Past Simple ( Was /Were ) Test A1 – A2 Grammar Exercises
Question 1
A: There _____ a traffic jam on the bridge right now.
B: No problem. I am taking the ferry today.
Right now tells us it is happening now, so we use is with one thing (a traffic jam). Not was, because that is for the past.
Question 2
There _____ any students on the campus yesterday because they were away for a holiday.
Yesterday is in the past, and students is more than one, so we use were. Any goes with a negative, so the answer is weren't.
Question 3
_____ there a promising new band at the music festival last week?
Last week is in the past, and a band is one thing, so we use Was.
Question 4
There _____ a lot of roses in her garden because she likes growing them.
She likes is about now, and a lot of roses is more than one, so we use are.
Question 5
I _____ in Germany last month and the people at the hotel _____ very friendly.
Last month is in the past. We say I was and the people were, because people is more than one.
Question 6
Ryan _____ experienced in his job years ago, but now he _____ an expert.
Years ago is the past, so we use wasn't. Now is the present, so we use is.
Question 7
_____ your cousins basketball players? They _____ very tall.
This is about now, and cousins and they are more than one person, so we use Are and are.
Question 8
The films at last summer's festival _____ quite good, so he _____ happy to watch them.
Last summer is in the past. We say the films were (more than one) and he was (one person).
Question 9
Nick _____ alone yesterday. He _____ with his family in the city.
Yesterday is the past. Nick was with his family, so he wasn't alone. Then: He was with his family.
Question 10
There _____ a science laboratory in our school, so students can't do experiments.
Students can't is about now, so we use the present. There is no laboratory, so the answer is isn't.
Question 11
A: _____ the children ready?
B: Yes, they _____. Let's go!
Let's go! shows this is about now. Children is more than one, so we use Are and are.
Question 12
That museum _____ a house in the past and there _____ some apple trees in its garden then.
In the past and then show the past. We say the museum was (one thing) and there were some apple trees (more than one).
Question 13
There _____ any security guards in front of their building, but there _____ security cameras.
This is about now. Any goes with a negative, so we use aren't. But shows the opposite, so the second gap is are.
Question 14
There _____ few trees on that mountain five years ago, but now there _____ many.
Five years ago is the past, so we use were with trees. Now is the present, so we use are.
Question 15
The oranges on this tree _____ ripe at the beginning of the season, but they _____ very tasty now.
Oranges is more than one. At the beginning they weren't ripe (past), but now they are tasty (present).
Question 16
_____ dinner ready? I _____ so hungry right now.
Right now shows the present. We say Is dinner ready? (one thing) and I am hungry.
Question 17
There _____ even one candle on his birthday cake. Maybe he doesn't like blowing out candles.
The birthday party is in the past, and one candle is one thing, so we use wasn't. Not weren't, because that is for more than one.
Question 18
Daniel and I _____ both ill yesterday, but we _____ very well at the moment.
Daniel and I is two people. Yesterday is the past, so were; at the moment is now, so are.
Question 19
A: _____ the music at the party good last night?
B: Some songs _____ superb.
Last night is the past. We say Was the music (one thing) and some songs were (more than one).
Question 20
Three days ago, the performers _____ good on stage, so there _____ a six-hour rehearsal yesterday, and at the moment they are performing quite well.
Three days ago and yesterday are in the past. The performers weren't good (more than one person), so there was a rehearsal (one thing).
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