, a rmative)

15. (To be) your son scared o spiders? (present tense, a rmative)

16. I (to be) eighteen years old. (present tense, negative)

26 practice makes per ect B Engl h

 17. Bill is happy because he (to be) right. (present tense, a rmative)

18. I (to be) cold because o the snowballs in my pocket. (present tense, a rmative)

EXERCISE

7·2
Use your dictionary to nd the meaning o the new vocabulary words needed or this
exercise be ore you begin. Write the words in your language in the space provided.

needle jelly sh
never requently
crow summer
shark usually

Complete the ollowing sentences using the correct orm o the verb to be.

1. He ashamed o you. (past tense, negative)

2. they cold at the beach? (past tense, a rmative)
3. She right. (present tense, negative)
4. We wrong. (past tense, a rmative)
5. Sharon twenty-two years old today. (present tense, a rmative)
6. It hot last summer. (past tense, a rmative)
7. Mark a raid o needles. (present tense, negative)
8. I hungry all the time. (present tense, a rmative)
9. The baby thirsty. (present tense, negative)
10. He wrong. (present tense, a rmative)
11. she right? (past tense, a rmative)
12. It cold in Canada in the winter. (present tense, a rmative)
13. you scared o sharks? (present tense, a rmative)
14. it hot in your class yesterday? (past tense, a rmative)
15. it cold outside? (past tense, a rmative)
16. They wrong. (past tense, negative)
17. She ashamed o her son. (present tense, negative)
18. you cold? (past tense, a rmative)

Ex on l U w h h V b To Be 27
 19. I twenty-two years old. (past tense, negative)
20. They ashamed o her. (present tense, negative)
21. Marcel right. (present tense, a rmative)
22. Ben thirsty? (past tense, a rmative)
23. The boys hungry. (present tense, negative)
24. I scared o jelly sh. (present tense, a rmative)
25. The girls thirsty. (present tense, a rmative)
26. they ashamed o me? (past tense, a rmative)
27. It a raid o you. (past tense, negative)
28. Lucy usually right. (present tense, a rmative)
29. He scared o crows. (present tense, negative)
30. It cold downstairs. (past tense, a rmative)
31. She requently wrong. (present tense, a rmative)
32. Peter hungry? (present tense, a rmative)
33. I a raid o the rog. (past tense, negative)
34. We very hungry. (present tense, a rmative)

28 practice makes per ect B Engl h