Was / were : le passé de be

Complète avec was ou were.

1. The shops closed on Christmas Day.
   the shops = pluriel → were.
2. My grandmother a nurse for thirty years.
   my grandmother = she → was.
3. You fantastic in the play, Léa!
   you → were, même pour une seule personne.
4. It foggy this morning.
   it → was.
5. Everybody tired after the trip.
   everybody se conjugue au singulier → was.
6. Where your keys? — In my coat.
   your keys = pluriel → were.

Mets la seconde phrase au passé : écris was ou were.

1. Today the sky is grey. Yesterday it blue.
   is → was (it).
2. Now my parents are at work. Last night they at a restaurant.
   are → were (they).
3. I’m thirteen now. Last year I twelve.
   am → was ; l’âge se dit avec be.
4. Today you are in a good mood. This morning you grumpy.
   are → were (you).

Attention aux sujets pièges : complète avec was ou were.

1. The news very surprising.
   news est indénombrable → was.
2. Those people really kind to us.
   people est un pluriel → were.
3. My jeans too short.
   jeans : un seul vêtement mais un nom pluriel → were.
4. Nobody in the classroom at lunchtime.
   nobody se conjugue au singulier → was.
5. My best friend and I in the same class in primary school.
   deux sujets reliés par and (= we) → were.
6. My homework on the kitchen table.
   homework est indénombrable → was.

Mets la phrase à la forme négative (forme contractée).

1. The water was warm. →
   The water wasn’t warm.
2. My cousins were at the wedding. →
   My cousins weren’t at the wedding.
3. I was afraid of the dark. →
   I wasn’t afraid of the dark.
4. You were right about the film. →
   You weren’t right about the film.

Transforme en question (a, b, c), puis donne la réponse courte indiquée (d, e, f).

1. The concert was good. →
   Was + sujet : Was the concert good?
2. Your brothers were at the pool. →
   Were + sujet : Were your brothers at the pool?
3. The beds were comfortable. →
   Were the beds comfortable?
4. Was your mum angry? (non) →
   your mum → she : No, she wasn’t.
5. Were the twins at the party? (non) →
   the twins → they : No, they weren’t.
6. Were you tired after the hike? (oui) →
   you → I (ou we) : Yes, I was.

Pose la question qui porte sur la partie demandée, avec le mot interrogatif entre parenthèses.

1. She was in Rome last week. (Where) →
   Where was she last week? — mot interrogatif, was, sujet.
2. The film was at half past six. (What time) →
   What time was the film?
3. Emma was sad because her cat was ill. (Why) →
   Why was Emma sad?
4. Grandpa was seventy in 2023. (How old) →
   How old was Grandpa in 2023? — l’âge avec be.

Complète avec There was, There were, There wasn’t, There weren’t ou Was there.

1. a lot of traffic on the motorway.
   traffic est indénombrable → There was.
2. three goals in the second half.
   three goals = pluriel → There were.
3. any tickets left, so we went home. (négatif)
   tickets est pluriel → There weren’t.
4. a message for me? (question)
   Question, singulier → Was there a message for me?
5. much snow last winter. (négatif)
   snow est indénombrable → There wasn’t.

Transforme comme indiqué.

1. There was a bus at midnight. (négation) →
   There wasn’t a bus at midnight.
2. There were two bathrooms in the cottage. (question) →
   Were passe devant there : Were there two bathrooms in the cottage?
3. Was there a swimming pool at the hotel? (réponse courte : non) →
   No, there wasn’t.
4. There were eleven players. (question avec How many) →
   How many players were there? — How many + pluriel + were there.

Traduis en anglais : there was / there were ou it was ?

1. Il y avait un vélo rouge devant la porte. →
   Un seul vélo → There was a red bike in front of the door.
2. Il y avait beaucoup d’eau dans la cuisine. →
   water est indénombrable → There was a lot of water in the kitchen.
3. C’était une belle journée. →
   « c’était » décrit → It was a beautiful day.
4. Il n’y avait personne dans le bus. →
   There was nobody on the bus. (ou There wasn’t anybody) — nobody est singulier.

Complète la traduction avec was ou were + l’adjectif anglais.

1. Elle avait sommeil. → She .
   « avoir sommeil » = be sleepy → was sleepy.
2. Nous avions de la chance. → We .
   « avoir de la chance » = be lucky → were lucky.
3. Tu avais tort. → You .
   « avoir tort » = be wrong → were wrong.
4. Il faisait froid. → It .
   météo → it was cold.
5. Ils avaient peur des araignées. → They of spiders.
   « avoir peur de » = be afraid of → were afraid.

Traduis en anglais (attention aux « avoir » et « faire » français).

1. Il avait douze ans en 2020. →
   l’âge → He was twelve in 2020.
2. Nous avions très froid. →
   We were very cold.
3. Il faisait chaud hier. →
   météo → It was hot yesterday.
4. Tu avais raison ! →
   You were right!
5. Ils n’avaient pas peur. →
   They weren’t afraid.

Corrige l’erreur : réécris la phrase juste.

1. You was late this morning. →
   you → You were late this morning.
2. Did you were at home last night? →
   pas de did avec be : Were you at home last night?
3. There was many people at the station. →
   people est pluriel : There were many people at the station.
4. I had eight years when we moved. →
   l’âge avec be : I was eight when we moved.
5. My sister is born in 2016. →
   naissance passée → My sister was born in 2016.

Mets le verbe entre parenthèses à la forme was / were + V-ing.

1. At 8 p.m., my sister (watch) a quiz show.
   my sister → was watching.
2. At noon, we (swim) in the lake.
   we → were ; swim double son m : were swimming.
3. I (write) an email when you called.
   write perd son e : was writing.
4. The neighbour’s dogs (bark) all night.
   pluriel → were barking.
5. You (not listen) to the teacher!
   négation : weren’t listening.

Transforme comme indiqué.

1. They were playing basketball. (question) →
   Were they playing basketball?
2. Was Mia sleeping? (réponse courte : non) →
   Mia → she : No, she wasn’t.
3. Remets dans l’ordre : you / what / doing / were / at lunchtime →
   mot interrogatif + were + sujet + V-ing : What were you doing at lunchtime?
4. Leo was cooking. (négation) →
   Leo wasn’t cooking.

Traduis en anglais (action en cours dans le passé).

1. À midi, nous étions en train de manger. →
   At noon, we were eating.
2. Elle lisait dans sa chambre. →
   imparfait d’action → She was reading in her room.
3. Il ne pleuvait pas. →
   la météo, une action en cours → it + wasn’t + V-ing : It wasn’t raining.