Was vs. Were
There are many irregular verbs in the English language, but one of the most well-known irregular verbs is be. Be has several different forms-first person singular, first person plural, second person, third person singular, third person plural. While the meaning of these various forms of be are the same, we use the different forms depending on the context of the sentence. Let's look at was and were and when you use which form of be.
Was is the past tense, singular form of be. It refers to a state of being in the past for a singular person, place, thing, or idea.
1. Elizabeth was late this morning.
2. The dog was rescued from the pound by his current owner.
3. Our teacher was angry when she returned to school and discovered the note from the substitute teacher.
4. I was overwhelmed by all of the kindness from my fellow students when I broke my leg.
Were is the past tense, plural form of be. It is also used with the past tense, second person (you) form of be. It refers to a state of being in the past for a plural person, place, thing, or idea, or for the second person singular or plural (you).
1. You were my best friend in kindergarten, so I am glad we are in the same class again.
2. The children were so noisy during lunch that the adults separated them.
3. The plants were beginning to wilt after many days with no rain during the summer.
As you can see, was and were mean the exact same thing, but they are used with different subjects. Was always takes a singular subject; were takes a plural subject except for "you." Even if you were not very confused about these words before, I hope this explanation was what you needed to have a firm grasp on the difference between was and were.
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