Complete The Sentences With Was/were. The Fire..................seen In Renton, A Kilometre Away. 2 Most Of The Matches.....................won By Indian Teams. These Keys....................found In The Changing Room Yesterday - Are They...

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Grammar Rules for Was/Were

In English grammar, the verb "was" is used in the past simple tense to describe a singular subject, while "were" is used for plural subjects. This rule applies to both singular and plural nouns, as well as to pronouns.

Exercise: Complete the Sentences with Was/Were

1. The fire..................seen in Renton, a kilometre away.

The correct answer is: was.

Explanation: The subject of the sentence is "the fire", which is a singular noun. Therefore, the correct verb form is "was".

2 Most of the matches.....................won by Indian teams.

The correct answer is: were.

Explanation: The subject of the sentence is "the matches", which is a plural noun. Therefore, the correct verb form is "were".

3. These keys....................found in the changing room yesterday - are they...

The correct answer is: were.

Explanation: The subject of the sentence is "these keys", which is a plural noun. Therefore, the correct verb form is "were".

Examples of Was/Were in Sentences

Singular Subject: Was

  • The sun was shining brightly in the sky.
  • She was a beautiful woman.
  • He was a great musician.

Plural Subject: Were

  • The students were studying for their exams.
  • The team were playing well in the match.
  • The flowers were blooming in the garden.

Tips for Using Was/Were Correctly

  • Use "was" for singular subjects (e.g. one person, one thing).
  • Use "were" for plural subjects (e.g. multiple people, multiple things).
  • Pay attention to the subject of the sentence, not the object.
  • Practice using was/were in different sentence structures to improve your grammar skills.

Conclusion

Q: What is the difference between was and were?

A: The main difference between was and were is that was is used for singular subjects, while were is used for plural subjects. For example:

  • The sun was shining brightly in the sky. (singular subject: sun)
  • The students were studying for their exams. (plural subject: students)

Q: How do I know whether to use was or were?

A: To determine whether to use was or were, look at the subject of the sentence. If the subject is singular (one person, one thing), use was. If the subject is plural (multiple people, multiple things), use were.

Q: What about irregular plurals?

A: Irregular plurals, such as "child" and "children", can be tricky. However, the rule remains the same: use was for singular subjects and were for plural subjects.

  • The child was sleeping peacefully. (singular subject: child)
  • The children were playing in the park. (plural subject: children)

Q: What about collective nouns?

A: Collective nouns, such as "team" or "family", can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. If the collective noun is considered a single unit, use was. If the collective noun is considered multiple individuals, use were.

  • The team was working together to achieve their goal. (singular subject: team)
  • The team were arguing with each other. (plural subject: team)

Q: What about pronouns?

A: Pronouns, such as "he", "she", and "they", can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. Use was for singular pronouns and were for plural pronouns.

  • He was a great musician. (singular pronoun: he)
  • They were a talented group of musicians. (plural pronoun: they)

Q: What about questions?

A: In questions, use was or were depending on the subject of the sentence.

  • Was the sun shining brightly in the sky? (singular subject: sun)
  • Were the students studying for their exams? (plural subject: students)

Q: What about negative sentences?

A: In negative sentences, use was or were depending on the subject of the sentence.

  • The sun was not shining brightly in the sky. (singular subject: sun)
  • The students were not studying for their exams. (plural subject: students)

Q: What about conditional sentences?

A: In conditional sentences, use was or were depending on the subject of the sentence.

  • If I was rich, I would travel the world. (singular subject: I)
  • If they were here, I would ask for their help. (plural subject: they)

Conclusion

Using was and were correctly in sentences can be challenging, but with practice and attention to the subject of the sentence, you can improve your grammar skills. Remember to use was for singular subjects and were for plural subjects, and pay attention to irregular plurals, collective nouns, pronouns, questions, negative sentences, and conditional sentences.