Verb To Be – Past (Was / Were)

Posted by

0

Do you remember the verb to be in the present?

I am happy. → I was happy.

Now we’ll learn how to use was and were to talk about the past.

⏳ Talking about the past

We use was and were to describe people, places, feelings, and situations in the past.

Yesterday, I was tired.

👤 Talking about yourself

I was

Yesterday, I was at home.

👥 Talking about others

you were

You were late yesterday.

she was

She was happy after the exam.

he was

He was my teacher.

it was

It was a beautiful day.

📌 Use he for a man, she for a woman, and it for an object, an animal, or a situation.

👨‍👩‍👧 Talking about groups

we were

We were very busy last week.

they were

They were at the party.

👉 Tip: We use they for groups of people and also when we don’t know someone’s gender.

💡 Remember:

  • was → I, he, she, it
  • were → you, we, they
  • I was sick yesterday.
  • She was in Paris last month.
  • You were right.
  • We were friends.
  • They were excited.

📊 Summary Table

PersonPast of “to be”Example
IwasI was tired.
youwereYou were late.
hewasHe was at work.
shewasShe was happy.
itwasIt was sunny.
wewereWe were together.
theywereThey were students.

🚀 For Extra Practice

Practice saying these aloud:

  • Talk about yesterday: “I was…”
  • Talk about a friend: “He was…” / “She was…”
  • Describe yesterday’s weather: “It was…”
  • Talk about last weekend: “We were…” / “They were…”

In the next step, you’ll also practice using negatives (wasn’t / weren’t) and questions (Was I…? Were you…? Was she…?).

✏️ Exercises – Verb To Be (Past)

1) Complete with the correct form of was or were:

a) I ___ at home yesterday.

b) She ___ very happy.

c) They ___ at the beach.

d) We ___ tired after work.

e) He ___ my English teacher.

f) Yesterday, it ___ very cold.

g) You ___ late for class.

h) My parents ___ in Brazil last month.

i) The movie ___ interesting.

j) I ___ busy all day.

3) Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

a) I was at school. → ____________

b) She was happy. → ____________

c) They were friends. → ____________

d) We were at home. → ____________

e) It was expensive. → ____________

4) Make questions using was or were.

a) you / at home → ____________ ?

b) she / tired → ____________ ?

c) they / at school → ____________ ?

d) he / your teacher → ____________ ?

e) it / cold yesterday → ____________ ?

5) Translate into English.

a) Eu estava cansado(a).

b) Ela estava em casa.

c) Nós estávamos felizes.

d) Eles estavam ocupados.

e) Ontem estava quente.

✅ Answer Key – Verb To Be (Past)

1) Complete with was or were:

a) I was at home yesterday.

b) She was very happy.

c) They were at the beach.

d) We were tired after work.

e) He was my English teacher.

f) Yesterday, it was very cold.

g) You were late for class.

h) My parents were in Brazil last month.

i) The movie was interesting.

j) I was busy all day.

3) Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

a) I was at school. → I wasn’t at school.

b) She was happy. → She wasn’t happy.

c) They were friends. → They weren’t friends.

d) We were at home. → We weren’t at home.

e) It was expensive. → It wasn’t expensive.

4) Make questions using was or were.

a) you / at home → Were you at home?

b) she / tired → Was she tired?

c) they / at school → Were they at school?

d) he / your teacher → Was he your teacher?

e) it / cold yesterday → Was it cold yesterday?

5) Translate into English.

a) Eu estava cansado(a). → I was tired.

b) Ela estava em casa. → She was at home.

c) Nós estávamos felizes. → We were happy.

d) Eles estavam ocupados. → They were busy.

e) Ontem estava quente. → It was hot yesterday.

⭐ Common Time Expressions

These expressions are often used with was and were:

  • yesterday
  • last night
  • last week
  • last month
  • last year
  • two days ago
  • in 2020
  • when I was a child
  • I was at the gym yesterday.
  • They were in London last year.
  • She was very shy when she was a child.

🎯 Quick Challenge

Complete the sentences:

  1. Last weekend, I ______ very busy.
  2. My best friend ______ at school yesterday.
  3. We ______ at the beach last summer.
  4. It ______ rainy this morning.
  5. They ______ excited about the trip.

Answers: 1. was • 2. was • 3. were • 4. was • 5. were

START vs. BEGIN

Posted by

0

Press start to begin

1. The Basic Rule

In most situations, start and begin have the same meaning.

Both mean:

  • to start
  • to begin
  • to initiate something

Examples

✅ The meeting started at 9 a.m.

✅ The meeting began at 9 a.m.

✅ The semester starts next week.

✅ The semester begins next week.

✅ The company started a marketing campaign.

✅ The company began a marketing campaign.

2. When You Must Use START

Some expressions (called collocations) almost always use start.

These usually involve turning something on, creating something, or initiating an action.

Turning something on

✅ start the car

✅ start the engine

✅ start the computer

✅ start the machine

❌ begin the car

❌ begin the engine

Examples

Please start the car.

Can you start the computer?

Creating something

✅ start a fire

✅ start a business

✅ start a company

✅ start a family

✅ start a rumor

Examples

She started a business last year.

Let’s start a fire.

Everyday actions

✅ start a conversation

✅ start a discussion

✅ start a fight

✅ start exercising

✅ start studying

3. When BEGIN Sounds Better

Begin is often preferred in formal situations.

Formal events

✅ begin a speech

✅ begin a presentation

✅ begin negotiations

✅ begin an investigation

✅ begin proceedings

Examples

The president began his speech.

The police began an investigation.

Academic & professional English

✅ begin a degree

✅ begin a career

✅ begin a chapter

✅ begin treatment

✅ begin recovery

Examples

She began her career in 2018.

The patient began treatment immediately.

4. Both Are Natural

These expressions sound natural with both words.

STARTBEGIN
start a meetingbegin a meeting
start a classbegin a class
start a coursebegin a course
start a campaignbegin a campaign
start a projectbegin a project
start the semesterbegin the semester
start the concertbegin the concert

5. Quick Memory Tip

Think START when you have:

🚗 Machines

💻 Computers

🔥 Fires

💬 Conversations

💼 Businesses

⚡ Everyday actions

Think BEGIN when you have:

🎤 Speeches

🎓 Degrees

🏥 Treatment

📋 Investigations

🤝 Negotiations

🧳 Journeys

📖 Chapters

Formal situations

6. Pronunciation

Start

/stɑːrt/

Portuguese approximation:

stárt

Begin

/bɪˈɡɪn/

Portuguese approximation:

bi-GUIN

7. Practice

Complete with START or BEGIN.

  1. The meeting will ______ at 9 a.m.
  2. Please ______ the car.
  3. Classes ______ next Monday.
  4. We need to ______ a fire before it gets dark.
  5. The concert ______ at 8 p.m.
  6. Can you ______ the engine?
  7. The doctor decided to ______ treatment immediately.
  8. She ______ her career as an architect.
  9. Let’s ______ a conversation.
  10. The police ______ an investigation yesterday.

Answers

  1. start / begin
  2. start
  3. start / begin
  4. start
  5. start / begin
  6. start
  7. begin (start is possible, but begin is more natural in formal English)
  8. began (started is also correct)
  9. start (begin is possible but less common)
  10. began (started is also correct)

⭐ The Rule in One Sentence

Use either word most of the time. Use start for machines and everyday actions. Use begin more often in formal or professional contexts.

Comparatives and Superlatives

Posted by

0

What Are Comparatives and Superlatives?

We use comparatives to compare two people, places, things, or ideas.

Example:

  • She is taller than her husband.

We use superlatives to compare three or more people, places, things, or ideas and show which one is at the highest or lowest level.

Example:

  • Paris is the biggest city in France.

Watch the Video

Now watch the following video and take notes on the main rules and examples.

Understanding Syllables

To form comparatives and superlatives correctly, you need to know how many syllables an adjective has.

A syllable is a sound beat in a word.

Examples:

  • find → 1 syllable
  • finding → 2 syllables (find + ing)

Rules for Forming Comparatives and Superlatives

1. One-Syllable Adjectives Ending in Silent -e

Example: nice

FormRuleExample
ComparativeAdd -rnice → nicer
SuperlativeAdd -stnice → nicest

More examples:

  • large → larger → largest
  • safe → safer → safest

2. One-Syllable Adjectives Ending in Consonant + Vowel + Consonant

Example: big

FormRuleExample
ComparativeDouble the final consonant + -erbig → bigger
SuperlativeDouble the final consonant + -estbig → biggest

More Examples:

  • hot → hotter → hottest
  • thin → thinner → thinnest

3. One-Syllable Adjectives Ending in More Than One Consonant or More Than One Vowel

Examples: high, cheap, soft

FormRuleExample
ComparativeAdd -erhigh → higher
SuperlativeAdd -esthigh → highest

More Examples:

  • cheap → cheaper → cheapest
  • soft → softer → softest

4. Two-Syllable Adjectives Ending in -y

Example: happy

FormRuleExample
ComparativeChange y → i + -erhappy → happier
SuperlativeChange y → i + -esthappy → happiest

More Examples:

  • easy → easier → easiest
  • busy → busier → busiest

5. Adjectives with Two or More Syllables (Not Ending in -y)

Example: exciting

FormRuleExample
Comparativemore + adjective + thanmore exciting than
Superlativethe most + adjectivethe most exciting

More Examples:

  • more beautiful than
  • more interesting than
  • the most beautiful
  • the most interesting

Examples in Context

  • The Nile River is longer and more famous than the Thames.
  • Egypt is hotter than Sweden.
  • Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
  • This is one of the most exciting films I have ever seen.

Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives

AdjectiveComparativeSuperlative
badworseworst
far (distance)fartherfarthest
far (extent)furtherfurthest
goodbetterbest
littlelessleast
manymoremost
muchmoremost

Expressing Similarity

To show that two things are equal, use:

as + adjective + as

Examples:

  • Mike is as intelligent as Nancy.
  • Larry is as popular as Oprah.

Practice

Exercise 1 – Complete the Sentences

Use the correct comparative or superlative form.

  1. Mary is the ____________________ (lazy) student in the class.
  2. Rob’s apartment is ____________________ (nice) mine.
  3. Elephants are ____________________ (fat) camels.
  4. Kim is the ____________________ (small) of all my friends.
  5. I think tornadoes are ____________________ (bad) hurricanes.
  6. Laura speaks English ____________________ (good) Susan.
  7. My car is ____________________ (old) yours.
  8. This is the ____________________ (beautiful) beach I have ever visited.
  9. John is ____________________ (busy) than his brother.
  10. February is the ____________________ (short) month of the year.

Exercise 2 – Choose the Correct Option

  1. My house is (bigger / biggest) than yours.
  2. Sarah is the (more intelligent / most intelligent) student in the class.
  3. This book is (more interesting / most interesting) than that one.
  4. Mount Everest is the (higher / highest) mountain in the world.
  5. Today is (hotter / hottest) than yesterday.
  6. She is the (younger / youngest) person in the office.

Exercise 3 – Rewrite the Sentences

Use the adjective in parentheses.

Example:
Tom is 1.80m tall. Jack is 1.70m tall. (tall)

Tom is taller than Jack.

  1. A motorcycle is fast. A bicycle is slow. (fast)
  2. Gold is expensive. Silver is cheaper. (expensive)
  3. My suitcase weighs 15 kg. Your suitcase weighs 10 kg. (heavy)
  4. This exercise is difficult. The previous one was easy. (difficult)
  5. Anna studies a lot. Peter studies less. (hard-working)

Exercise 4 – Complete with “as…as”

  1. My sister is __________ tall __________ my mother.
  2. This test is not __________ difficult __________ the last one.
  3. Brazil is not __________ small __________ Uruguay.
  4. John is __________ friendly __________ Mike.
  5. That restaurant is __________ expensive __________ this one.

Exercise 5 – Error Correction

Find and correct the mistakes.

  1. She is more taller than her sister.
  2. This is the most tallest building in town.
  3. My dog is more big than yours.
  4. He is the better player in the team.
  5. This movie is interestinger than the last one.

Exercise 6 – Personal Practice

Write complete sentences about yourself.

  1. Compare yourself with a friend using taller, shorter, older, younger, busier, or another adjective.
  2. Write a sentence using as…as.
  3. Write a sentence using a superlative.
  4. Compare two cities you know.
  5. Compare two movies or TV series you have watched.

Quick Summary

Comparatives

Used to compare two things.

Structure:

  • adjective + -er + than
  • more + adjective + than

Examples:

  • taller than
  • more interesting than

Superlatives

Used to compare three or more things.

Structure:

  • the + adjective + -est
  • the most + adjective

Examples:

  • the tallest
  • the most interesting

Similarities

as + adjective + as

Examples:

  • as tall as
  • as intelligent as

Practice with Music

And now the funniest practice ever! With songs! 🎵Listen and complete.

Watch the video, listen carefully, and complete the lyrics using the correct comparative or superlative forms.

Everyday Greetings and Goodbyes

Posted by

0

Introduction

Greetings are an important part of everyday communication. Knowing how to greet people and say goodbye naturally will help you sound more confident and friendly in English.

In this lesson, you will learn common greetings, responses, and ways to say goodbye in different situations.

1. Everyday Greetings

We usually greet people with:

Hello!

Hi!

Hey!

Hello is the most common greeting.

Hi is slightly more casual.

Hey is informal and often used with friends, family members, or people you know well.

Examples:

  • Hello, Maria!
  • Hi, John!
  • Hey, what’s up?

Note: The word hey can also be used to get someone’s attention.

Examples:

  • Hey, look at this!
  • Hey, wait a minute!

2. Asking How Someone Is

After greeting someone, we often ask how they are doing.

Common Questions

  • How are you?
  • How are you doing?
  • How’s it going?
  • How have you been?

These questions have a similar meaning.

Examples

A: Hi, Sarah! How are you?

B: I’m fine, thanks.

A: Hey! How’s it going?

B: Pretty good!

A: Hello! How have you been?

B: I’ve been great, thanks!

3. Common Responses

Positive Responses

  • I’m fine, thanks.
  • I’m good, thanks.
  • I’m great, thanks!
  • Pretty good!
  • Not bad, thanks.

Useful Tip

Many English speakers say:

“Not bad.”

Even though it sounds negative, it usually means:

“Quite good.”

Example:

A: How’s your day?

B: Not bad!

4. Greeting Friends

When talking to friends or people you know, you may hear:

Informal Questions

  • What’s up?
  • What’s new?
  • What’s happening?
  • What’s going on?

Typical Answers

  • Nothing.
  • Not much.
  • Nothing much.

Example

A: Hey, what’s up?

B: Not much. How about you?

🎧 Listening Practice

Listen carefully to the videos below. Make notes of the phrases and sentences you hear. Pay special attention to pronunciation.

Cultural Note

In many English-speaking countries, people usually do not share a lot of personal information during a brief greeting.

For example:

A: How are you?

B: Good, thanks!

This is often enough.

People generally do not expect a detailed explanation unless they know you well.

5. Other Everyday Greetings

How’s everything?

Used to ask generally how things are going.

Example:

A: Hi! How’s everything?

B: Great, thanks!

Long time no see!

Used when you haven’t seen someone for a long time.

Examples:

  • Long time no see!
  • Hey, long time no see!

How’s your day?

Used to ask about someone’s day.

Example:

A: How’s your day?

B: It’s going well, thanks.

6. Greetings According to the Time of Day

Good morning

Used from early morning until around noon.

Good afternoon

Used after noon until early evening.

Good evening

Used when meeting someone in the evening.

Morning!

A more casual version of “Good morning.”

Example:

A: Morning!

B: Morning!

Goodnight

Used when leaving at night or before going to sleep.

Example:

Goodnight! See you tomorrow.

7. Saying Goodbye

Bye!

The most common informal goodbye.

See ya!

A casual form of “See you.”

See you soon!

Used when you expect to meet again soon.

Hope to see you soon!

A friendly way to end a conversation.

8. Friendly Goodbyes

Take it easy.

Take care.

Take care of yourself.

These expressions show kindness and encourage the other person to look after themselves.

Examples:

A: Bye! Take care!

B: You too!

Quick Reference

Greetings

  • Hello!
  • Hi!
  • Hey!
  • Good morning!
  • Good afternoon!
  • Good evening!
  • Morning!

Asking About Someone

  • How are you?
  • How are you doing?
  • How’s it going?
  • How have you been?
  • How’s everything?
  • How’s your day?

Informal Greetings

  • What’s up?
  • What’s new?
  • What’s happening?
  • What’s going on?

Responses

  • I’m fine, thanks.
  • I’m good, thanks.
  • I’m great, thanks!
  • Pretty good!
  • Not bad, thanks.
  • Nothing much.

Goodbyes

  • Bye!
  • See ya!
  • See you soon!
  • Hope to see you soon!
  • Take it easy!
  • Take care!
  • Take care of yourself!

Practice

Exercise 1 – Match the Greeting

  1. Good morning
  2. Long time no see
  3. What’s up?
  4. Goodnight
  5. How are you?

a. Not much.
b. I’m fine, thanks.
c. Before going to sleep.
d. Early in the day.
e. After not seeing someone for a long time.

Exercise 2 – Complete the Dialogue

A: Hi! __________ you?

B: I’m great, thanks!

A: Hey! What’s up?

B: __________ much.

A: Long time no __________!

B: I know! It’s been months!

A: Bye! Take __________.

B: You too!

Exercise 3 – Write Your Own Answers

  1. How are you today?
  1. What do you usually say when greeting a friend?
  1. What do you usually say when saying goodbye?

Answer Key

Exercise 1

  1. d
  2. e
  3. a
  4. c
  5. b

Exercise 2

  1. How are
  2. Not
  3. see
  4. care

Daily Routine II

Posted by

0

In the following two videos, you will learn how to talk about your daily routine by observing Bob’s routine.

Bob will take you along with him for part of his day and explain everything he does using clear and easy-to-understand English. As you watch, you will be exposed to natural vocabulary, useful expressions, and common sentence patterns that native speakers use when talking about their everyday activities.

Build a Vocabulary Log

Build a vocabulary log as you watch the videos. Write down new words, phrases, phrasal verbs, collocations, and useful expressions.

Before You Watch

Think about your own daily routine and answer these questions:

  1. What time do you usually wake up?
  2. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
  3. Do you work, study, or both?
  4. What do you usually do in the evening?
  5. What time do you normally go to bed?

Video 1

Comprehension Questions

  1. What time does Bob start his day?
  2. What is the first thing he does?
  3. What activities does he do before work?
  4. What does he do during the day?
  5. What new words or expressions did you learn?

Video 2

While Watching

Continue taking notes and observe:

  • Additional daily activities
  • Useful expressions
  • Repeated vocabulary
  • Differences between your routine and Bob’s routine

Comprehension Questions

  1. What activities does Bob mention in this video?
  2. Which activities are similar to your routine?
  3. Which activities are different from your routine?
  4. Which phrasal verbs did you hear?
  5. Which collocations did you hear?

Speaking Practice

Answer the questions in complete sentences.

  1. What time do you usually get up?
  2. What do you do after you wake up?
  3. What do you usually have for breakfast?
  4. What do you do during the day?
  5. What do you do after work or school?
  6. What do you usually do in the evening?
  7. What time do you go to bed?

Writing Practice

Write a paragraph (80–120 words) describing your daily routine.

Use:

  • Present Simple
  • Time expressions (first, then, after that, later, finally)
  • At least 3 phrasal verbs
  • At least 3 collocations

Example starters:

  • I usually wake up at…
  • After that, I…
  • Then I…
  • In the evening, I…
  • Before I go to bed, I…

Challenge Activity

Watch both videos again.

Create a table comparing your routine with Bob’s.