Teach Y G - 19 - Describing the past

Question 1

The imperfect

Answer 1

What tense do we use to DESCRIBE the things, places and people in the past? eg she had long hair (situation 1)

Question 2

The imperfect

Answer 2

What tense do we use to DESCRIBE states or actions which were HABITUAL in the past? eg they used to visit us every summer (situation 3)

Question 3

The pluperfect

Answer 3

What tense do we use to DESCRIBE states or actions WHICH OCCURRED before some past event? eg she had already gone out when you called (situation 4)

Question 4

The imperfect or Imperfect continuous.

Answer 4

What tense do we use to DESCRIBE actions that WERE TAKING PLACE when SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED? eg I was working when the telephone rang (situation 2)

Question 5

1. Ella leía cuando él dio la noticia.

2. Imperfect. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action. Way 1.

Answer 5

1. She was reading when he gave her the news.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 6

1. Nos levantábamos a las 7.00 todos los días.

2. Imperfect. Situation 3 = habitual action in past.

Answer 6

1. We used to get up at 7.00 every day.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 7

1. Ella y había salido cuando la llamaste.

2. Pluperfect. Situation 4 = Event had already occurred before another past event.

Answer 7

1. She had already gone out when you called.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 8

1. Era una ciudad bonita.

2. Imperfect. Situation 1 = describing thing in past.

Answer 8

1. IT was a nice town.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 9

1. Ella estaba leyendo cuando él dio la noticia.

2. Imperfect. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action. Way 2 = imperfect continuous.

Answer 9

1. She was reading when he gave her the news.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 10

1. Nos visitaban todos los veranos

2. Imperfect. Situation 3 = habitual action in past.

Answer 10

1. They used to visit us every summer.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 11

1. Yo había terminado de cenar cuando ellos llegaron.

2. Pluperfect. Situation 4 = Event had already occurred before another past event.

Answer 11

1. I had finished dinner when they arrived.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 12

1. Yo trabajaba cuando sonó el teléfono.

2. Imperfect. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action. Way 1.

Answer 12

1. I was working when the telephone rang.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 13

1. Era una maleta grande.

2. Imperfect. Situation 1 = describing thing in past.

Answer 13

1. It was a large suitcase

2. What tense? Why?

Question 14

1. Yo estaba trabajando cuando sonó el teléfono.

2. Imperfect. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action. Way 2 = imperfect continuous.

Answer 14

1. I was working when the telephone rang.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 15

In the preterit the past action is complete. The imperfect denotes actions which are incomplete, or we don’t know whether they are complete or not.

Answer 15

What is the general difference between the preterit an d the imperfect?

Question 16

1. Yo iba al colegio cuando ocurrió el accidente.

2. Imperfect. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action. Way 1.

Answer 16

1. I was going to school when the accident happened.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 17

1. ¿Cómo era Patricia?

2. Imperfect. Situation 1 = describing thing in past.

Answer 17

1. What was Patricia like?

2. What tense? Why?

Question 18

1. Francisca y yo nos veíamos casi todos los días

2. Imperfect. Situation 3 = habitual action in past.

Answer 18

1. Francisca and I used to see each other almost everyday.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 19

1. Javier iba a Granada todos los años.

2. Imperfect. Situation 3 = habitual action in past.

Answer 19

1. Javier used to go to Granada every year.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 20

1. Patricia era alta, delgada y tenía los ojos verdes.

2. Imperfect. Situation 1 = describing thing in past.

Answer 20

1. Patricia was tall, slender and she had green eyes.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 21

1. Imperfect continuous
2. imperfect of estar + gerund
3. Ella estaba preparando almuerzo cuando él entró.

Answer 21

1. What is Way 2, situation 2 for past action interrupted by another action?
2. How form it?
3. Example - She was preparing lunch when he came in.

Question 22

The past imperfect of haber + past participle

Answer 22

How do you form the pluperfect?

Question 23

había, habías, había, habíamos, habíais, habían

Answer 23

conjugate haber in the imperfect

Question 24

1. Nosotros estábamos durmiendo cuando ocurrió el robo?

2. Imperfect continuous. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action.

Answer 24

1. We were sleeping when the theft took place.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 25

1. La fiesta ya había terminado cuando empezó a llover.

2. Pluperfect. Situation 4 = Event already occurred before another past event.

Answer 25

1. The party had already finished when it started to rain.

2. What tense? Why?

Question 26

1. ¿Qué estabas haciendo allí?

2. Imperfect continuous. Situation 2 = past activity interrupted by action.

Answer 26

1. What were you doing there?

2. What tense? Why?

Question 27

1. No aceptamos su invitación pues ya habíamos visto la película.
2. Pluperfect. Situation 4 = Event already occurred before another past event.

Answer 27

1. We didn´t accept their invitation because we had already seen the film.
2. What tense? Why?

Question 28

1. imperfect soler + infinitive

2. imperfect acostumbrar a + infinitive

Answer 28

What other ways are there to express situation 3 (a habitual action in the past)

Question 29

1. Solía leer mucho

2. Ellos acostumbraban a dar largos paseos al atardecer

Answer 29

1. I used to read a lot

2. They used to go for long walks in the evening.

Question 30

1. Acostumbrábamos a vernos una vez por semana.

2. Solíamos quedarnos en casa.

Answer 30

1. We used to see each other once a week

2. We used to stay at home.