There are 9 parts of speech or word classes in English language:
– nouns
– pronouns
– determiners
– verbs
– prepositions
– adjectives
– adverbs
– conjunctions
– interjections

Tense is a variation in the form of English verbs based on:
– the subject of the sentence
– time
– context of actions/events

Examples (variations based on time):
– I eat fried rice every day.
– I ate fried rice this morning.
– I will eat fried rice tomorrow.
– I am eating fried rice now.
– I have just eaten fried rice.
– I have been eating fried rice this whole week.

Examples (variations based on subject):
– I eat fried rice every day.
– He eats fried rice every day.
– She eats fried rice every day.
– My cat eats fried rice every day.
– You eat fried rice every day.
– We eat fried rice every day.
– They eat fried rice every day.

1. Past facts (descriptions, professions)
– I was a student of this school many years ago.
– He was a math teacher.
– They were drivers for 10 years.

2. Past facts (characteristics, conditions, emotions, qualities)
– I was sick yesterday.
– He was angry this afternoon.
– They were very helpful.

3. Past facts (locations)
– I was here last week.
– He was there yesterday.
– They were upstairs just now.

All professions are nouns:
– student
– teacher
– doctor
– father
– mother
– friends
– cousin
– etc.

Characteristics, conditions, emotions, qualities are described by adjectives:
– tall / short
– happy / sad fast / slow
– beautiful / ugly/ wonderful / terrible
– old / young / new / cheap / expensive
– kind / laid back / ambitious / passionate
– etc.

Locations are described by adverbs of place:
– here
– there
– home
– inside / outside
– upstairs / downstairs
– etc.

1. Subject + was/were + Noun
2. Subject + was/were + Adjective
3. Subject + was/were + Adverb of Place

Positive Sentences

I + was + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> I was a teacher.
You + were + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> You were brave.
We + were + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> We were there.
They + were + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> They were doctors.

He + was + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> He was a driver.
She + was + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> She was strong.
It + was + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> My cat was outside.

Negative Sentences

1. Subject + was/were + not + Noun
2. Subject + was/were + not + Adjective
3. Subject + was/were + not + Adverb of Place

I + was not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> I wasn’t a teacher.
You + were not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> You weren’t serious.
We + were not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> We weren’t there.
They + were not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> They weren’t doctors.

He + was not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> He wasn’t a driver.
She + was not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> She wasn’t late.
It + was not + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> My cat wasn’t outside.

Yes/No Questions

1. Was/were + Subject + Noun?
2. Was/were + Subject + Adjective?
3. Was/were + Subject + Adverb of Place?

Was + I + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Was I a teacher?
Yes, you were. / No, you weren’t
Were + You + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Were you sick?
Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t
Were + We + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Were we there?
Yes, we were. / No, we weren’t
Were + They + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Were they doctors?
Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t

Was + He + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Was he a driver?
Yes, he was. / No, he wasn’t
Was + She + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Was she rude?
Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t
Was + It + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Was your cat outside?
Yes, it was. / No, it wasn’t

Questions with Question Words (QW)

1. QW + Was/were + Subject + Noun?
2. QW + Was/were + Subject + Adjective?
3. QW + Was/were + Subject + Adverb of Place?

QW+ Was + I + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Why was I impatient?
QW + Were + You + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Why were you there?
QW + Were + We + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> When were we late?
QW + Were + They + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Why were they outside?

QW + Was + He + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> When was he a driver?
QW + Was + She + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Why was she angry?
QW + Was + It + Noun/Adj/Adv
-> Why was your cat outside?