Was vs Were

Hi,

I asked the students who was here yesterday.

I asked the students who were here yesterday.

Explain these examples for me! 'Students' means a plural subject, so you need the plural form 'were'.

Best wishes, Clive

Hi,

I asked the students who was here yesterday.

I asked the students who were here yesterday.

Explain these examples for me! 'Students' means a plural subject, so you need the plural form 'were'.

Best wishes, Clive

well yes but what about was then? This example is taken from a mock-exam from a university english a-course level

Hi again,

I asked the student who was here yesterday. [one student]

I asked the students who were here yesterday. [more than one student]

I was

you were

I wonder if the question-setter intended this distinction:

1. I asked the students who was here yesterday =

1a. I asked the students: "Who was here yesterday?" or

1b. I asked the students yesterday: "Who is here?" or

1c. I asked the students yesterday: "Who was here?"

Whereas:

2. I asked the students who were he

well I found out that the whole question is a "set-up" to trick you. The plural form students does not agree with the subject -verb. Was is singular and cannot be used in plural forms. The student is a countable noun and that's why it is possible to put the plural s. However, not when it comes to "was", but in were as in several students it is perfectly correct.

I asked the students who

Hello KC

That's true; but this sentence is also perfectly grammatical:

1. I asked the students who was here yesterday.

The speaker is asking the students to identify the person who was there yesterday

MrP

Yes, it's - can be - reported speech.

Imagine: Today. You're in your classroom, in front of a certain number of students. You taught them a class yesterday, but since, before that class, you (heavily) celebrated a colleage's birthday, you can't clearly remember who was there yesterday. So you ask them: "Who was here yesterday?"

We’re you in class yesterday answer I was or iwere