English grammar
Was / were and had: past of be and have
Say where / how you were and what you had, in the past.
From the scene I had a meeting
In short
Use was / were for the past of be and had for the past of have. Feelings use be: I was nervous.
Your turn
Which one goes with had to?
Options: I was nervous (not "I had nervous") · she had to repeat · I had a meeting
Show answer
had to → she had to repeat
How it works
Was / were is the past of am / is / are: I was nervous, where were you?
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Phew! First day... and I (blank) a very long meeting!
Options: was · had · haved
Show answer
Phew! First day... and I had a very long meeting!
¡Uf! Primer día... ¡y tuve una reunión muy larga!
Good to know
Had is the past of have for every person: I had a meeting, she had to repeat.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Yes. The other IT guy (blank) a baby.
Options: haved · had · have
Show answer
Yes. The other IT guy had a baby.
Sí. El otro informático tuvo un bebé.
Good to know
In questions, were goes before the person: where were you? (not "where you were?"). Feelings use be, not have: I was nervous (not "I had nervous").
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Terrible. I (blank) very nervous. And the boss had to repeat everything!
Options: had · was · were
Show answer
Terrible. I was very nervous. And the boss had to repeat everything!
Fatal. Estuve muy nerviosa. ¡Y la jefa tuvo que repetir todo!
have → had I had a meeting
had to she had to repeat
Your turn
What goes with she had to repeat?
Options: have → had · a feeling: be · had to
Show answer
she had to repeat → had to
a feeling: be I was nervous (not "I had nervous")
was + -ing I was fixing
Javi
I was fixing the computers.
Estuve arreglando los ordenadores.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) the computers.
Options: I was fixing · I had a meeting · She had to repeat
Show answer
Javi
I was fixing the computers.
Estuve arreglando los ordenadores.
question where were you? (not "where you were?")
Nuria
You? Where were you?
¿Tú? ¿Dónde estuviste?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
You? (blank)?
Options: Where were you · I had a meeting · She had to repeat
Show answer
Nuria
You? Where were you?
¿Tú? ¿Dónde estuviste?
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| have → had | I had a meeting |
|---|---|
| had to | she had to repeat |
| a feeling: be | I was nervous (not "I had nervous") |
| was + -ing | I was fixing |
| question | where were you? (not "where you were?") |
More lines from the story
- NuriaPhew! First day... and I had a very long meeting!¡Uf! Primer día... ¡y tuve una reunión muy larga!
- JaviYes. The other IT guy had a baby.Sí. El otro informático tuvo un bebé.
- NuriaTerrible. I was very nervous. And the boss had to repeat everything!Fatal. Estuve muy nerviosa. ¡Y la jefa tuvo que repetir todo!
- JaviUnder the table, with the cables.Debajo de la mesa, con los cables.