Preterite and Imperfect Verbs

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Preterite and Imperfect Verbs

• the tricky past is present

The past is a foreign country they do things
differently there. - Lesley P. Hartley, The
Go-Between, 1953
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Uses for Preterite and Imperfect
Preterite Imperfect
C completed actions single actions or series of actions F focus on beginning of an action F focus on an actions coming to an end P physical or emotional states H habitual actions A age T time   C continuing actions O ongoing situations W weather
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Other situations

• Something was happening, when an action
  interrupted it.
• The ongoing action is imperfect, and the action
  that interrupts is preterite.
• In a long narrative.
• The part that seems to be descriptive, background
  info is imperfect, while actions and specific
  events are preterite.

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Practice
While I was walking in Florida, I saw a gator (el
caimán). Mientras caminaba en Florida, vi a un
caimán.
(interruption of an ongoing action)
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Practice

• I left Florida, and went
• to Belize. It was sunny
• when I arrived!
• Salí de Florida, y fui a Belize. Hacía mucho sol
  cuando llegué.

(action, weather, action)
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Practice
It was four oclock when my mom sent me an e-mail.
She was sad, because she missed (echar de menos)
me.
Eran las cuatro cuando mi madre me mandó un
e-mail.
Estaba triste, porque me echaba de menos.
(time, action, emotion, emotion)
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Imperfect Formation
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Preterite Formation
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Yolandas Scary Experience
Preterite and Imperfect - As you view this video
of Yolandas surprising experience as a hotel
receptionist, write down as many preterite and
imperfect verbs as you hear. After the video, we
will go through them together and discuss why
they were used.
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More Practice
W e b R e s o u r c e s

• Preterite and Imperfect Practice
• http//www.colby.edu/bknelson/exercises/superhomb
  re.html

Grammar Help
Preterite vs. Imperfect http//php.indiana.edu/js
oto/PreteritoImperfecto.html Online Verb
Tutorial http//www.studyspanish.com/verbs/index.h
tm