Standard English

For grown-ups: this lesson in words

Years 4 to 6 · English

Standard English: I can use Standard English verbs: we were, I did, and one no word at a time.

1. Was or were? Here are the words for one person, and the words for more than one.

   One person: I was, he was, she was, it was.

   More than one, and always you: we were, you were, they were.

   Chatting, some people say we was. In Standard English, we write we were.

   Picture: A short text called "Was or were?" with a picture of a book: "One: I was, he was, she was, it was. More than one: we were, you were, they were. Chatting, some people say we was. In Standard English, we write we were." "we were", "you were" and "they were" are underlined.

2. Your turn: Which sentence uses was or were correctly?

   Choose one:

   • We was at the park.
   • We were at the park.
   • They was at the park.

   Answer

   The answer: We were at the park.

   We were at the park. We means more than one, so the verb is were.

3. Chatting, some people say: I done my homework. In Standard English, done cannot stand alone.

   Swap it for did. I did my homework.

   Did stands alone. It needs no helper.

   Picture: The sentence "I did my homework.", with "done" changed to "did".

Words to know

Standard English:

The English used in books, in school writing and in the test.

verb:

A doing or being word, like did, was or were.

formal:

Careful and polite, for a letter to a teacher or a test.

double negative:

Two no words in one sentence, like didn't and nothing.