Para dizer que uma coisa existia no passado, use There was.
There was = um
There was a cinema on this street.
There was a big tree in the square.
There was an old café here.
Experimente: ___ a cinema on this street years ago. (There was / There were / There is) Resposta: There was — Um cinema no passado → There was. "There were" é para mais de um, e "There is" é para o presente, não o passado.
There were = mais de um
Para dizer que duas ou mais coisas existiam no passado, use There were.
There were two bakeries in the old town.
There were lots of people at the market.
There were many trees here before.
Experimente: ___ two bakeries in the old town. (There were / There was / There are) Resposta: There were — Duas padarias = mais de uma, então use There were. "There was" é para uma coisa só, e "There are" é para o presente, não o passado.
Um ou mais de um?
Primeiro conte. Uma coisa → There was (There was a cat.). Duas ou mais → There were (There were three cats.). Coisas que você não pode contar — como traffic, water, food, noise — também usam There was, porque você as trata como uma quantidade só, não várias.
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 é uma quantidade que não se conta, então leva was — mas three cats são muitos e levam were.
Experimente: ___ lots of people at the market last Saturday. (There were / There was / There be) Resposta: There were — Lots of people = mais de uma pessoa, então use There were. Lembre que "people" é plural, mesmo sem terminar em -s: There were lots of people.
Experimente: ___ a lot of traffic in the city centre. (There was / There were / There are) Resposta: There was — Você não pode contar traffic, então trate como uma quantidade só e use There was, não There were. "There are" é para o presente, não o passado.
There wasn't = um
Para uma coisa que não existia, use 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.
Experimente: ___ a shop on this street back then. (There wasn't / There weren't / There no was) Resposta: There wasn't — A shop é uma coisa só, então use There wasn't (não "There weren't", que é para mais de uma). O negativo também segue o um ou mais de um: um → wasn't.
There weren't = mais de um
Para mais de uma coisa que não existia, use 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.
Experimente: ___ any cafés nearby back then. (There weren't / There wasn't / There no were) Resposta: There weren't — Cafés é mais de um, então use There weren't (não "There wasn't", que é para uma coisa só). O negativo também segue o um ou mais de um: mais de um → weren't.
Was there / Were there
Para perguntar, coloque was / were primeiro: Was there...? para um, Were there...? para mais de um.
Was there a park in your town?
Were there many shops?
Was there a lot of traffic?
Experimente: ___ many shops in the old town? (Were there / There were / Was there) Resposta: Were there — Para perguntar, were vem primeiro: Were there many shops? "There were" afirma, não pergunta. E many shops = mais de uma, então were, não was.
Experimente: ___ a market in the square, and ___ lots of stalls. (There was … there were / There were … there was / There was … there was) Resposta: There was … there were — Um mercado → there was. Muitas barracas (mais de uma) → there were. Cada parte segue o próprio substantivo: um pede was, mais de um pede were.