Warm-up
10 minAsk students to think about their weekend. For example: “What did you do over the weekend?”
Write a few sentences on the board using “there was” and “there were” to describe events or things that happened during the weekend.
Grammar lesson plan & materials
Home, House, House Chores
A1–B2 · There was / There were through animals, houses, free time and past-event vocabulary, with reading, speaking, writing and printable grammar handouts.
Lesson Overview
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to use “there was” and “there were” to describe the existence of objects or people in the past.
Whiteboard and markers
Worksheets
2 short reading passages
Introduction
10 minReview the structure of “there was” and “there were”.
“There was” is used for singular nouns in the past: “There was a cat in the garden.”
“There were” is used for plural nouns in the past: “There were birds in the sky.”
Explain that these phrases are used to talk about the existence of things or people in the past.
Reading Activity
15 minDistribute a short reading passage containing examples of “there was” and “there were”.
Students read individually and underline or highlight the target forms.
Discuss the passage as a class and confirm the examples.
Speaking Activity
20 minDivide the class into pairs or small groups.
Give each group a picture showing a scene from the past, such as a historical event or a party.
Students take turns describing the picture using “there was” and “there were”.
Model: “There was a big crowd at the event. There were people dancing and enjoying themselves.”
Practice Exercises
15 minGive students the handouts and ask them to complete the sentences using “there was” or “there were”.
Include both singular and plural nouns.
Review the answers together as a class.
Writing Activity
10 minAsk students to describe a scene from the past using “there was” and “there were”.
Model prompt: “Write about a birthday party you attended. What was there?”
Students write a short paragraph using the target forms.
Wrap-up
5 minSummarize the key points and check students’ understanding of “there was” and “there were”.
Encourage students to use the forms when describing events or situations in the past.
Assessment
Observe students’ participation in speaking activities, accuracy in completing exercises, and quality of their writing.
Grammar Focus: There was / There were
Affirmative, negative and interrogative forms for describing what existed in the past.
Affirmative — singular
There was + singular noun: “There was a cat in the garden.”
Affirmative — plural
There were + plural noun: “There were birds in the sky.”
Negative
There was not + singular noun. / There were not + plural noun.
Questions
Was there + singular noun? / Were there + plural noun?
Animals & Zoo
lion
monkey
bird
snake
turtle
dolphin
enclosure
reptile house
marine exhibit
souvenir shop
House & Atmosphere
abandoned house
neighborhood
broken window
old furniture
worn-out piano
faded photograph
diary
creaking sound
neglect
decay
Past Events & Free Time
last weekend
party
historical event
crowd
take photos
enjoy oneself
explore
adventurous
Reading Practice
The first text is introductory A1–A2 practice; the second extends the same grammar into a B1–B2 reading.
The Zoo Visit
A1–A2Last 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 colorful 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.
Reading Questions
Answer the questions using 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?
1
The narrator went to the zoo.
2
There was a lion and a dolphin, and there were monkeys, colorful birds, turtles, and a snake.
3
There was a snake in a glass cage and there were turtles under a heat lamp.
4
Visitors could buy stuffed animals, T-shirts, and toys.
5
Families were laughing and taking photos, and children were excitedly pointing at the animals.
The Abandoned House
B1–B2In a quiet neighborhood, 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 rumor 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 realized 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.
Reading Questions
Answer the questions using 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 realize about the house's history?
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 rumor that strange things happened in the house at night.
3
They experienced an eerie silence and a mysterious atmosphere.
4
There were broken windows, old furniture, a worn-out piano, and faded photographs.
5
There was an air of mystery, several closed doors, and a creaking sound on the wooden steps.
6
It revealed the thoughts and experiences of the family that once lived there, including tales of laughter, sadness, and dreams.
7
They realized that the house contained a sense of history and stories waiting to be discovered.
Handouts
Printable grammar practice in affirmative, negative and interrogative forms.
Worksheet 1 — Affirmative Sentences
Complete each sentence 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.
1
There was
2
There were
3
There was
4
There was
5
There was
Worksheet 2 — Negative Sentences
Rewrite each sentence in the negative using “there was not” or “there were not”.
1
There was a bird in the sky.
2
There were three balloons at the party.
3
There was a red car on the street.
4
There were five candies in the jar.
5
There was a flower in the vase.
1
There was not a bird in the sky.
2
There were not three balloons at the party.
3
There was not a red car on the street.
4
There were not five candies in the jar.
5
There was not a flower in the vase.
Worksheet 3 — Interrogative Sentences
Turn each sentence into a question using “was there” or “were there”.
1
There was a dog in the yard.
2
There were two friends at the park.
3
There was a bicycle in the garage.
4
There were three books on the shelf.
5
There was a toy in the box.
1
Was there a dog in the yard?
2
Were there two friends at the park?
3
Was there a bicycle in the garage?
4
Were there three books on the shelf?
5
Was there a toy in the box?