'We're' is the contraction of 'we are'; 'were' is the past tense of 'be' for I/we/you/they. The apostrophe is the only visual difference.
Contraction of 'we are'. Present tense only. Substitute test: if 'we are' fits, use we're.
We're going to need more time to complete the analysis before the board meeting.
I think we're on the right track — the numbers are starting to look much better.
Let me know when you're ready — we're waiting for you in the conference room.
Past tense of the verb 'be' for I, we, you, they, and plurals. 'He/she/it was' but 'we/you/they WERE'. Never has an apostrophe.
The results were far better than anyone on the team had expected at that stage.
They were still discussing the contract when the client called to change the terms.
Where were you last Tuesday? We tried to reach you all morning but got no response.
Common mistake
"We're tired yesterday" — past context requires 'were', not the contraction. "They were coming to the party" in a present context (correct: they're). The most common error: omitting the apostrophe and writing 'were' when meaning 'we are' in present tense. ESL learners also confuse 'were' (be, past) with 'where' (location question) — three similar words: we're / were / where.
Trick to remember it
'We're' has an apostrophe — plug in 'we are'. If it works, it's we're. 'Were' has no apostrophe — it is a standalone past-tense verb like 'was'. Memory hook: 'were' rhymes with 'her' and 'stir' — past action, something that already happened.
Quick rule
Can you substitute 'we are' and it makes sense? Use 'we're'. Is it the past tense of 'be'? Use 'were'.
Did you know?
'Were' has a unique grammatical role beyond simple past: it is the only surviving mandated subjunctive form in modern English. 'If I were you' (correct) vs 'If I was you' (informal/incorrect). The subjunctive 'were' signals hypothetical or contrary-to-fact conditions — 'Were it not for your help, we would have failed.' This distinction is eroding in American casual speech but remains obligatory in formal writing, IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge exams. The contraction 'we're' expanded in written use during the 19th-century press boom, as informal print became widespread for the first time.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
_____ going to present the findings to the board next Thursday.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The projections _____ much more optimistic before the market correction hit.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Can you substitute 'we are' and it makes sense? Use 'we're'. Is it the past tense of 'be'? Use 'were'.
"We're tired yesterday" — past context requires 'were', not the contraction. "They were coming to the party" in a present context (correct: they're). The most common error: omitting the apostrophe and writing 'were' when meaning 'we are' in present tense. ESL learners also confuse 'were' (be, past) with 'where' (location question) — three similar words: we're / were / where.
'We're' has an apostrophe — plug in 'we are'. If it works, it's we're. 'Were' has no apostrophe — it is a standalone past-tense verb like 'was'. Memory hook: 'were' rhymes with 'her' and 'stir' — past action, something that already happened.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy