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a man was walking his dog vs a man were walking his dog

The correct phrase is 'a man was walking his dog.' 'Was' is the correct past tense form of the verb 'to be' when referring to a singular subject like 'a man.' 'Were' is used with plural subjects or in the subjunctive mood.

Last updated: March 11, 2024 • 1899 views

a man was walking his dog

This phrase is correct. 'Was' is the correct past tense form of the verb 'to be' when referring to a singular subject like 'a man.'

Use 'a man was walking his dog' when describing a past action of a singular man walking his dog.

Examples:

  • A man was walking his dog when I saw him.
  • Yesterday, a man was walking his dog in the park.
  • I noticed a man was walking his dog down the street.
  • The man was walking his dog slowly.
  • When I arrived, a man was walking his dog near the beach.
  • A man was walking his dog through the graveyard when he saw another man crouching behind a gravestone. "Morning!" he said. The other man replies, "No, ...
  • Oct 1, 2014 ... A man was walking his dog on 164th Street East when a car pulled up and a woman he recognized got out and grabbed the cellphone from his ...
  • On Thursday, May 14, 2014, in a wooded area on the campus of The University of Colorado, Boulder, a man was walking his dog on leash when it was attacked  ...
  • ... incident occurred on March 18, 2012, in the southern part of Fayette County in Pennsylvania. A man was walking his dog in a rural location at about 11:45 pm.

a man were walking his dog

This phrase is incorrect. 'Were' is not the correct past tense form of the verb 'to be' when referring to a singular subject like 'a man.'


Alternatives:

  • a man was walking his dog
  • the men were walking their dogs
  • the man walked his dog
  • a man is walking his dog
  • the man has been walking his dog

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