Was vs Were | Difference Between Was and Were

English is a widely used language globally, which helps in connecting with people across the world. We have different auxiliary verbs like be, do, have, may, might, can, could, must, ought to, etc. The words “was” and “were” are the past forms of the auxiliary verb “to be.” In this article, we learn about the difference between “was” and “were.”

Meaning of Was

The word “was” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used with the first person singular like I and the third person singular like he, she, and it.

Meaning of Were

The word “were” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used with the first- and third-person plurals like we and they and the second-person singular and plural like you, your, and yours. 

Difference between Was and Were

Was	Were
The word “was” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used with the first person singular like I and the third person singular like he, she, and it.	The word “were” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used with the first- and third-person plurals like we and they and the second-person singular and plural like you, your, and yours.
In the case of the subjunctive mood, the verb “were” is used, and “was” is avoided.	The verb “was” is used when we are talking about something that actually happened in reality or about known facts.
Examples: He was preparing for exams last week. Sarah was at her grandparents’ house yesterday. I was driving to the mall.	Examples:  They were at the party last night. We were playing on the ground. The girls were practicing dance in the auditorium.

Usage of Was

The word “was” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used in the first person singular and the third person singular. It is also used when we are talking about something that actually happened in reality or about known facts.

Examples of Was

1. I was watching a movie last night.
2. Sheela was cleaning her kitchen.
3. Ram was partying yesterday.
4. He was preparing for an interview.
5. She was suffering from a rare disease.

Usage of Were

The word “were” is the past form of the verb “to be,” which is used for the first- and third-person plurals and the second-person singular and plural. But there is a case where we only use the word “were” in place of “was,” and that is the subjunctive mood.

Examples of Were

1. They were enjoying their vacation.
2. We were going to Manali.
3. You were singing pretty well.
4. We were good friends during our college days.
5. You were playing badminton.

Subjunctive mood

Most of us get confused about whether it is “If I was” or “If I were.” In general, we use “was” for the singular subject in the past tense and “were” for the plural subjects. But in the case of the subjunctive mood, “was” is avoided and we use “were.” But what is a subjunctive mood at first? It portrays unreal or hypothetical situations or something you wanted to do but couldn’t.

Examples

• If she were rich, she could have bought that luxurious house.
• I wish I weren’t so timid.
• Luke acts as if he were the most superior of all.

In the above examples, the first statement is hypothetical, the second one is about something I wish would happen, and the third statement is unreal. Let us some more examples.

• If I were the boss, I could have cracked the deal.
• If she were a better actress, she could have entertained more.
• I wish you were here yesterday; we could have enjoyed ourselves a lot.

Conclusion

Though both “was” and “were” are the past forms of the auxiliary verb “to be,” their usage is different, and it is important to know when we have to use “was” and when we have to use “was.” Remember that, “was” is used for the first- and third-person singular past and is also used for statements of fact. Whereas “were” is used for the first- and third-person plurals and the second-person singular and plural past. It is used in the case of the subjunctive mood.