Introduction
Understanding the past forms of the auxiliary verbs 'to be' and 'to have' is crucial for TOEIC candidates. These verbs are essential for forming past tenses, which are frequently tested in the TOEIC Listening & Reading sections. Mastering these will help you comprehend and construct past events or situations accurately.
Explanation
The past form of 'to be' is 'was' for singular subjects (I, he, she, it) and 'were' for plural subjects (you, we, they). For example:
I was at the meeting yesterday.
They were happy with the project results.
The past form of 'to have' is 'had' for all subjects. It is used to indicate possession or to form perfect tenses:
She had a lot of work to do last week.
We had already finished the report by the time the meeting started.
Common mistakes
Mixing up 'was' and 'were': Remember that 'was' is used with singular subjects and 'were' with plural subjects.
Using 'have' instead of 'had' in past contexts: Always use 'had' to indicate possession or actions completed in the past.
Tips for the TOEIC test
Listen for context clues that indicate past events, such as time expressions like "yesterday," "last week," or "in 2019."
In reading sections, look for past tense markers to understand the timeline of events.
Practice identifying whether the subject is singular or plural to choose the correct form of 'to be.'
Mini practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct past form of 'to be' or 'to have':
Last night, the team _____ (be) very tired after the long meeting.
By the end of the day, she _____ (have) completed all her tasks.
In 2018, the company _____ (be) not as successful as it is now.
Answers
were
had
was