Was and were are used in the simple past tense.

First, the concept of the simple past tense:

The simple past tense is used to indicate the action or existing state at a certain time in the past, as well as the habitual and repetitive actions in the past. Predicate verbs should use the past tense of verbs, often used with adverbials to indicate the past time, such as yesterday, last night, last week, last year and so on.

Second, the structure of the general past tense: (can be divided into four different structures)

Simple past tense of 1 Be a verb

(1) Use the be verb in sentences without substantive verbs. The past tense of am is wasare and the past tense of am is were.

(2) affirmative sentence: subject +be(was, were)+ others.

I was shy two years ago.

(3) Negative sentence: subject +be(was, were)+not+ others.

I wasn't very shy two years ago.

(4) General question: Be(was, were)+ subject+other?

Were you shy two years ago?

Note: in this construction, the be verb is called the change of names and numbers, that is, it is necessary to choose was/were according to the subject. Be verbs are divided into singular and plural, was means singular and were means plural.

2. Simple past tense of notional verbs

Positive sentences should use the past tense of verbs, negative sentences and interrogative sentences should use the past tense of auxiliary verbs do and does.

Affirmative sentence: subject+verb (past tense)+others

I had breakfast two hours ago.

Negative sentence pattern: subject +did+ verb (prototype) +other did = did.

I didn't have breakfast two hours ago.

General question: Did+ subject+verb (prototype) +do and other past tense of does are Did?

Did you have breakfast two hours ago?

Note: did and did' t are auxiliary verbs that form the simple past tense. Their characteristic is that they are followed by the prototype of the verb.

3. General past tense of modal verbs

The simple past tense of modal verbs is very similar to the simple past tense of Be verbs. Please pay attention.

Affirmative sentence: subject+modal verb+others.

She sang very well when she was young.

Negative sentence pattern: subject+modal verb +not+ others.

She couldn't sing well when she was young.

General question: Modal verb+subject+others?

Did she sing well when she was young?

Note: past tense of modal verbs: can→could, may→may, must→must, will-would, should-should.

4. Special questions:

Special interrogative words +be past tense+subject+other?

Special interrogative words+modal auxiliary verbs past tense+subject+verb prototype+others?

Special interrogative words +do/does past tense+subject+verb prototype+other?

What was your previous name? What was your name before?

Why was he late for school last Monday? Why was he late last Monday?

What could she have done twenty years ago? What could she have done 20 years ago?

Third, the markers of the simple past tense

Yesterday, the day before yesterday, the last time, this morning.

In the past time.

Past tense of regular verbs

1. Generally speaking, the verb prototype is followed by -ed.

Watch → Watch Play → Play Start → Start Access → Visited.

2. Verbs ending in the silent e add -d directly at the end of the word.

Live → live and use → use.

3. For verbs ending with "consonant +y", change y to I first, and then add–ed.

Learning → learning and trying → trying to fly → flying.

4. Verbs ending in stressed closed syllables (i.e. consonants+vowels+consonants) or R syllables with only one consonant at the end should be written in double before adding–ed.

Stop → Stop planning → Plan first choice → First choice.

5. The past tense of irregular verbs needs special memory.

Five, the basic usage of the simple past tense

1. indicates the behavior or state of existence that occurred at a specific time in the past.

He suddenly fell ill last night.

He suddenly fell ill last night.

2. Used to express past habitual or regular actions. Often used with adverbial of time indicating frequency, such as often, always, once a week, etc.

She goes to the movies once a month when she is at school.

When she was at school, she went to the movies once a month.

When I was in the countryside, I often walked by the river.

When I am in the country, I often walk by the river.