If the subject is singular, the past tense verb must be "was. The past tense of "to be" is "was" for singular subjects and "were" for plural subjects.
Common Mistakes With Were And Was: Understanding the Past Tense of "Be
The distinction between them is singular versus plural. English grammar does not allow for a direct transformation of "is/are" into the past by simply adding "-ed.
For example, in the sentence "If I were rich," the speaker is acknowledging they are not rich, but using the hypothetical "were" instead of "was. " Here, the singular subject "cat" correctly pairs with "was.
Avoiding Common Mistakes With Were And Was In Past Tense Sentences
Therefore, the accurate answer to what is are past tense is that they become "was" and "were," respectively. " This rule applies consistently, whether the subject is a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.
More About What is are past tense
Looking at What is are past tense from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on What is are past tense can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
