What is difference between was and had
by Yogi P - October 27, 2023
Difference between was and had
The English language is a rich collation of words, each with its own unique purpose. But some words are commonly confused for one another due to a certain similarity in their meanings and pronunciations. Today, we’ll be looking at the differences between two such words: Was and Had.
Was
Was is a past tense form of the verb ‘to be’ and is commonly used to denote the actions of the past. It is used as a conjunction, an adverb, or even as a noun. The most common uses of was are:
- Forming question words in the past – e.g. “Was he ready at nine?”
- Forming negative sentences in the past – e.g. “He was not enthusiastic”.
- Describing an occurrence in the past – e.g. “We were walking in the park yesterday.”
Had
Had is the past tense form of the verb ‘to have’ and is mostly used as an auxiliary verb to refer to an action that has already been completed in the past. Here are some examples of its common usages:
- Forming questions in the past – e.g. “Had they left the house yet?”
- Denoting possession in the past – e.g. “He had a new car”.
- Describing events that occurred regularly in the past – e.g. “They had a daily routine”.
Table Summarising the difference between was and had:
| Word | Was | Had |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Past tense of the verb ‘to be’ | Past tense of the verb ‘to have’ |
| Usages | Forming questions/negatives in the past | Forming questions/denoting possession in the past |
| Examples | “Was he ready at nine?”; “He was not enthusiastic.” | “Had they left the house yet?”; “He had a new car”. |
To summarise, the usage of was is principally to denote action in the past, whereas the usage of had is mainly to refer to possession in the past or to denote events that occurred regularly.
Examples of Difference between Was and Had
Here are some examples that illustrate the correct usage of both words in sentences:
- “She was walking in the park” – correct use of ‘was’ to describe an action in the past.
- “I had a great time” – correct use of ‘had’ to describe possession in the past.
- “He had worked at the same company for 20 years” – correct use of ‘had’ to denote a routinely observed occurrence in the past.
- “She had been sitting in the same spot for hours” – correct use of ‘had’ to refer to an event that had been completed in the past.
Summarized table highlighting the differences between was and had
| Aspect | Was | Had |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Forms | “Was” is the past tense form of the verb “be.” | “Had” is the past tense and past participle form of the verb “have.” |
| Tense | “Was” is used in the past tense to indicate the state of being or actions in the past. | “Had” is used in the past perfect tense to indicate an action that occurred before another past action. |
| Meaning | – “Was” is used to describe a state or action in the past. – It typically indicates a single past event or a continuous state in the past. | – “Had” is used to express that an action occurred before another past action or at a specific point in the past. – It indicates a past event that is prior to another past event. |
| Examples | – I was at the party last night. (past tense indicating a state) – She was sleeping when the phone rang. (past tense indicating an action) | – By the time I arrived, he had already left. (past perfect indicating an action before another past action) – She had finished her work before the deadline. (past perfect indicating a specific point in the past) |
| Use | “Was” is used to describe actions or states that occurred in the past. | “Had” is used to indicate actions that occurred before another past action or to denote a specific point in the past. |
| Passive Voice | “Was” is commonly used in passive voice constructions when describing past events. | “Had” is not typically used in passive voice constructions. |
Activity to Enhance Understanding
Readers can test and practice their understanding of the difference between was and had by reading a book, newspaper article, or any other source of written material and noting down all the examples they come across in which these words are employed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the difference between was and had is important in order to be able to construct meaningful statements that accurately employ the terminology of the English language. As such, readers are encouraged to master the distinction between was and had through the exercise provided in the previous section.
