Buổi 04 · Use English for a practical task

Recall 10 min; plan the message 15; sentence practice 20; roleplay 20; writing and repair 25.

Optional extension: was and were

This past-time language is extra practice in the A1 completion route, not a gate for A1 outcomes. For the past, am/is becomes was and are becomes were: I/he/she/it was; you/we/they were. Use was not or wasn’t, and were not or weren’t, for negatives. Put was/were first in a question: Were you at home? Yes, I was. The question uses you were but the answer uses I was. Yesterday, last night, last week and two days ago refer to the past. This lesson uses be with places and states. Do not put was before every action verb. I was at work gives a place; I was work is not correct for an action.

• I was at home yesterday.
• They were at the park.
• She was not late.
• Were you tired?
• Yes, I was.

Use: I was at home. · Instead of: I were at home.

Use was with I in the past.

Use: They were tired. · Instead of: They was tired.

Use were with they.

Was and were in statements and questions

Was and were may be weak in longer sentences and stronger in short answers. Practise yesterday and last night as time phrases. Where and were have different jobs even when they sound similar in an accent. Where were you? contains both words.

• I was at home.
• They were tired.
• Were you late?
• Where were you?

Ella is usually at home on Sunday, but yesterday was different. In the morning, she was at the office because there was a small event. Her colleagues were there too. At twelve, they were at a café near the office. Ella was hungry, but the café was crowded. At five, she was on a bus. The bus was crowded too, and the trip was slow. At eight, she was at home. She was tired, but she was happy because the event was good. Her brother was not at home. He was at a friend’s house.

Listen twice. Keep the transcript closed until you have tried.