Use of Was and Were for IAS Preliminary Exam Part 1
Use of Was and Were for IAS Preliminary Exam Part 1
Here’s a concise and clear Part-1 guide on the use of “Was” and “Were”—specially designed for English grammar improvement for IAS Preliminary Exam (CSAT/General English comprehension).
Contents [hide]
Use of “Was” and “Were” – Part 1 (IAS Prelims Focus)
“Was” and “Were” are past tense forms of the verb “to be” and are used to show state of being in the past.
1. Basic Rule
| Subject Type | Use “Was” with | Use “Were” with |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | I, He, She, It | — |
| Plural | — | We, You, They |
2. Examples
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I was at the station yesterday.
-
He was late for the meeting.
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We were excited about the trip.
-
You were not in class.
-
They were watching a movie.
3. Negative Form
Was + not = was not / wasn’t
Were + not = were not / weren’t
Examples:
-
She was not (wasn’t) feeling well.
-
They were not (weren’t) aware of the rule.
4. Interrogative Form
Was/Were + Subject + …?
Examples:
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Was he at home?
-
Were they on leave?
-
Was it raining?
-
Were you angry?
5. Use in Conditional Sentences (Unreal/Imaginary)
Use “were” for all subjects in unreal/imaginary or hypothetical situations:
Examples:
-
If I were the Prime Minister, I would remove corruption.
-
If she were taller, she would be a model.
(NOT “If I was…” in formal usage; “were” is correct for such hypotheticals)
IAS Prelims Tip:
Questions on grammar usage are often disguised in error detection, sentence improvement, or fill-in-the-blank format. So remember:
Use “was” for singular + real past Use “were” for plural or unreal conditionals
Quick Practice (Spot the Error):
-
If he was rich, he would help the poor.
Wrong — should be: If he were rich… -
There was many people at the rally.
Wrong — should be: There were many people…
Part 2 Will Cover:
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Passive voice with “was/were”
-
Advanced conditional usage
-
Common error patterns in UPSC/SSC exams
Would you like this as a PDF study note, quiz-based practice, or video explanation in Hindi/English?
