English Course: From Zero · Week 9 of 12
Yesterday and Long Ago
Grammar: was / were · there was / there were
This week's plan
| Day | Learn | Listen / Watch | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Words: Past time · Sentences 1–2 | Easy Stories in English (Beginner): “The Great Race” (podcast) | Exercise 1 |
| Day 2 | Words: Feelings · Sentences 3–4 | engVid (Adam): “Bored or Boring? Learn about -ED and -ING adjectives in English” (video) | Exercise 2 |
| Day 3 | Words: Events · Sentences 5–6 | engVid (James): “WEDDING & MARRIAGE Vocabulary in English” (video) | Exercise 3 |
| Day 4 | Words: Describing · Sentences 7–8 | engVid (Alex): “English for Beginners: VERY, NOT VERY, VERY MUCH” (video) + British Council: “Holiday home adverts” (reading) | Exercise 4 |
| Day 5 | Words: My life · Sentences 9–10 | engVid (James): “AGO & FROM NOW – Talking about time in English” (video) | Write & Speak |
| Day 6 | Review all 30 words + 10 sentences | Easy Stories in English (Beginner): “The Lion and the Mouse” (podcast) | Redo mistakes |
| Day 7 | Free day ☺ | Easy Stories in English (Beginner): “Grandmother March” (podcast) | Tick your tracker |
30 minutes a day: review, learn, listen, practise, speak. Day 7 is a free day.
30 words to learn
Set 1 · Past time
- yesterdayأمس
- last nightليلة أمس
- last weekالأسبوع الماضي
- agoمنذ / قبل (two days ago)
- in 2010في عام ٢٠١٠
- when I was a childعندما كنت طفلًا
Set 2 · Feelings
- boredيشعر بالملل
- excitedمتحمس
- angryغاضب
- worriedقلق
- sadحزين
- surprisedمندهش
Set 3 · Events
- weddingفرح / حفل زفاف
- partyحفلة
- holidayإجازة
- beachشاطئ
- villageقرية
- tripرحلة
Set 4 · Describing
- greatرائع
- terribleسيئ جدًا
- boringممل
- interestingممتع / مثير للاهتمام
- crowdedمزدحم
- quietهادئ
Set 5 · My life
- was bornوُلِد
- childhoodالطفولة
- primary schoolالمدرسة الابتدائية
- universityالجامعة
- neighbourجار
- first timeأول مرة
10 sentences to memorise
- 1I was at home yesterday.كنت في البيت أمس.
- 2Where were you last night?أين كنت ليلة أمس؟
- 3I was born in 1995 in Mansoura.وُلدت عام ١٩٩٥ في المنصورة.
- 4The wedding was great!كان الفرح رائعًا!
- 5The weather wasn't very good.لم يكن الجو جيدًا جدًا.
- 6Were you tired? — Yes, I was.هل كنت متعبًا؟ — نعم.
- 7There were a lot of people at the party.كان هناك الكثير من الناس في الحفلة.
- 8When I was a child, I was very quiet.عندما كنت طفلًا، كنت هادئًا جدًا.
- 9The beach was crowded but beautiful.كان الشاطئ مزدحمًا لكنه جميل.
- 10How was your day?كيف كان يومك؟
Grammar: was / were · there was / there were
«كان / كانوا» = was / were. لا تقل I was go — was تأتي مع صفة أو مكان: I was tired / I was at home.
| Positive | Negative | Question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | was | wasn't | Was he…? |
| you / we / they | were | weren't | Were you…? |
am / is → was · are → were · there is → there was · there are → there were
Exercises
Exercise 1 · Complete with was, were, wasn't or weren't.
- 1) I ___ tired yesterday.
- 2) They ___ at the beach last week.
- 3) The film ___ boring.
- 4) We ___ at a wedding last night.
- 5) ___ you at work yesterday?
- 6) She ___ happy. (–)
Show the answers
1) was · 2) were · 3) was · 4) were · 5) Were · 6) wasn't
Exercise 2 · Complete with there was / there were / was there / were there.
- 1) ___ a lot of cars in the street.
- 2) ___ a small shop in my village.
- 3) ___ any people in the park?
- 4) ___ a problem with the car.
Show the answers
1) There were · 2) There was · 3) Were there · 4) There was
Exercise 3 · Make questions.
- 1) You were at home.
- 2) The film was good.
- 3) They were late.
- 4) She was born in Cairo.
Show the answers
1) Were you at home? · 2) Was the film good? · 3) Were they late? · 4) Was she born in Cairo?
Exercise 4 · Translate into English.
- 1) كنت قلقًا أمس.
- 2) أين كنتم الأسبوع الماضي؟
- 3) لم تكن الرحلة مملة.
- 4) وُلد أبي في قرية.
Show the answers
1) I was worried yesterday. · 2) Where were you last week? · 3) The trip wasn't boring. · 4) My father was born in a village.
Do each exercise in pencil first, then open the answers to check.
Write & Speak
Write & Speak — Write 6 sentences about your childhood with was / were / there was / there were.
Example: I was born in 1992 in Zagazig. My house was small but nice. There was a big tree next to it. My primary school was near my house. My teachers were kind. I was a quiet child.