were

Pronunciation

stressed

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /wɜː(r)/, SAMPA: /w3:(r\)/
• (US) enPR: wûr, IPA ^(key): /wɝ/, SAMPA: /w3`/

unstressed

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /wə(r)/, SAMPA: /w@(r\)/
• (US) enPR: wər, IPA ^(key): /wɚ/, SAMPA: /w@`/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Homophones

• whirr (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Verb

Plain form be

Simple present am, is, are

Simple past was, were

Past participle been

Present participle being

1. (auxiliary) (linking) A form of the verb be used about the person you are talking to.

   Only you were doing it right.

2. (auxiliary) (linking) A form of the verb be used about more than one person.

   We were going home.

   You all were staying late.

   They were all playing in the band.

3. (auxiliary) (linking) A form of the verb be used with the word if.

   If I were rich, I would retire.

4. (auxiliary) (linking) A form of the verb be used about things you wish for.

   I wish it were the weekend.

Note

• In the last two examples, many people use was instead.