Sentences and Questions

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL was/were game for elementary A1-A2: forming sentences and questions, subject-verb agreement

ESL Was Were Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences and Questions, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this engaging was and were game, students practice making affirmative and negative sentences and yes/no questions with 'was' and 'were' by combining subject, 'be', and complement cards. The first...

ESL Was Were Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences and Questions from Prompts, Freer Practice - Group Work In this engaging was and were game, students practice making affirmative and negative sentences and yes/no questions with 'was' and 'were' by combining subject, 'be', and complement cards. The first player looks at their subject cards, 'be' cards, and complement cards and tries to make a three-card grammatically correct sentence or question, e.g. 'They were busy' or 'Were they busy?' As the player creates a sentence or question, they lay the corresponding cards out on the table for everyone to see. If the other group members agree that the sentence or question is grammatically correct and makes sense, the player scores a point. The player then takes one card from each pile, so they always have three subject cards, three 'be' cards, and three complement cards until a pile runs out. It is then the next student's turn to play. If a player cannot make a sentence or question, they may swap one card. Then the turn ends. The game continues until players cannot make any more sentences or questions, or the cards run out. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Exclusive PDF Online

Was and Were Race

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL was or were game for elementary A1-A2: sentence matching and completion, pair race

ESL Was or Were Game - Grammar: Matching, Forming Sentences

In this enjoyable was or were game, students race to choose the correct past form of 'be' (was, were, wasn't, weren't) in affirmative and negative sentences. When you say 'go', pairs race to line up sentence frame cards in order and place the correct...

ESL Was or Were Game - Grammar: Matching, Forming Sentences In this enjoyable was or were game, students race to choose the correct past form of 'be' (was, were, wasn't, weren't) in affirmative and negative sentences. When you say 'go', pairs race to line up sentence frame cards in order and place the correct ‘be' card to fill in the blank at the end of each sentence. If a sentence has a plus sign, students use was or were. If it has a negative sign, students use wasn't or weren't. The first pair to complete all the sentences correctly wins.
Exclusive PDF Online

Was or Were?

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL was/were worksheet for elementary A1-A2: gap-fill, binary choice, rewriting sentences

ESL Was or Were Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Binary Choice, Rewriting Sentences

In this useful was and were worksheet, students practice the past simple of 'be' by completing a gap-fill, choosing the correct form, and rewriting present-tense sentences in the past. Students begin by...

ESL Was or Were Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Gap-fill, Binary Choice, Rewriting Sentences In this useful was and were worksheet, students practice the past simple of 'be' by completing a gap-fill, choosing the correct form, and rewriting present-tense sentences in the past. Students begin by completing sentences with was or were. Students then complete sentences by choosing was or were. Next, students rewrite sentences changing 'am', 'is', 'are' into the past simple (was, were). Finally, check the correct answers with the class and review how to use was and were.
Exclusive PDF Online

Were You...?

Elementary (A1-A2) 25 minutes
ESL was/were speaking activity for elementary A1-A2: asking 'Were you...?' and follow-up questions

ESL Were You Questions Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice

In this free 'Were you...?' questions activity, students practice 'Were you…?' questions and short answers by writing their own responses and then mingling to find classmates who responded in the same way...

ESL Were You Questions Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Controlled and Freer Practice In this free 'Were you...?' questions activity, students practice 'Were you…?' questions and short answers by writing their own responses and then mingling to find classmates who responded in the same way. First, go through the items on the worksheet and elicit the 'Were you...?' questions the students need to ask, e.g. 'Were you asleep at 6 o'clock this morning?' Next, students answer the questions and write short answers (Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't.) in the column marked 'You'. Students then go around the class asking and answering the 'Were you...?' questions to find classmates with the same answers. When a student finds someone with the same answer, the two students write each other's names in the last column. When the students have finished, get feedback from the class by asking the students questions with 'Who...?', e.g. 'Who was asleep at 6 o'clock this morning?'
Online

Change the Subject

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL was/were board game for pre-intermediate A2: making believable sentences about different subjects

ESL Was Were Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this fun was and were board game, students practice was, wasn't, were, and weren't by making believable past simple affirmative or negative sentences from subject prompts. Players take turns...

ESL Was Were Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice - Group Work In this fun was and were board game, students practice was, wasn't, were, and weren't by making believable past simple affirmative or negative sentences from subject prompts. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counters along the board. When a player lands on a square, they take a was and wasn't or were and weren't subject card from the corresponding pile. If a player picks up a 'choose a subject' card, the player can choose any subject they like for their sentence. The player then reads out the subject and tries to make a believable affirmative or negative sentence with the past simple of the verb 'to be' shown on the square, e.g. 'Tom wasn't in class yesterday.' If the sentence is grammatically correct and makes sense, the player stays on the square. If not, the other students challenge the player to justify or correct their sentence. If the player is unable to do this, they go back two squares. The first player to reach the finish wins the game.
Exclusive PDF Online

How was your holiday?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL was/were activity for pre-intermediate A2: writing and reading about a holiday, descriptive sentences

ESL Was Were Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Sentences, Discussion, Communicative Practice - Group Work

In this inventive past simple was and were activity, students practice the past simple of the verb 'to be' by writing short descriptions of a holiday in a collaborative fold-and-pass writing activity. To begin...

ESL Was Were Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing Sentences from Prompts, Guided Discussion, Communicative Practice - Group Work In this inventive past simple was and were activity, students practice the past simple of the verb 'to be' by writing short descriptions of a holiday in a collaborative fold-and-pass writing activity. To begin, students read the first question on the worksheet (How was the journey there?) and write a sentence describing the journey, e.g. 'The journey was quick.' Students then fold the paper so the sentence they wrote is hidden and hand the worksheet to the person on their right. The student on their right reads the next question (What was the weather like?) and writes a complete sentence, describing the weather with the verb 'to be' in the past simple. The student then folds the paper so the sentence is hidden and passes it to the person on their right, and so on. When the last question has been answered, students pass the paper one more time, and the next student unfolds the worksheet. Students then take turns reading the holiday to the people in their group, who discuss the good and bad points of each holiday and decide whose holiday was the best and worst.
Exclusive PDF Online

Sightseeing in Washington, D.C.

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL was/were pair activity for pre-intermediate A2: information gap, chart completion, error correction

ESL Was and Were Activity - Speaking: Information Gap - Pair Work - Grammar Exercises: True or False, Error Correction, Writing Sentences

In this productive was and were activity, students communicate about where people were at different times in the past, using was, wasn't, were, and weren't to...

ESL Was and Were Activity - Speaking: Information Gap - Pair Work - Grammar Exercises: True or False, Error Correction, Writing Sentences from Prompts In this productive was and were activity, students communicate about where people were at different times in the past, using was, wasn't, were, and weren't to ask questions, give short answers, and check and correct information. First, in pairs, students ask and answer questions with 'was' and 'were' in order to complete a chart with information about four people who went sightseeing. Next, students decide if 'was' and 'were' sentences about the four people are true or false. If a sentence is false, students change was, wasn't, were, or weren't to make it true. Finally, students use prompts to write true sentences about the four people with was, wasn't, were or weren't.
Exclusive PDF Online

Was Were Board Game

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL was/were board game for pre-intermediate A2: true or false Q&A, guessing, group play

ESL Was Were Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, True or False, Guessing - Group Work

In this free was and were board game, students review the verb 'to be' in the past simple by playing a game where they give true or false answers to questions. Players take turns rolling the dice and...

ESL Was Were Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, True or False, Guessing - Group Work In this free was and were board game, students review the verb 'to be' in the past simple by playing a game where they give true or false answers to questions. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. When a player lands on a square, they pick up a true or false card and look at it. The player then answers the question on the square using 'was' or 'were' by giving either true or false information as indicated on the card. Next, the other students ask follow-up questions to determine if the player is lying or telling the truth. After a few questions have been answered, the other students guess whether the player's answer is true or false. The player then reveals the answer. Students who guessed correctly each score one point. When a player reaches the finish, the game ends. The student with the most points wins the game.
Online

Was and Were Question Time

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL was/were speaking activity for pre-intermediate A2: gap-fill, asking and answering questions, group and pair work

ESL Was Were Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work

In this interesting was and were speaking activity, students complete, ask and answer conversation questions with 'was' and 'were' about past feelings, places...

ESL Was Were Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work In this interesting was and were speaking activity, students complete, ask and answer conversation questions with 'was' and 'were' about past feelings, places, and experiences. First, in two groups, students complete each conversation question with was or were. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking and answering the conversation questions with their partner. Afterwards, students share what they found out about their partner with the class.
Exclusive PDF Online

Where were you...?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL was/were speaking activity for pre-intermediate A2: asking questions from prompts, answering questions, writing sentences, pair work

ESL Was Were Activity - Speaking: Asking and Answering Question, Writing Sentences - Pair Work

In this insightful was and were speaking activity, students interview each other about their whereabouts at certain times in the past using past simple Wh questions with the verb 'to be'. In pairs, students take...

ESL Was Were Activity - Speaking: Asking Questions from Prompts, Answering Questions, Writing Sentences - Pair Work In this insightful was and were speaking activity, students interview each other about their whereabouts at certain times in the past using past simple Wh questions with the verb 'to be'. In pairs, students take turns to interviewing each other about where they were at certain times in the past by asking 'Where were you...?' questions from their worksheet, e.g. 'Where were you last night?' Students note down their partner's answers and ask past simple follow-up questions to gain as much information as possible. Afterwards, students write past simple sentences about their partner's whereabouts at the listed times. When the students have finished, they tell the class what they found out.
Exclusive PDF Online

Who were they?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 20 minutes
ESL was/were game for pre-intermediate A2: asking and answering questions, guessing famous people, group work

ESL Was Were Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice, Guessing - Group Work

In this entertaining was and were game, each student takes on the role of an unnamed famous person in history and tries to establish the identities of other famous people by asking and answering questions...

ESL Was Were Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice, Guessing - Group Work In this entertaining was and were game, each student takes on the role of an unnamed famous person in history and tries to establish the identities of other famous people by asking and answering questions with was and were. In groups, students begin by reading the information about their mystery famous person in the 'You were...' section of the worksheet. Students then find out information about the other famous people in their group by asking and answering questions with was and were, e.g. 'Were you born in 1869?' When a group member replies 'Yes, I was', the student writes their letter (e.g. Student B) next to the question in the 'Who was...?' section of the worksheet. Students continue asking and answering questions until all the worksheets are complete. Students then discuss their findings about each student and try to guess the names of the four famous people. Afterwards, each group tells the class their four guesses and the correct answers are revealed. Groups score one point for each correct answer. The group with the most points wins.
Exclusive PDF Online

Understanding Past Simple Was and Were

'Was' is the past simple of 'to be' for I, he, she, and it, as in 'She was tired.' 'Were' is the past simple for you, we, and they, as in 'They were late.' Students who use 'was' with plural subjects, producing sentences like 'We was at the beach', mark themselves immediately as beginners to any English speaker, and the error can undermine the clarity of everything else they say or write.

This page covers past simple was and were at A1-A2 and A2 levels, with 11 activities ranging from card games and board games to worksheets and speaking activities, with two available as free downloads.

The table below shows the full set of past simple was and were forms, covering affirmative, negative, question, and short answer structures.

FormSubjectStructureExample
Affirmative I / he / she / it subject + was + complement 'It was cold.'
Affirmative you / we / they subject + were + complement 'We were at the beach.'
Negative I / he / she / it subject + wasn't + complement 'He wasn't ready.'
Negative you / we / they subject + weren't + complement 'You weren't at school.'
Yes/No Question I / he / she / it Was + subject + complement? 'Was it cold?'
Yes/No Question you / we / they Were + subject + complement? 'Were you at school?'
Short Answer (yes) I / he / she / it Yes, + subject + was. 'Yes, it was.'
Short Answer (yes) you / we / they Yes, + subject + were. 'Yes, we were.'
Short Answer (no) I / he / she / it No, + subject + wasn't. 'No, he wasn't.'
Short Answer (no) you / we / they No, + subject + weren't. 'No, you weren't.'
Wh Question all subjects Wh word + was/were + subject? 'Where were you last night?'

When to Use Past Simple Was and Were

Describing Past States and Conditions: Speakers use 'was' and 'were' to describe how things or people existed at a specific moment in the past, making them the natural choice for setting the scene in a story or account, as in 'The room was small, the walls were bare, and the light was very dim.'

Asking About Someone's Past Experience: 'Was' and 'were' form the backbone of personal questions about past feelings, places, and situations, appearing naturally in everyday conversation about holidays, events, or childhood, as in 'Was the concert good?' or 'Were you nervous before your exam?'

Making Factual Statements About the Past: Writers use 'was' and 'were' in historical or factual texts to state what existed or held true at a particular point in time, as in 'Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching Past Simple Was and Were

1. Establish the Form on the Page: Start with a worksheet that builds confidence through three short, graded exercises. Students complete gap-fill sentences, choose between was and were in binary-choice items, and then rewrite present-tense sentences by changing 'am', 'is', and 'are' into the correct past simple form. That final rewriting task is where the subject-verb link clicks into place, because students must check the subject of every sentence before they can choose.

2. Get Students Using the Form With Each Other: Move into a mingle activity built around personal yes/no questions. Students write their own short answers to a set of 'Were you...?' questions, for example 'Were you asleep at 6 o'clock this morning?', using 'Yes, I was' or 'No, I wasn't', then go around the class asking classmates the same questions to find people with matching answers. The search structure means every student asks and answers the same questions multiple times, giving the short answer forms plenty of natural repetition.

3. Push Into Freer Question Use: Finish with a game that gives students a real communicative reason to keep asking questions with was and were. Each student secretly takes on the identity of an unnamed famous person from history and reads their 'You were...' profile card to find out who they are. They then ask and answer questions like 'Were you born in 1869?' to gather clues about other students' identities, before the group discusses what they found out and tries to name all four famous people.

Common Mistakes with Past Simple Was and Were

Using 'were' with a Singular Third-Person Subject: Students often use 'were' instead of 'was' with singular third-person subjects such as 'he', 'she', or 'it', applying the plural form incorrectly because they have not fully mapped the subject-verb agreement pattern. Wrong: 'She were happy about the news.' Correct: 'She was happy about the news.'

Using Present Simple 'Is' or 'Are' Instead of the Past Form: Students often default to the present simple 'is' or 'are' when describing past states, particularly in writing, because the switch to the past form of 'to be' is not yet automatic. Wrong: 'The film is really good last night.' Correct: 'The film was really good last night.'

Common Questions About Teaching Past Simple Was and Were

What is a fun game for practicing was and were?

A board game works well for getting students to use was and were naturally. In free Was Were Board Game, players land on a square and answer the question using 'was' or 'were', giving true or false information as shown on a card. Other students then ask follow-up questions and guess whether the player is lying or telling the truth.

What is a good activity for practicing was and were questions and answers?

An information gap activity gives students structured practice with was and were in question-and-answer exchanges. In Sightseeing in Washington, D.C., pairs ask and answer questions with 'was' and 'were' to complete a chart about four people who went sightseeing, then check sentences for accuracy and correct any that are false by changing was, wasn't, were, or weren't.

What is an interesting writing activity for practicing was and were?

How was your holiday? turns was and were practice into a collaborative writing task. Students read a prompt, write a past simple sentence using 'to be', for example 'The journey was quick', fold the paper to hide their answer, and pass it on. The group then reads the holiday stories aloud and votes for the best.

Here's what our members are saying...

Jose Pinto

ESL Teacher, Timor-Leste

"There are a lot of resources that are useful for teaching English. I downloaded the games which are handy and use them in my classes. With the games, my students never skip class or feel tired to learn English. The resources for teaching English helped my students progress in grammar, vocabulary, writing and comprehension. They also helped me a lot to guide my students to learn in a practical way."

★★★★★

Julia Lohla

English Instructor, United States

"Thank you for providing these incredible resources. Teach-This.com is always my go-to site for class activities, and I recommend it often. I love how it is organized. I can find resources for a specific grammar concept or language function by level and type of activity. Every time I visit your site, I discover a new classroom interaction strategy that's perfect for teaching the concept I'm focusing on! When I return after the holidays, yours will be the first subscription I restart."

★★★★★

Carrie Brooke-Mellor

ESOL Teacher, United Kingdom

"I am an ESOL teacher, and the resources have helped my classes enormously. In particular, the speaking activities were a great help for my intermediate students before their exam. The website is user-friendly, and I will continue to utilise the resources - next term is reading and comprehension, so I will be looking for more resources from you. Thank you for such helpful activities and worksheets. They save me a lot of time in class preparation."

★★★★★

Charlie Sanders

ESL Teacher, France

"Teach This is an absolutely brilliant website, offering a vast amount of high-quality content, much of it free. Everyone involved in its creation deserves commendation. The leadership's vision has my deepest respect and gratitude. It's undoubtedly the best resource for English teachers, with its clear layout, easy navigation, concise messaging, and lack of invasive advertising - rare qualities that Teach This has perfected."

★★★★★

Joy Tebow

English Teacher, Laos

"When I need to add or change an activity from my school's curriculum, I always turn to TeachThis. While our curriculum is usually very good, it sometimes doesn't fit well with my students. With TeachThis, I can easily find activities that match my topic and level, and the resources make my classes more interesting and varied. I look forward to the monthly newsletter and exploring new materials for inspiration. Please keep it up!"

★★★★★

Mina Zolfaghari

English Tutor, Australia

"I like the efficiency and organization of the website. The resources cater to various levels with topic-based options for higher levels. The worksheets are very engaging and the answer keys are particularly helpful for teacher. The resources are also highly specific to levels and outcomes, making planning much easier. Finding what I need is simple and time-saving with the keyword search feature. Everything is clear and straightforward."

★★★★★

Karin Kiss

ESL Teacher, Switzerland

"The easy and ready-to-go materials have helped me a lot during the last few years. Most of all I like the grammar games that activate my pupils and keep them engaged. My lessons have become way more playful and varied. Additionally, I like the grammar worksheets which I use to consolidate what I have worked on during class. The website is very user-friendly, and I have never had any difficulties finding what I was looking for."

★★★★★

David-Wonbae Lee

Business English Teacher, Canada

"A friend told me about the site, and it's awesome. I have found the Business English resources especially engaging and relevant for my students as the materials help them understand business writing and terms. My teaching experience has also improved from using the games on the site as they allow me to teach in a fun way. The user experience is outstanding. Great job!"

★★★★★

Daniela Garcia

English Teacher, Mexico

"I found Teach-This a long time ago when I started teaching. It's always had great resources. I really appreciate the grammar materials, board games, and group activities. They've saved me lots of time on lesson planning. The materials are easy to use and understand, making my job much simpler. The best thing is that many resources can be downloaded for free. I've used it for around 8 years, and it consistently offers great content."

★★★★★

Thomas Wilson

Primary School Teacher, United Kingdom

"I use the resources from the Games Section as part of my daily 30-minute morning warm-up activities, and I've received rave reviews for using them. The games help me maintain student interest and participation and leave the students feeling happy and awake. I like everything about the site, and customer support is very effective as they respond in time."

★★★★★

Eugenia Fernandez

EFL Teacher, Argentina

"Teach-This is one of the best EFL websites I've found. It's extremely user-friendly, and I always find what I need quickly. I like the design, and the content is fun, engaging and original. I am very thankful for all your work and generosity by making some resources free. I always recommend this website to my fellow teachers. Your work is really helpful, and I value it enormously."

★★★★★

Jakub Havlk

Language School Teacher, Czechia

"I like the grammar-focused resources the most as they save me time. The resources also inspire me. If I see an interesting grammar activity, I often rework it for other grammar rules. I like the fact that I simply pay a flat fee, and I can download whatever I want. Teach-This really is a great timesaver. I know that if I am in need of resources for my students, I can go to Teach-This and find something interesting."

★★★★★

Alice Dimpz

English Teacher, Kenya

"Getting familiar with the site and how to use the resources is not difficult. I found the writing skills resources to be the most valuable as they have enhanced my teaching of this skill. The website is elaborate and full of all types of resources to help me teach English. When I contacted customer support, they were super-fast to deal with my enquiry. So overall, I recommend it."

★★★★★

Ikrram Badaoui

ESL Teacher, Morocco

"I have found the grammar and vocabulary resources the most valuable. They have improved my teaching experience because they are easy to use and well-organized. The materials are very engaging for my students. The website is also very user-friendly. The best thing about Teach-This is that it offers ready-made worksheets for busy teachers, and the content is well-organized and full of information."

★★★★★

Tania Ahmed

High School Teacher, Kurdistan

"I'm really glad I found the Teach-This website. The materials in the General English section have proven to be really helpful and made my classes more engaging. The materials are well-structured and cover a wide range of topics, making it easy to keep my students interested and motivated. Overall, my experience using your resources has been great."

★★★★★

Khawla Orq

EFL Teacher, Yemen

"My first impression of the website was that it was amazing. The games and activities have really improved my teaching. The resources are engaging and relevant to my students' needs, and I find the website easy to use and navigate. Thanks."

★★★★★

Anika Yadav

English Teacher, India

"I would like to thank you for making a fantastic website. I particularly enjoy teaching the functional language materials, which have been very helpful in my classes. The resources have significantly improved my students' communication skills in daily life, so it was rewarding to see them benefit in this way. It feels great to be able to make a difference in my students' lives. Please keep up the good work."

★★★★★

Dr. Elena Petrov

Academic English Coordinator, Spain

"I've been teaching Academic English for over eight years, and Teach-This.com has become my go-to resource for university preparation classes. The academic vocabulary exercises and speaking test preparation activities are exceptionally well-designed for advanced learners. My students particularly appreciate the study skills resources and paragraph writing materials, which have significantly boosted their confidence and exam scores."

★★★★★

Suzanne Coleman

Volunteer English Teacher, England

"I like your resources because they are so interesting and attractive. Your resources help to maintain student interest. Your resources have helped with the planning and preparation of my lessons because I have often been able to find resources focusing on specific topics, grammar or vocabulary. I am particularly grateful for your free resources, which I use at the English Club where I am a volunteer and help to support internationals in the community who are learning English."

★★★★★