# weren't

CEFR A1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/werent
Updated: 2026-05-03

## Definition

the short way to say 'were not'. You use it to talk about more than one person or thing in the past.

For teachers: the contracted form of 'were not'. Functions as the past plural or second-person singular indicative of 'be' in the negative.

## Examples

- They weren't at home when I called.
- The students weren't prepared for the surprise test, so the teacher decided to postpone it until Friday.
- If the conditions weren't so hazardous, the rescue team would have reached the summit hours ago, but the visibility made any further progress impossible.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They wasn't there" but "They weren't there" — Learners often use 'wasn't' for all subjects, but 'weren't' must be used with plural subjects and 'you'.

## Usage notes

- Used with 'you', 'we', 'they', and plural nouns. In formal writing, the full form 'were not' is often preferred.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.