Grammatikguide

Vad är det?

Preteritumformerna av to be är was och were.

Använd was med:

• I
• he
• she
• it

Använd were med:

• you
• we
• they

Exempel:

• I was tired.
• She was at home.
• We were busy.
• They were happy.

Negativa former är was not och were not.

Vanliga kortformer är:

• was not → wasn’t
• were not → weren’t

När man använder det

Använd preteritum av to be för att tala om:

• tidigare tillstånd: I was tired.
• tidigare känslor: She was nervous.
• tidigare platser: They were at school.
• tidigare åldrar: He was ten years old.
• tidigare beskrivningar: The room was small.
• tidigare situationer: We were very busy.
• tidigare datum och tider: It was Monday.

Struktur

Jakande meningar

Struktur:

subjekt + was/were + predikatsfyllnad

• He was tired.
• We were late.

Negativa meningar

Struktur:

subjekt + was not/were not + predikatsfyllnad

• I wasn’t hungry.
• They weren’t ready.

Frågor

Struktur:

Was/Were + subjekt + predikatsfyllnad?

• Was she at home?
• Were they tired?
• Were you busy?

Korta svar

• Was he late? — Yes, he was.
• Was she tired? — No, she wasn’t.
• Were they at school? — Yes, they were.
• Were you busy? — No, I wasn’t.

Exempel

1. I was very tired yesterday.
2. She was at the office this morning.
3. He wasn’t ready for the meeting.
4. It was cold last night.
5. We were happy with the result.
6. You were very quiet yesterday.
7. They weren’t at home.
8. Was your brother at school?
9. Were the shops open?
10. Where were you last weekend?

Undantag

Använd were i stället för was i vissa formella eller overkliga uttryck med I, he, she eller it.

• If I were you, I would wait.
• I wish she were here.

I informell engelska används ibland was i dessa uttryck, men were är standardformen.

Vanliga misstag

1. Fel: I were tired yesterday. Rätt: I was tired yesterday. Förklaring: Använd was med I.

2. Fel: They was at home. Rätt: They were at home. Förklaring: Använd were med they.

3. Fel: She didn’t be happy. Rätt: She wasn’t happy. Förklaring: Använd inte didn’t med preteritum av to be.

4. Fel: Did he was at work? Rätt: Was he at work? Förklaring: Använd inte did i frågor med was eller were.

5. Fel: We wasn’t ready. Rätt: We weren’t ready. Förklaring: Använd weren’t med we.

6. Fel: Were she at school? Rätt: Was she at school? Förklaring: Använd was med she.

7. Fel: I was not at home? Rätt: Was I not at home? Förklaring: Sätt was före subjektet för att bilda en fråga.

8. Fel: They were not tired? Rätt: Weren’t they tired? Förklaring: I frågor, placera were eller weren’t före subjektet.