Mia's English · Lesson 12

A day at the sea

A day off, a bus, and the big blue sea — talk about yesterday with was and were.

0words you are learning
0to review today

Warm-up 🔁

Before the new story, let's bring back your words from the lessons before. The ones ready to review are waiting here — a little today, a little in a few days.

The water was cold 📖

Read it slowly. Say the words out loud.

It is Monday. The café is closed today. "Let's go to the sea!" says Rosa. "Yes!" says Mia. 🌊

Mia, Tom and Rosa take the bus to the coast. From the window, Mia sees the water. "Look! The sea! It's so big!"

Mia, Tom and Rosa at the seaside: Mia paddles at the water's edge, Tom sits in a deckchair, Rosa holds three ice creams.

They walk on the beach. The sand is warm under their feet. Tom sits in his chair with his hat.

Mia runs into the water to swim. "Oh! It's cold!" she laughs. Rosa buys three ice creams. 🍦

Mia finds a small shell in the sand. "For you, Rosa. A little thank-you from the sea."

The three friends watch an amber sunset over the sea from a wooden pier, seen from behind.

In the evening, they sit on the pier and watch the sun go down. "The water was cold," says Mia. "But the day was perfect."

"You were happy today," says Tom. "We were all happy," says Rosa. 🌅

The next morning, Mia writes to her mother: "Yesterday we were at the sea. It was a perfect day."

Notice: at the beach, Mia says the water is cold. In the evening, she says the water was cold. Was and were are for things that are finished. Learn the words next.

Your new words 🗂️

Tap a card to see its meaning. These eight join your review deck — next to the words from the lessons before.

The pattern: was / were 🧩

You know am, is and are. For yesterday, they change to was and were.

Today: I am · she is · we are
Yesterday: I was · she was · we were
The water was cold.  ·  The day was perfect.
You were happy.  ·  We were at the sea.
Easy rule: one person → was (I, he, she, it). Two or more → were (we, you, they). The ice cream was sweet. The friends were happy. 🍦
⏪ More practice: Talking about the pastOpen → 📚 The full grammar course (was / were and beyond)Open →

Now you 🗣️

Think about yesterday. How was your day? Fill the gaps, then say each one out loud.

Yesterday I at home.

My friends busy.

Practise today's words

Tap to check yourself, then rate how well you knew each one.

Before you go

See you tomorrow. Today's words join the others in your Warm-up. Little by little, they become yours forever.

Act it out 🎭

Now YOU are in the story — the phone rings, and it is Mum.

🎬 The scene: The morning after the day at the sea. Mum calls — she wants to hear everything about yesterday.

Round 1 — you are Mia

Your teacher is Mum. Speak your lines — don't write them.

Mum: "Hello, Mia! It's Mum. Tell me — where were you yesterday?"

You: (say where you were — and who was with you)

Mum: "The sea! How lovely! And the water — was it warm?"

You: (say how the water was — and what you did in it)

Mum: "Ha! Brave girl! And was it a good day?"

You: (say how the day was — and tell her about the small pretty thing you found in the sand)

Round 2 — swap!

Now YOU are Mum, and your teacher is Mia. But this time the day was very hot and the water was warm — ask your questions and hear the new story.

Stuck? Look at your Words again, then come back and try once more.