As I said above, was and were are in the past tense, but they are used differently. All of the above sentences use the verb were because they aren’t true; they do not describe reality. While some people get mixed up on what we’ve covered above, most of the confusion with these two words centers on the use of the subjunctive mood and specifically the two phrases if I was vs. if I were. Was is used in the first person singular (I) and the third person singular (he, she, it). After reading this post, you shouldn’t have any trouble correctly choosing between was or were in your future writing. Students have to choose between was and were as they listen to the song. She were pushing the boat into the water. Peek vs. Pique: What’s the Difference? In the third and fourth sentences, I am talking about situations that would happen if I were taller and if John were rich, speaking hypothetically. If you see either of these words, there is a good chance you will need to use the subjunctive. ", Kieran Donaghy, "iSLCollective Interactive Video Quizzes are highly engaging and motivating multimodal texts for English language students to learn vocabulary and improve their listening skills. You can always adapt it according to the needs of your class. It is made up of the phrases I were, he were, she were, it were, etc. Was is used in the first and third person singular past. If I were a wealthy man, I wouldn’t have to work hard. Patients: What’s the Difference? Thanks a lot!! For example, which of the following two choices is correct? I used it with my students to practise the Simple Past of Be. When I was younger, I wanted to be a singer. These words are used differently in sentences, so it’s important to know when to use were vs. was. He isn’t rich now; he’s just imagining it, so we need to use the subjective “If I were,” not “If I was.”, The correct answer for the example above, therefore, is, “If I were a better cook, I could entertain more.”. It's great this video activity. It is used in the subjunctive mood to indicate unreal or hypothetical statements. Click on this message to dismiss it. I like this way to practice english thank you so much for sharing your video. Creator of FilmEnglish.com, a site with hundreds of high quality, free ESL/EFL lesson plans created around short films. The words if and wish usually indicate the subjunctive mood. This is a song I found on the internet. John spends money as if he were a millionaire. The verb be is a tricky one because it is an irregular verb and one that we find ourselves using with great frequency, so it is that much more important that we choose the correct verb for our sentences. The forms that was and were will take in your sentence are summarized in the chart below, Singular = I was, You were, He was, She was, It was. Last night, I was watching TV until midnight. If I were a better cook, I could entertain more. For example. Please consider using another browser. In these lines, Tevye is fantasizing about life as a wealthy man. Was is used for statements of fact. A series of scenes from the movie Moana set to the music Fight song sung by Rachel Platten. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference? Moana fight song (was, were practice) - English ESL video lesson English Were is used in the second person singular and plural (you, your, yours) and first and third person plural (we, they). Home » Was vs. The Video Lesson Player has problems in Internet Explorer. Patience vs. If I was a better cook, I could entertain more. KIERAN DONAGHY ABOUT ISLCOLLECTIVE VIDEO QUIZZES: "iSLCollective Interactive Video Quizzes are highly engaging and motivating multimodal texts for English language students to learn vocabulary and improve their listening skills. They are the perfect complement to the creative and innovative lesson plans on Film English. Another good example of the subjunctive mood can be found in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. I hope this video helps! Two good clues for the subjunctive mood are the words if and wish. In this post, I want to go over the grammar behind was vs. were, when it’s correct to use which one, and give you a few tips to keep track of them both. In the first two sentences, I am talking about things I wish would happen. Listening comprehension, fill in the gap, multiple choice questions about the song lyrics or action sequence in the video. If I were a rich man, I’d build a big tall house… If I were a rich man, I’d have the time that I lack. If I were taller, I could dunk a basketball. For example. If John were a rich man, he could drive a fancy car. In the song, “If I were a rich man,” the character Tevye sings about how different his life would be and all the things he would do if he were rich. Listening comprehension, fill in the gap, multiple choice questions about the song lyrics or action sequence in the video. thank you teacher the task was very fun and easy, I thought it was a very entertaining video. If I were a rich man, I’d build a big tall house…. If I were a rich man, I’d have the time that I lack. In the song, “If I were a rich man,” the character Tevye sings about how different his life would be and all the things he would do if he were rich. It is used for statements of fact. https://www.missmollysongs.com Fun and educational sing along songs for children (and their teachers and parents) from Miss Molly Songs! You hear people say both each and every day, so it’s hard to know which is correct. Was and were are both past tenses of the verb to be.