Pour dire qu’une seule chose existait dans le passé, utilise There was.
There was = un seul élément
There was a cinema on this street.
There was a big tree in the square.
There was an old café here.
Essayez: ___ a cinema on this street years ago. (There was / There were / There is) Réponse: There was — Un seul cinéma dans le passé → There was. « There were » s’emploie pour plusieurs éléments, et « There is » renvoie au présent, pas au passé.
There were = plusieurs éléments
Pour dire que deux choses ou plus existaient dans le passé, utilise There were.
There were two bakeries in the old town.
There were lots of people at the market.
There were many trees here before.
Essayez: ___ two bakeries in the old town. (There were / There was / There are) Réponse: There were — Deux boulangeries = plusieurs éléments, donc utilise There were. « There was » s’emploie pour un seul élément, et « There are » renvoie au présent, pas au passé.
Un seul ou plusieurs ?
Compte d’abord. Une seule chose → There was (There was a cat.). Deux ou plus → There were (There were three cats.). Ce que l’on ne peut pas compter — comme traffic, water, food, noise — prend aussi There was, car on le traite comme une quantité globale et non comme plusieurs éléments.
There was a cat. (one)
There were three cats. (more than one)
There was a lot of traffic. (can't count → was)
Not "There were a lot of traffic." — say "There was a lot of traffic.". Traffic est une quantité indénombrable, donc il prend was — mais three cats sont plusieurs, donc ils prennent were.
Essayez: ___ lots of people at the market last Saturday. (There were / There was / There be) Réponse: There were — Beaucoup de gens = plusieurs personnes, donc utilise There were. N’oublie pas que « people » est pluriel, même s’il ne se termine pas par un -s : There were lots of people.
Essayez: ___ a lot of traffic in the city centre. (There was / There were / There are) Réponse: There was — Le trafic ne se compte pas, traite-le donc comme un ensemble singulier et utilise There was, pas There were. « There are » renvoie au présent, pas au passé.
There wasn't = singulier
Pour une seule chose qui n’existait pas, utilise There wasn't (= there was not).
There wasn't a school here.
There wasn't a single car on the road.
There wasn't anyone at the door.
Essayez: ___ a shop on this street back then. (There wasn't / There weren't / There no was) Réponse: There wasn't — Un magasin est un seul élément, donc utilise There wasn't (pas « There weren't », qui s’emploie pour plusieurs). La négation s’accorde aussi au singulier ou au pluriel : un seul → wasn't.
There weren't = pluriel
Pour plusieurs choses qui n’existaient pas, utilise There weren't (= there were not).
There weren't any cafés nearby.
There weren't many people at the park.
There weren't any buses after midnight.
Essayez: ___ any cafés nearby back then. (There weren't / There wasn't / There no were) Réponse: There weren't — Cafés est au pluriel, donc utilise There weren't (pas « There wasn't », réservé au singulier). La négation s’accorde avec le nombre : plusieurs → weren't.
Was there / Were there
Pour poser une question, place was / were en premier : Was there...? pour un élément, Were there...? pour plusieurs.
Was there a park in your town?
Were there many shops?
Was there a lot of traffic?
Essayez: ___ many shops in the old town? (Were there / There were / Was there) Réponse: Were there — Dans une question, were passe en tête : Were there many shops? « There were » affirme, cela ne pose pas de question. Et many shops est pluriel, donc were, pas was.
Essayez: ___ a market in the square, and ___ lots of stalls. (There was … there were / There were … there was / There was … there was) Réponse: There was … there were — Un seul marché → there was. Beaucoup d’étals (pluriel) → there were. Chaque partie s’accorde avec son nom : un seul prend was, plusieurs prend were.