Imperfect Tense - IN EXAM

Question 1

When should you use the imperfect tense

Answer 1

• When you want to say what used to happen or what was happening in the past
  E.g. Au weekend on allait au cinéma
• When you want to say what happened regularly in the past
  E.g. Tous les dimanches on achetait des croissants
• When you want to describe something in the past
  E.g. Il y avait une entrée, un plat principal et un dessert. C’était génial

Question 2

How do you form the imperfect tense

Answer 2

1. Start with the nous form of the present tense e.g. Nous allons
2. Take away the nous and the -ons. This leaves the stem E.g. Allons
3. Add the correct ending depending on who/what is doing the action of the verb

Question 3

Complete the verb endings and give an example:
Je...
Tu...
Il/Elle/on...
Nous...
Vous...
Ils/Elles...

Answer 3

Je, ais (e.g. J'allais)
Tu, ais (e.g. Tu Allais)
Il/Elle/on, ait (e.g. Il/Elle/on Allait)
Nous, ions (e.g. Nous Allions)
Vous, iez (e.g. Vous alliez)
Ils/Elles, aient (e.g. Ils/Elles allaient)

Question 4

Note:

Answer 4

• There is only one set of endings for all three verb types (er, re and ir verbs)
• There is only one irregular stem être - ét
  (J’étais, tu étais, il/Elle/on était, nous étions, vous étiez, ils étaient)
• you must know…
  c’était - it was
  Il y avait - there was/were
  Il faisait beau - the weather was fine