- 2-minute read
- 20th January 2015
Word Choice: Where, We’re and Were
‘Where’, ‘were’ and ‘we’re’ have entirely different meanings and pronunciations, but they look similar written down. Consequently, they are sometimes confused.
However, errors like this could cost you vital marks in coursework and exams, so make sure you understand the difference between these words!
Where
The term ‘where’ is used in questions about locations, such as in:
Where are my keys?
It can also be used to say something about a location:
This is the place where I go to think.
Or it can be used in statements that use location as a metaphor, such as taking a particular ‘position’ on some matter:
This is where we stand on the issue.
The key point to remember is that ‘where’ is used to indicate location, either literally or metaphorically.
We’re
‘We’re’ is a contraction of the words ‘we’ and ‘are’. It is used in sentences such as these:
We’re going shopping tomorrow.
We’re so glad you could come to stay.
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As with other contractions, ‘we’re’ is not typically used in formal writing.
Were
‘Were’ is the past tense of the verb ‘be’ when using the second person (i.e. ‘you’) or first/third person plural (i.e. ‘we’ and ‘they’):
- I/he/she/it was (singular first person)
- You were (singular second person)
- We were (plural first person)
- You were (singular second person)
- They were (plural third person)
Examples of sentences that use ‘were’ include:
You were here yesterday, weren’t you?
We were having so much fun until the dog ruined the picnic.
They were my neighbours for three years.
‘Were’ is also used when describing something that is conditional or imaginary rather than factual (i.e. the subjunctive mood):
Were I the king of the world, I would live in a magnificent castle.
In the above, the speaker is speculating about what they would do if they were the king of the world, not commenting on their actual situation.
So that’s it! Remember, if you want to make sure that your word usage is correct, submit your work to the professionals at Proofread My Essay. We will ensure that your writing is clear, concise and understandable.
