Imperfect Past Tense vs. Preterit Past Tense
 

Hello,

As part of my Question Sheet I have to identify between Imperfect Past and Preterit Tense and then conjugate appropriately. I did some extensive research and put the sheet together to the best of my ability.

Could somebody pleases take a look at the below attachment and tell me if there are any mistakes should note be it a conjugation mistake or if something is not in the correct tense.

Gracias,

- Dwight

3:1
1) Neither response is correct. The first is in the correct tense, but not the right person. The second is in the wrong tense.
2) The first response is correct. The second is in the wrong tense.
3) Neither response is correct. The first is in the correct tense, but not the right person. The second is in the wrong tense.
4) Neither response is correct. The first is in the correct tense, but not the right person. The second is in the wrong tense.
5) Neither response is correct. The first is in the correct tense, but not the right person. The second is in the wrong tense.

3:2
1) Incorrect tense
2) Correct
3) Incorrect tense
4) Incorrect tense
5) Correct
6) Correct
7) Incorrect tense
8) Correct
9) Correct
10) Correct

3:3
1) The first response is correct. The second is in the wrong tense.
2) The first response is correct. The second is in the wrong tense.
3) The first response is correct. The second is in the wrong tense.
4) Correct
5) The first response is correct. The second is in the wrong tense.

3:4
1) The first tense is wrong. The second is correct.
2) The first tense is correct, but the person is wrong. The second tense is incorrect.
3) The first tense is correct (misspelled, however). The second tense is incorrect.
4) The first tense is wrong. There's missing punctuation after Sergio, so the next verb begins the sentence. The tense is correct for that verb, but it is not the right person.
5) Correct

3:7
1) We don't have the person in the tarea, so we can't tell if the person is correct or not. The tense is correct, however.
2) Again, we're missing the person, so we can't tell if you answered correctly or not. The tense is correct, however.
3) More context is needed, because either tense could be used. They don't mean the same thing, however.
4) More context is needed
5) Incorrect tense
6) Incorrect tense
7) Correct
8) Incorrect tense
9) Correct
10) Incorrect tense


Rather than trusting my answers and just changing everything blindly to the opposite tense, please detail when you believed my answers and when you didn't believe them. Then we can help you understand if you were right or wrong in your beliefs.

Hi Rusty,

Thanks for helping me out. When you say 'right person' do you mean that it isn't conjugated correctly?

I am confused about Tenses for the most part. I believe that my conjugations are for the most part correct.

Yes, those verbs aren't conjugated correctly. You actually have the person correct (third person), but didn't account for number.

Please explain why you think they are correct, after reading up on the imperfect and preterit tenses.

For example:

Era (ser) las cuatro de la tarde cuando yo iba (ir) a la tienda para comprar pan.

You mentioned the first term 'Era' was not conjugated correctly. I tried it with every other conjugation and they all do not make sense. Also u said I have the person correct, but not the number. What do you mean?

Thanks again for your help.

The subject of "las cuatro de la tarde" is third person plural, and the verb must be conjugated to match. :)

And probably the second imperfect shouldn't be there. If there is something about to happen as you were on your way to buy bread, then it's necessary; but if that's the only event that happened at that hour, the preterite is the better choice.

So in this case would the appropriate conjugation be eras?

No, that's another person.

ohh I think i get it:

Is this it
Eran (ser) las cuatro de la tarde cuando yo era (ir) a la tienda para comprar pan.

"Eran" is right. :)

But why did you change the verb? "Era" is not "ir", but "ser". :thinking: