Page 69 - Carvaan Grmmar-7

Short forms are also used : did not- didn't, was not - wasn't, were not - weren't.

Here are more examples of negative and interrogative sentences.

Examples : (i) He was sick.

He was not sick. (Negative)

Was he sick? (Interrogative)

(ii) She was buying vegetables.

She was not buying vegetables. (Negative)

Was she buying vegetables? (Interrogative)

(iii) Kushwaha painted a portrait.

Kushwaha did not paint a portrait. (Negative)

Did Kushwaha paint a portrait? (Interrogative)

Read the following table to understand the various forms of be in the past tense :

Singular Subject Positive Negative Interrogative

She She was She wasn't Was she?

He He was He wasn't Was he?

It It was It wasn't Was it?
I I was I wasn’t Was I?

Plural Subject Positive Negative Interrogative

We We were We weren't Were we?

You You were You weren't Were you?

They They were They weren't Were they?

Short forms of be are also used very often.

Examples : (i) We were not we weren't

(ii) I was not I wasn't

(iii) They were not They weren't.

69 Grammar-7