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Use of Was and Were for IAS Preliminary Exam Part 1

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Use of Was and Were for IAS Preliminary Exam Part 1

https://www.gyanodhan.com/video/2B.%20Spoken%20English/Speak%20in%20English/18.%20Use%20of%20Was%20and%20Were%20for%20IAS%20Preliminary%20Exam%20Part%201.mp4

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).

📘 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

3. Negative Form

Was + not = was not / wasn’t
Were + not = were not / weren’t

Examples:

4. Interrogative Form

Was/Were + Subject + …?

Examples:

5. Use in Conditional Sentences (Unreal/Imaginary)

Use “were” for all subjects in unreal/imaginary or hypothetical situations:

Examples:

(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):

  1. If he was rich, he would help the poor.
    Wrong — should be: If he were rich…

  2. There was many people at the rally.
    Wrong — should be: There were many people…

Part 2 Will Cover:

Would you like this as a PDF study note, quiz-based practice, or video explanation in Hindi/English?