Sunday, July 15, 2007

14. The Wacky Wasn't - Weren't Error

The Wacky Wasn't/Weren't Error

Hello, Everybody! I hope you've all had a great week and have been able to relax and enjoy the summertime. Have you noticed any grammar errors on signs, in newspapers, on TV, and from people you've heard speaking? I'd love to hear about them. (No names, please!) Maddeningly, for me, a day doesn't go by without some mistake rearing its ugly little head! Since I've been writing this blog, I'm amazed to hear from so many people that feel as I do. We can do better! And nearly everyone has pet peeves about our language. So...today's lesson will address one I used to hear in school all the time! I don't know if this is mainly a Columbus County boo-boo, but it surely is heard around here enough to belong to us.

Groan...What's up with the misuse of WASN'T and WEREN'T? Here's the kind of thing I've heard way too many times:

Lewis WEREN'T going to the lake today unless Ann went with him.

I WEREN'T the only one who failed that test.

It WEREN'T me who wrecked that car!

Now, please tell me that none of you would ever say anything like these examples!!

What's going on in these sentences is that one of the wrong past tense forms of the verb "to be" (WEREn't) is being used instead of the correct one (WASn't). By the way, for some reason, this problem doesn't seem to appear very much unless the negative part of these words--the n't--is added. ( For example, it's rare to hear someone say, "Lewis WERE going to the lake today unless Ann went with him." Whew...Thank goodness.) The verb "to be" is probably the most irregular verb in our language and we do have lots of different kinds of trouble with it. However, for now, we're going to focus only on this part of the problem.

This is all you need to know: Just remember that the use of WEREn't is only correct when it is used with 2nd person singular and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person plural subjects. Now for anyone out there who may have forgotten what this means, just think about conjugating verbs. Did you ever do that in school?

The conjugation of verbs simply means the arrangement of verbs by tenses, number, gender, case, etc. Here, we mean tense, number, and gender. If you've ever studied a foreign language, you've very likely been introduced to this, since being able to conjugate a verb can be an important part of learning the language. Nevertheless, if you haven't studied a new language, never fear...no problem. Let me show you.

Here's the conjugation of the verb TO BE in the past tense:

SINGULAR

I was (first person)

You were (second person)

He, She, It was (third person)


PLURAL

We were (first person)

You were (second person)

They were (third person)



Did you notice that WERE is shown only beside "You" (second person singular), "We" (first person plural), "You" (second person plural), and "They" (third person plural)? Now how does this relate to the three sentences above? In the conjugation, only PRONOUNS are used, but they "stand for" the subject that the verb agrees with in the sentence.

So...in the first sentence, "he" would stand for "Lewis." You can see that "he" is third person singular, so the correct verb is not WERE, but WAS. (Or WASN'T in this case.) Incidentally, this is the only time when the gender issue applies -- if a female or "it" is the subject, both would also use WAS.

In the second sentence, "I" (the pronoun) is actually used, so you can see above that only WASn't is correct (first person singular)

In the third sentence, "It" is, again, third person singular, so WASn't is correct. I must say here that this example sentence is not a good one at all because there is no antecedent for "It" in the sentence -- that is, there's no word that stands for "It." The sentence would be much more agreeable if it read "I'm not the one who wrecked that car," but because this error is heard so often in conversation, I have reluctantly included it. Try your best to avoid this type of weak sentence, but if you must say this, at least get the verb right! Use WASn't!! Thank you.

I hope you all have a great week! Thanks again for visiting. Peace and happiness, GG

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it: I just wanted to make sure there wasn't/weren't any problems. And why exactly? The use of that sentence led me to your blog. and btw, Whiteville, NC Rocks! Thanks, Greg

Anonymous said...

Help! Is it "She and I wasn't sure..." or is it "She and I weren't sure"??? I always use the rule of thumb to drop the "she and" to see what the right way would be when using other verbs, but this "to be" verb is tricky for me. I need to put it in an email to my boss, so I want it to be right! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

buy cheap viagra online buying viagra sample of viagra viagra prescription uk viagra attorneys viagra sales cheapest viagra prices free viagra in the uk problems with viagra cheap herbal viagra what is viagra buy cheap viagra soft homemade viagra does viagra really work

Anonymous said...

This message, is matchless)))

Anonymous said...

And it is effective?

Anonymous said...

More precisely does not happen


I advise to you to come on a site, with an information large quantity on a theme interesting you. There you by all means will find all. Hot Health

Anonymous said...

If you have bad credit and are looking for a house cash advance amount you. Instant no credit check 1000 payday advance loan is a boon for all those who are. No Fax Bad Credit OK. Stop debt collectors from harrasing. Fulfill your urgent need of cash within 24 hours with Paradise Cash Advance. [url=http://viiumft.rahuketu.net/map.html]advance cash loan online payday[/url] For a payday cash.

Anonymous said...

Do You interesting of [b]Female use of Viagra[/b]? You can find below...
[size=10]>>>[url=http://listita.info/go.php?sid=1][b]Female use of Viagra[/b][/url]<<<[/size]

[URL=http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/link/viagra%2C%20tramadol%2C%20zithromax%2C%20carisoprodol%2C%20buy%20cialis/1_valentine3.html][IMG]http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/img0/viagra%2C%20tramadol%2C%20zithromax%2C%20carisoprodol%2C%20buy%20cialis/1_valentine3.png[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/link/buy%20viagra/3_headsex1.html][IMG]http://imgwebsearch.com/30269/img0/buy%20viagra/3_headsex1.png[/IMG][/URL]
[b]Bonus Policy[/b]
Order 3 or more products and get free Regular Airmail shipping!
Free Regular Airmail shipping for orders starting with $200.00!

Free insurance (guaranteed reshipment if delivery failed) for orders starting with $300.00!
[b]Description[/b]

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate; brand names include: Aphrodil / Edegra / Erasmo / Penegra / Revatio / Supra / Zwagra) is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction regardless of the cause or duration of the problem or the age of the patient.
Sildenafil Citrate is the active ingredient used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men. It can help men who have erectile dysfunction get and sustain an erection when they are sexually excited.
Generic Viagra is manufactured in accordance with World Health Organization standards and guidelines (WHO-GMP). Also you can find on our sites.
Generic [url=http://viagra.wilantion.ru]Viagra 100mg pills[/url] is made with thorough reverse engineering for the sildenafil citrate molecule - a totally different process of making sildenafil and its reaction. That is why it takes effect in 15 minutes compared to other drugs which take 30-40 minutes to take effect.
[b]buying viagra in new york
Canadianpharmacy Viagra
viagra ice cream
2 comparison levitra viagra
viagra gay men
viagra heart attack
viagra levitra cialis and face flushing
[/b]
Even in the most sexually liberated and self-satisfied of nations, many people still yearn to burn more, to feel ready for bedding no matter what the clock says and to desire their partner of 23 years as much as they did when their love was brand new.
The market is saturated with books on how to revive a flagging libido or spice up monotonous sex, and sex therapists say “lack of desire” is one of the most common complaints they hear from patients, particularly women.

Anonymous said...

Actually you also use were(n't) with both singular and plural forms of 1st, 2nd and 3rd persons for the past subjunctive cases. The present subjunctive case conjugates with 'be'.

E.g.

I wish he were going
If I were you, I wouldn't go there.
If she were to come, she would have called.
It is necessary that he be there.

The subjunctive (as opposed to the indicative mood) is used to express hope, wish, desire, doubt, possibility, hypotheticals, command, necessity - basically anything that is subjective. The indicative mood is used to express actions that happened, and which does not depend on the perception of the person relating the event.

E.g. I went to school. It was a sunny day. Our teacher rushed in late. Sarah didn't come to school because she had a doctor's appointment.

viagra online said...

hello. I'm very interesting in this blog about 14. The Wacky Wasn't - Weren't Error thanks for collect and post this information about it

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to say, but wtf is all that stupid viagra spaming here within the comments???
Keep blogs free of spammers!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I think you should crack open a linguistics textbook, and make a thoughtful comparison between the way English and Romance languages use inflections and verb forms. In the latter, they are essential to conveying who is performing the action, and so pronouns are often dropped. The different verb forms are many and complex There are 5 or 6 in all tenses in Spanish. But in English, they are essentially useless. The pronouns are almost always used instead. Consider that "ain't" has become a universal negative "to be" verb form, while there are only two in the past, and the future has only one ("will"). Seeing as how language goes by the principle of least effort, this renders the difference between "weren't" and "wasn't" a complete waste of energy. It can't add anything to the meaning of a sentence, so why bother? If the French and Spanish get to drop pronouns, then it only makes sense that we would drop different verb forms, especially is one of them is clunkier to say on a phonological level, and "wasn't" is clunkier than "weren't". (But "was" and "were" are essentially equal in this regard, and so have hung on).

www.ciudad-real-3d.com said...

Goodness, there is a great deal of effective data in this post!

carlyle hotel washington dc said...

Very good blogging. It's a very useful and interesting site. thanks for your creative work done by you.

Unknown said...

Wondering if you can help me... I'm helping friend with the English language. The other day, he incorrectly said to me 'I wasn't succeeded', and not 'I wasn't successful'.

I pointed out the error, but couldn't explain why. I used some examples 'I wasn't riding the bike', and 'I didn't ride the bike', and not 'I didn't riding the bike', and not 'I wasn't ride the bike'.

Again I could tell him which was correct... but I couldn't remember why. I felt very stupid :/

Anonymous said...

This site is really cool! I found here alot of information that I was looking for. I am really happy to be a part of This site!

Anonymous said...

Ѕhrоuds do not have any Nintendo DS Lіtе lmaο :-)
Here is my homepage ... PSP-2000 Power Supply

Anonymous said...

online dating durant iowa http://loveepicentre.com/map.php statistic reasearch of online dating

Anonymous said...

The other benefits are decreased cholesterol and triglycerides, stabilized blood sugar and increased stamina. Presence of Co - Q10 also keeps one's heart in a good condition, which again is nice to the weight of our own body phen375 scam females may remain at the same machine and switch their grip to a hold that mirrors the common underhand pull-up for close grip pull downs. How to Get Ripped in Weeks - What could be the Best Shortcut Out There. A person who has consumed so much coffee or other beverages containing high levels of caffeine ahead of sleeping can experience one-off installments of bed wetting http://www.phen375factsheet.com chicken, turkey breast, and fish are some with the good hard working liver for females to lose those extra calories. Mother starts losing appetite; nobody thinks anything of the [url=http://www.phen375factsheet.com]buy phen375 cheap[/url] when one exercises are complete, proceed on the other exercise.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/1.jpg[/img][/url]
free sugardaddy dating site [url=http://loveepicentre.com/success_stories.php]dating in modesto[/url] jennifer love hewitt dating married
dating service mission statement [url=http://loveepicentre.com/advice.php]gay dating for large people[/url] gay dating young men old men
online dating profile reviews [url=http://loveepicentre.com/faq.php]dating cougars[/url] dating a fender bassman

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/taketour.php][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/8.jpg[/img][/url]
tri cities dating kingsport tn [url=http://loveepicentre.com/taketour.php]dating high maintenance[/url] ashley monroe country singer dating who
online dating singles site [url=http://loveepicentre.com/articles.php]dating ideas[/url] california online dating
mason city dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php]miller lite dating spoof[/url] dating in chesapeake virginia

Anonymous said...

[url=http://loveepicentre.com/][img]http://loveepicentre.com/uploades/photos/10.jpg[/img][/url]
big and beutiful online dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com]psp sim dating downloads[/url] who is matt bomer dating
why women play games dating [url=http://loveepicentre.com/map.php]nigeria dating linda markes[/url] extramarital dating scotland
free dating melbourne [url=http://loveepicentre.com/]dating websit[/url] interracial dating and marriage

Anonymous said...

sony ebook reader book downloads http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/Buying-and-Selling-Jewelry-on-eBay/p161442/ sex technique ebook free download [url=http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/de/Classical-and-Quantum-Computation-Graduate-Studies-in-Mathematics/p213793/]ebook free greek[/url] ebook gay science fiction

Anonymous said...

founding fathers ebook http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/Adobe-After-Effects-CS5-Visual-Effects-and-Compositing-Studio-Techniques/p210484/ zombie lover ebook [url=http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/The-Best-Houston-Sports-Arguments/p224378/]blitzkrieg legend ebook download[/url] ebook sackett's land

Anonymous said...

php ebook http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/Web-Information-Systems-Engineering-WISE-2007-8th-International-Conference-on-Web-Information-Systems-Engineering-Nancy-France-December-3-7-Applications-incl-Internet-Web-and-HCI/p209915/ mcse labs ebook [url=http://audiobookscollection.co.uk/Y-Uyama/m134174/]culinary calculations download ebook[/url] holidays are hell in ebook format

Anonymous said...

skills of the vagabonds ebook http://audiobooksplanet.co.uk/fr/Daniel-De-Waal/m24912/ helping out spanish ebook george ancona [url=http://audiobooksplanet.co.uk/it/authors/?letter=Ok]gay male romance ebook[/url] malariology ebook online free

Anonymous said...

multiple choice quiz ebook http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/es/The-Mother-Hunt/p30141/ panasonic ebook reader [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/Encyclopedia-of-White-Collar-Crime/p171783/]anita blake free ebook[/url] rose croix free ebook

Anonymous said...

nazi ebook collection http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/Born-to-Run/p10478/ zombie cheerleaders ebook free [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/de/authors/?letter=Zv]huckabee ebook[/url] robert jordan brandon sanderson ebook

Anonymous said...

bolano ebook http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/de/authors/?letter=I&page=2 the minerva virus ebook [url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/Michael-Small/m88491/]quicken 2010 ebook[/url] eclipse stephen meyer ebook
[url=http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/es/Adobe-Acrobat-6-0-Standard-Classroom-in-a-Book/p155017/][img]http://audiobooksworld.co.uk/image/1.gif[/img][/url]

Anonymous said...

telemarketing software to monitor calls http://buyoem.co.uk/fr/category-100-102/Affaires?page=2 what is software informer [url=http://buyoem.co.uk/de/category-2/Business?page=4]miana limit point software[/url] system testing documentation software track record
[url=http://buyoem.co.uk/product-37384/Desktop-Lunar-Calendar-1-6]Desktop Lunar Calendar 1.6 - Software Store[/url] dvd home player software upgrade
[url=http://buyoem.co.uk/es/product-37244/PicturesToExe-Deluxe-5-5][img]http://buyoem.co.uk/image/8.gif[/img][/url]

Anonymous said...

Shopping online is a good Shopping way for us. Sometimes we can find what we need at a discoutn price online.

----------------------------

[url=http://www.tomscanadastore.com]toms canada[/url]

Anonymous said...

best wep cracking software for windows http://buyoemsoftware.co.uk/fr/product-21301/SQLEditor-Mac adobe acrobat pdf version 6 software [url=http://buyoemsoftware.co.uk/de/product-15854/3D-Space-VFS-Mac]western civilization software[/url] bible search software
[url=http://buyoemsoftware.co.uk/product-11998/Windows-Vista-Ultimate-x86-SP1]Windows Vista Ultimate x86 SP1 - Software Store[/url] dvd jpeg display software
[url=http://buyoemsoftware.co.uk/es/news-22/Google-Apps-grows-up-and-ditches-beta][img]http://buyoem.co.uk/image/2.gif[/img][/url]

Anonymous said...

You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the
article you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren't afraid to mention how they believe. At all times follow your heart.

Visit my blog post; adidas jeremy scott wings 2.0

Anonymous said...

[url=http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/flagyl-er.htm][img]http://onlinemedistore.com/3.jpg[/img][/url]
pharmacy preparation intrathecal http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/plendil.htm pharmacy executive job openings [url=http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/actos.htm]unm pharmacy school[/url]
pharmacy uses spectroscopy http://redbrickstore.co.uk/refer-a-friend.htm cvs pharmacy website [url=http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/nimotop.htm]nimotop[/url]
job discription pharmacy technician http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/brahmi.htm clintwood pharmacy [url=http://redbrickstore.co.uk/catalogue/1.htm]best company to get pharmacy technician certification[/url]
mdx pharmacy http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/amitriptyline.htm online pharmacy price comparisons [url=http://redbrickstore.co.uk/products/kamagra-soft.htm]kamagra soft[/url]

Anonymous said...

казино европа клуб [url=http://jeffresboabapcbigblum.narod.ru/casino14.html]виртуальное казино онлайн играть бесплатно без регистрации[/url] казино онлайн gaminator слот , [url=http://jeffresboabapcbigblum.narod.ru/casino371.html]интернет казино где можно взять кредит йошкар ола[/url] онлайн казино получите €500 , [url=http://jeffresboabapcbigblum.narod.ru/casino42.html]играть казино автоматы онлайн резидент[/url] стоит ли играть в онлайн казино , [url=http://jeffresboabapcbigblum.narod.ru/casino364.html]слот автомат играть онлайн ipad[/url] онлайн казино начальный бонус , [url=http://jeffresboabapcbigblum.narod.ru/casino266.html]видеопокер играть бесплатно 888[/url]

Anonymous said...

интернет казино online бонус при регистрации [url=http://tenmomicpumamic.narod.ru/article54.html]казино рулетка как выйграть[/url] казино минска 21 декабря , [url=http://tenmomicpumamic.narod.ru/article324.html]онлайн казино играть бесплатно автоматы лягушки[/url] онлайн казино бесплатно без регистрации в хорошем качестве , [url=http://tenmomicpumamic.narod.ru/article90.html]казино интернет минимальные ставки на 1 цент всегда[/url] онлайн казино рулетка отзывы , [url=http://tenmomicpumamic.narod.ru/article72.html]казино интернет кредит[/url] казино автоматы играть бесплатно и без регистрации

Anonymous said...

[url=http://titlaichrisprinedvan.narod.ru/vip280.html]казино в боровом мираж[/url] интернет казино игровых автоматов , [url=http://titlaichrisprinedvan.narod.ru/vip60.html]казино игра на деньги qiwi[/url] казино ком , [url=http://titlaichrisprinedvan.narod.ru/vip300.html]казино игровые автоматы г щелково[/url] онлайн казино iphone , [url=http://titlaichrisprinedvan.narod.ru/vip310.html]казино в доминикане[/url] казино зимний сад екатеринбург цены , [url=http://titlaichrisprinedvan.narod.ru/vip180.html]казино йес студентски град[/url] схема казино 4 дракона

Anonymous said...

интернет казино азарт зона [url=http://vilbederoistatoc.narod.ru/new78.html]казино шангрила г москва[/url] вебмани казино отзывы [url=http://vilbederoistatoc.narod.ru/new210.html]интернет казино wmr 0 01 2013[/url] казино monkey или казино рулетка azart play [url=http://vilbederoistatoc.narod.ru/new36.html]казино лотос екатеринбург[/url]

Anonymous said...

When ѕomеone writеs an article hе/she keepѕ the image of a user
іn his/her brain that how а user can be аwаre of it.
Therefore that's why this piece of writing is outstdanding. Thanks!

my site - raspberry ketone

Anonymous said...

Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell
and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She placed
the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic
but I had to tell someone!

My web site fake ray bans

Anonymous said...

казино кристалл пэлэс [url=http://buschpidantyricon.narod.ru/igrovie-avtomati-slot-machines-ruletka.html]Игровые Автоматы Slot Machines Рулетка[/url] казино эмуляторы игровых автоматов gaminator или [url=http://buschpidantyricon.narod.ru/igrovie-avtomati-onlayn-besplatno-gribi.html]Игровые Автоматы Онлайн Бесплатно Грибы[/url] казино онлайн игровые автоматы gaminator.

Anonymous said...

интернет казино голден геймс отзывы [url=http://busdeitranspeeddownrai.narod.ru/igrovie-avtomati-777-onlayn.html]Игровые Автоматы 777 Онлайн[/url] казино в москве или белорусские казино.

Anonymous said...

Hi there, all is going sound here and ofcourse every
one is sharing information, that's truly good, keep up writing.

My web blog chi hair straightener official website

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone, it's my first pay a quick visit at this web site, and post is genuinely fruitful in favor of me, keep up posting these articles.

My homepage :: fake ray ban sunglasses

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's what I was seeking for, what a stuff! existing here at this blog, thanks admin of this website.

Also visit my page :: cheap nike free run 3

Anonymous said...

I hardly leave a response, however i did some searching and
wound up here "14. The Wacky Wasn't - Weren't Error".
And I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind. Is it just me or does it look as if like some of these responses look like they are written by brain dead individuals? :-P And, if you are writing on other online sites, I'd like to keep up with anything fresh you have to post.
Could you list of every one of all your shared pages like your twitter
feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?

ageless male - ageless male - facesexy.com.br

Also visit my blog post; ageless male

Anonymous said...

First off I want to say great blog! I had a quick question which I'd like to ask if you don't
mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and
clear your thoughts before writing. I've had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally lost just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Appreciate it!

Also visit my site; ralph lauren polo sale

Anonymous said...

I'm really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It's a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me
to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a
developer to create your theme? Outstanding work!



My web blog ... ralph lauren sale

Anonymous said...

Hi there everyone, it's my first go to see at this website, and article is truly fruitful in support of me, keep up posting such content.

My homepage cheap ralph lauren polo

Anonymous said...

My programmer is trying to persuade me to move to
.net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.
But he's tryiong none the less. I've been using Movable-type on various websites for about a
year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard fantastic things about
blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress
posts into it? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

my web-site ... nikeエアジョーダン

Anonymous said...

Heya i'm for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.

My site エアジョーダン

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure why but this weblog is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this problem or is it a issue on my end? I'll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.


Also visit my blog post :: film x us

Anonymous said...

Hi! I'm 13, and I've been wondering for a while exactly when to use weren't and when to use wasn't. I knew the basics (which one to use for singular and which for plural, and which to use for the subjunctive) but I've also been hearing a lot of different things from different people, and this just helped to clear things up a bit! I'm afraid I've always had a slight aversion to wasn't anyway, preferring to use weren't in all cases where it would be grammatically correct, so this also helped a lot in that respect. Thank you very much, this was both informative and simple to understand, as opposed to several other sites. Great post! I'll be coming back to your blog if I ever need any help with grammar!