As you step on this voyage of perfecting your English, be it in your writing skills or speaking, you'll often hear a lot about the use of "was" and "were". It’s something that’s stressed a lot in English grammar, and it’s really important to get it right. Both are past tense forms of the verb "to be", but they’re used in different situations. Even though they seem simple, they can be tricky to get right at times, and getting them wrong can affect how your message comes across, especially in formal or informal writing.
So, what’s the difference between the two? And how do you know when to use which one? Don’t worry because, by the end of this article, you'll have a clear understanding of when to use "was" and when to use "were", and it’ll feel much easier to use them correctly in your everyday conversations and writing.
Was vs. Were: What’s the Difference?
We know that was and were are both past tense forms of the verb to be, so why are there two different ways to express the past tense of one word? And why does it matter which one you’re using? Well…
The difference between were vs was starts with the subject of the sentence. Was is used with singular subjects in the past, such as "I", "he", "she", or "it". On the other hand, were is used with plural subjects, like "we", "you", or "they".
Examples:
I was going on a trip to Paris last year.
We were excited about the trip to Paris together.
Here’s the use case it isn’t always this simple; it comes with a twist: were is also used for hypothetical or unreal situations, even when the subject is singular. This happens in sentences that describe something imaginary, like wishes or possibilities.
Examples:
If I were going on a trip to Paris, I’d visit the Eiffel Tower first.
She wished she were planning a vacation to Paris.
In short, choosing was or were depends on whether you’re talking about real events, imagined scenarios, or the number of people/things involved in the action.
When to Use Was
When you use "was", you're talking about something that happened in the past, but only when you're talking about one thing or person. Think of it like a picture of one moment in time. For example, if you're talking about yourself or someone else, but only one person, you use "was".
Example:
Linda was so happy to see her siblings.
Here, we’re talking about Linda, one person. "Was" shows us that Linda’s happiness happened in the past.
Example:
Was Tuesday the day invoices were due?
This is a question asking about one specific day in the past. “Was” is used because we’re talking about just one day, Tuesday.
Now, here’s the part about "mood" – it’s like the feeling or attitude the verb gives us. In this case, "was" is in what we call the indicative mood. It sounds fancy, but it just means that we're using "was" to say something that’s either a fact (like “Linda was happy”) or asking about something that happened in the past (like “Was Tuesday the day?”).
So, when you want to talk about something that happened with just one thing (like one person or one thing), always use "was".
When to Use Were
You use "were" when you’re talking about more than one person or thing that existed in the past. So, whenever you're discussing a group of people, animals, or things, or even if you're talking directly to someone (like “you”), you'll use "were".
Think of it like a photo of a group of people or things—if it’s more than one thing, you use "were".
Example:
"Jared and Emilia were excited to visit the zoo together".
Here, we’re talking about two people, so we use "were”. It's a group of two, so we need "were".
Example:
"Was the library the place where Jared and Emilia were studying?"
This is a question about Jared and Emilia, a group of two people, so we use "were".
Just like "was", "were" is in the indicative mood, which is used for things that happened in the past or for asking about them. The only difference is that "were" is used for more than one person or thing, or when you're directly addressing someone (even if it’s just one person, like “you”).
Was and Were Past Indicative and Past Subjunctive Forms
The past indicative is used to talk about real events that happened in the past. For example, "I was tired yesterday".
The past subjunctive is used for imaginary, hypothetical, or wishful situations. For example, "If I were taller, I would play basketball".
For the verb "to be", the past indicative forms are:
was (I, he, she, it)
were (you, we, they)
The past subjunctive always uses were, even for "I", "he", "she", and "it".
I Was or I Were
"I was" is the correct form in the past indicative. This is when you're talking about something that actually happened in the past, like a fact or an event.
Example:
I was at the park yesterday.
"I were" is used in the past subjunctive form, but this is more like a hypothetical or something that didn’t actually happen. It’s used when you're imagining a situation or expressing a wish.
Example:
If I were a superhero, I would fly.
Key Difference:
"I was" talks about what actually happened (fact).
"I were" talks about something that’s not true or is imagined (hypothetical).
You Was or You Were
"You were" is the correct form in both past indicative and past subjunctive when talking to one person or more. In modern English, "was" is never used with "you", no matter how many people you're talking to.
Example (Past Indicative):
You were amazing at the performance.
Example (Past Subjunctive):
I wish you were here to see this.
Key Difference:
"You were" works in both the past indicative (when you're stating something real about the past) and the past subjunctive (when you're talking about something imagined or a wish).
There Were or There Was
"There was" is used when you're talking about one thing or person that existed or happened in the past.
Example:
There was a huge storm last night.
"There were" is used when you're talking about more than one thing or person.
Example:
There were many people at the concert.
Key Difference:
"There was" refers to one thing or person in the past.
"There were" refers to more than one thing or person in the past.
To better understand when to use was and were, take a look at this side-by-side comparison of their past indicative and past subjunctive conjugations:
Past Indicative | Past Subjective |
|---|---|
I was | I were |
you were | you were |
he was | he were |
she was | she were |
it was | it were |
we were | we were |
you were | you were |
they were | they were |
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FAQs
1. How do you know when to use "was" or "were"?
"Was" is used with singular subjects like "I", "he", "she", or "it", while "were" is used with plural subjects such as "we", "you", or "they". Additionally, "were" is also used in hypothetical or imaginary situations, even with singular subjects, like in the sentence, "If I were taller, I'd play basketball".
2. Is it correct to begin a question with "was" or "were"?
Yes, you can start yes/no questions with "was" or "were." Use "was" when referring to singular subjects like "he," "she," or "it," and "were" for plural subjects such as "we," "you," or "they." For example, "Was she at the meeting?" or "Were they satisfied with the results?"
3. Can "was" and "were" be used with the third form of the verb?
Yes, "was" and "were" are used with the third form of the verb (past participle) in passive voice sentences. They can appear with or without "being," depending on the sentence structure. For example: "They were being praised," "He was introduced to the team," or "She was invited to the event."
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