אוסף אמין שנבנה מתוך ניסיון כיתתי עשיר על ידי שני מורים פעילים בהוראת אנגלית.

זה עובד. זה בדוק. פשוט, קל ובחינם.

מדריך קצר לדרך קלה לומדים בכיף לטירונים ולגיבורים שבדרך פטפוטון רגעי כיף בדרך לקריירה בחינות Teachers
Vocabulary lesson plan & materials

Free Time and Hobbies

Part 7 — There Was / There Were · A1–B2. Grammar, reading, speaking and writing practice for describing people, animals, objects and places in the past.

  • there was
  • there were
  • Grammar
  • Animals
  • Houses
  • Free Time
  • Reading
  • Speaking
  • Writing

Lesson Plan

Objective: use there was and there were to describe the existence of objects or people in the past.

Warm-up — 10 min

Ask students about their weekend. Put a few past-time examples on the board using there was and there were.

Introduction — 10 min

Review the basic contrast: there was for singular nouns and there were for plural nouns in the past.

Reading Activity — 15 min

Students read one of the passages and underline examples of there was and there were.

Speaking Activity — 20 min

In pairs or small groups, students describe a scene from the past using there was and there were.

Practice Exercises — 15 min

Students complete the worksheets with affirmative, negative, and question forms.

Writing Activity — 10 min

Students write a short paragraph about a past scene, for example a birthday party, and describe what was there.

Wrap-up — 5 min

Review the key forms and check understanding.

Materials

  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Worksheets
  • Two reading passages
  • A picture showing a scene from the past for speaking practice

There Was / There Were

Past forms for talking about existence.

Affirmative

There was + singular
There were + plural

There was a cat in the garden.
There were birds in the sky.

Negative

There was not ...
There were not ...

There was not a car outside.
There were not any people there.

Questions

Was there ...?
Were there ...?

Was there a café?
Were there many children?

Use there was with one person or thing, and there were with more than one.

Vocabulary in Context

Words and phrases from the readings and classroom activities.

  • zoo
  • lion
  • monkeys
  • birds
  • reptile house
  • snake
  • turtles
  • souvenir shop
  • café
  • families
  • children
  • abandoned house
  • rumour
  • broken windows
  • furniture
  • piano
  • photographs
  • diary
  • mystery
  • history
  • birthday party
  • weekend
  • past scene
  • crowd

Reading Passages

One accessible text and one more difficult text.

The Zoo Visit

A1–A2

Last weekend, I went to the zoo. There was a lion roaring in its enclosure. There were monkeys swinging from tree to tree, and there were colourful birds flying around.

In the reptile house, there was a snake slithering in its glass cage. There were turtles basking under a heat lamp. Outside, there was a playful dolphin leaping in the water at the marine exhibit.

Near the entrance, there was a souvenir shop. There were stuffed animals, T-shirts, and toys for sale. There was also a small café where visitors could enjoy snacks and drinks.

As I walked through the zoo, there were families laughing and taking photos. There were children excitedly pointing at the different animals. It was a wonderful day filled with amazing creatures and happy moments.

Discussion Questions

Answer the questions about the text.

  1. Where did the narrator go last weekend?
  2. What animals were there in the zoo?
  3. What was there inside the reptile house?
  4. What could visitors buy at the souvenir shop?
  5. How did the families and children react to the animals?
Suggested answers
  1. The narrator went to the zoo.
  2. There were lions, monkeys, colourful birds, a snake, turtles, and a dolphin.
  3. There was a snake in a glass cage, and there were turtles under a heat lamp.
  4. They could buy stuffed animals, T-shirts, and toys.
  5. The families were laughing and taking photos, and the children were excitedly pointing at the animals.

The Abandoned House

B1–B2

In a quiet neighbourhood, there was an abandoned house at the end of the street. Many years ago, there were stories about a family that used to live there. There was a rumour that strange things happened in the house at night.

One day, a group of adventurous friends decided to explore the house. As they entered, there was a feeling of eerie silence. There were broken windows and old furniture covered in dust. In the living room, there was a worn-out piano that looked as if it hadn't been touched for decades. There were faded photographs on the walls, showing happy faces from the past.

As they ventured upstairs, there was a creaking sound on the wooden steps. There were several closed doors, and there was an air of mystery in each room. In one of the bedrooms, there was an open diary on a desk. It revealed the thoughts and experiences of the family that once lived there. There were tales of laughter, sadness, and dreams.

Although there were signs of neglect, there was also a sense of history in every corner of the house. The friends realised that behind the decay, there were stories waiting to be discovered. As they left the house, there was a feeling that they had stepped into a world that was frozen in time.

Discussion Questions

Answer the questions about the text.

  1. What was there at the end of the street?
  2. What were the stories about the abandoned house?
  3. How did the friends feel as they entered the house?
  4. What things were there in the living room?
  5. What was the atmosphere like in the bedrooms?
  6. What did the open diary reveal about the family?
  7. What did the friends realise about the house's history?
Suggested answers
  1. There was an abandoned house at the end of the street.
  2. There were stories about a family that used to live there, and there was a rumour about strange things happening at night.
  3. There was a feeling of eerie silence as they entered.
  4. There were broken windows, old furniture, a worn-out piano, and faded photographs.
  5. There was an air of mystery.
  6. It revealed the family's thoughts and experiences, including stories of laughter, sadness, and dreams.
  7. They realised that behind the decay there were many stories and a strong sense of history.

Speaking & Writing

Speaking Activity

Work in pairs or small groups. Look at a picture showing a scene from the past, such as a historical event or a party. Take turns describing the scene with there was and there were.

Example: There was a big crowd at the event. There were people dancing and enjoying themselves.

Writing Activity

Write about a past scene, for example a birthday party you attended. What was there? Use there was and there were.

There Was / There Were Worksheets

Worksheet 1 — Affirmative Sentences

Complete with “there was” or “there were”.

  1. __________ a cat in the garden.
  2. __________ two apples on the table.
  3. __________ a ball in the park.
  4. __________ a book on the shelf.
  5. __________ a tree in the yard.
Answers
  1. 1. There was
  2. 2. There were
  3. 3. There was
  4. 4. There was
  5. 5. There was

Worksheet 2 — Negative Sentences

Rewrite each sentence using “there was not” or “there were not”.

  1. There was a bird in the sky. → __________ __________ a bird in the sky.
  2. There were three balloons at the party. → __________ __________ three balloons at the party.
  3. There was a red car on the street. → __________ __________ a red car on the street.
  4. There were five candies in the jar. → __________ __________ five candies in the jar.
  5. There was a flower in the vase. → __________ __________ a flower in the vase.
Answers
  1. 1. There was not a bird in the sky.
  2. 2. There were not three balloons at the party.
  3. 3. There was not a red car on the street.
  4. 4. There were not five candies in the jar.
  5. 5. There was not a flower in the vase.

Worksheet 3 — Questions

Turn each sentence into a question using “was there” or “were there”.

  1. There was a dog in the yard. → __________ __________ a dog in the yard?
  2. There were two friends at the park. → __________ __________ two friends at the park?
  3. There was a bicycle in the garage. → __________ __________ a bicycle in the garage?
  4. There were three books on the shelf. → __________ __________ three books on the shelf?
  5. There was a toy in the box. → __________ __________ a toy in the box?
Answers
  1. 1. Was there a dog in the yard?
  2. 2. Were there two friends at the park?
  3. 3. Was there a bicycle in the garage?
  4. 4. Were there three books on the shelf?
  5. 5. Was there a toy in the box?

Free Time and Hobbies · Part 7 · There Was / There Were · A1–B2 · AllEnglishStudy

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