How to Use Were: 31 Questions with Answers

‘Were’ is a past form of ‘be’. The use of ‘were’ is the same as ‘the use of was’.

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We use ‘were’ in sentences of past tense. Like ‘am’, ‘is’ and ‘are’, ‘were’ is also a form of ‘to be’. We use ‘were with pronouns – we, you, they, and any plural noun in the past tense. Here are some examples. In these sentences, we used ‘were to ask a question. Learn how to use ‘were’ to ask a question. There are answers also. First, you should learn how to form a question using were. And then, you can answer the question, but the formation of an answer differs from a question.

Let’s see how to form sentences using were.

Here are some examples. In these sentences, we used ‘were to ask a question. Learn how to use ‘were to ask a question.

Formation of a question using ‘were

In constructing this question, we should use ‘were’ as the starting word. And the formation will be-

Were + we/ you/ they/ plural noun + other words + question mark (?)

Have a look-

Were those books interesting?
Were you looking for a good dentist?
Were those photos in the library?
Were you confused seeing such questions?
Were those cattle in the field?
Were the teachers organizing an annual function?
Were you on leave last month?
Were we happy when we lived together?
Were the books you needed on the table?
Were your teachers strict when you were studying in school?
Were you friends when you were young?
Were they playing football?
Were you meeting her siblings?
Were the students well dressed?
Were those boys innocent?
Were your kids quarrelling with each other?
Were they looking for a rented flat?
Were your teeth extracted on Monday?
Were students happy when the teacher permitted them to play?
Were they loyal people when you worked with them?
Were they film scriptwriters?
Were you asking many questions to your teacher?
Were they skilled workers?
Were you school friends?
Were they late for school again today?
Were you catching a bus for fun?
Were they nurses at government hospitals?
Were you at home yesterday?
Were the dogs barking at him?
Were you opening the door for him?
Were they Hindi film actors?

Using ‘were’ to answer the question

Now, we shall learn how to use were for answering the above questions.

Formation of affirmative answers

First of all, we shall see affirmative answers using were.

In forming an affirmative answer, we should start a sentence with ‘Yes’. So, we can form an affirmative answer as,

Yes, + we/you/ they/ plural noun + were + other words + full stop (.)

Have a look-

Yes, those books were interesting.
Yes, you were looking for a good dentist.
Yes, those photos were in the library.
Yes, you were confused seeing such questions.
Yes, those cattle were in the field.
Yes, the teachers were organizing an annual function.
Yes, you were on leave last month.
Yes, we were happy when we lived together.
Yes, the books you needed were on the table.
Yes, your teachers were strict when you were studying in school.
Yes, you were friends when you were young.
Yes, they were playing football.
Yes, you were meeting her siblings.
Yes, the students were well dressed.
Yes, those boys were innocent.
Yes, your kids were quarrelling with each other.
Yes, they were looking for a rented flat.
Yes, your teeth were extracted on Monday.
Yes, students were happy when the teacher permitted them to play.
Yes, they were loyal people when you worked with them.
Yes, they were film scriptwriters.
Yes, you were asking many questions to your teacher.
Yes, they were skilled workers.
Yes, you were school friends.
Yes, they were late for school again today.
Yes, you were catching a bus for fun.
Yes, they were nurses at government hospitals.
Yes, you were at home yesterday.
Yes, the dogs were barking at him.
Yes, you were opening the door for him.
Yes, they were Hindi film actors.

Also read: Using Am: 31 Questions with Answers

Listening Lesson on Using Were

Formation of negative answers

Now, we shall see negative answers using were.

We should start a sentence with ‘No’ in forming a negative answer. So, we can form a negative answer as

No, + we/ you/ they/ plural noun + were not + other words + full stop (.)

Have a look-

No, those books were not interesting.
No, you were not looking for a good dentist.
No, those photos were not in the library.
No, you were not confused seeing such questions.
No, those cattle were not in the field.
No, the teachers were not organizing an annual function.
No, you were not on leave last month.
No, we were not happy when we lived together.
No, the books you needed were not on the table.
No, your teachers were not strict when you were studying in school.
No, you were not friends when you were young.
No, they were not playing football.
No, you were not meeting her siblings.
No, the students were not well dressed.
No, those boys were not innocent.
No, your kids were not quarrelling with each other.
No, they were not looking for a rented flat.
No, your teeth were not extracted on Monday.
No, students were not happy when the teacher permitted them to play.
No, they were not loyal people when you worked with them.
No, they were not film scriptwriters.
No, you were not asking many questions to your teacher.
No, they were not skilled workers.
No, you were not school friends.
No, they were not late for school again today.
No, you were not catching a bus for fun.
No, they were not nurses at government hospitals.
No, you were not at home yesterday.
No, the dogs were not barking at him.
No, you were not opening the door for him.
No, they were not Hindi film actors.

Switch from ‘using was’ to the English Grammar index.

Formation of a question using ‘were

Using ‘were’ to answer the question

Formation of affirmative answers

Formation of negative answers

Madhuri Kherde