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A2executive20 mins

Back Then

Describe past office environments and events using 'there was' and 'there were'.

Workplaces change over time. Teams change too. We often talk about the past. Today, we describe old offices. We use 'there was' and 'there were'.

Ayşe and Can discuss their company's former office.

Ayşe: Can, do you remember our old office? Can: Yes, I do! It was very different. Ayşe: Right. There was a small kitchen, I remember. Can: And there were many desks in one big room. Ayşe: Yes, the layout was open. There was no private office for managers. Can: That's true. And there wasn't a meeting room. Ayşe: No, there weren't any big screens either. Can: The building was old. But there was a good coffee shop nearby.

office

OF-is

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former

FOR-mer

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ago

a-GOH

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old

OHLD

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previous

PREE-vee-us

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building

BIL-ding

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era

EE-ra

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layout

LAY-out

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Form	Singular	Plural
Affirmative	There was a printer.	There were many desks.
Negative	There wasn't a big window.	There weren't any plants.
Question	Was there a coffee machine?	Were there two meeting rooms?

Practice

Choose the correct form.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

In our office, there was only one printer.

Which sentence is correct?

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

Ten years , the company was very small.

Choose the correct question.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

The of the old building was confusing.

Our ___ office didn't have a big kitchen.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

a big meeting room in the old office.

___ any private offices in that era.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

Last week, there was an meeting.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

Last winter, many people were with a fever.

💡 Hint:Stealth Grammar: English sentences require an explicit verb (is/are) and article (a/the), unlike Turkish. Use the word bank below.

After her , she returned to work.

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