Preterite Vs Imperfect worksheet - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Preterite Vs Imperfect worksheet. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: Preterite Vs Imperfect worksheet
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Preterite Vs Imperfect worksheet
Here is the completed worksheet with correct verb conjugations and reasoning for each sentence, using the PRETERITE vs IMPERFECT chart provided.
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1. Me (Acostar) ___acosté___ a las once.
REASONING: 1. Specific Time (a las once), 2. Completed Action — The action of going to bed happened at a specific time and was finished.
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2. (Hacer) ___hacía___ 60 grados afuera.
REASONING: 1. Weather, 2. Setting the Scene — Describing the weather in the past uses Imperfect; it sets the background atmosphere.
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3. (Terminar) ___terminé___ toda mi tarea anoche.
REASONING: 1. Past and Done, 2. Completed Action, 3. Yesterday (Specified Time Frame) — “Anoche” specifies when the task was finished; it’s a single completed event.
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4. (Pasar) ___pasaba___ a mi perro todos los días.
REASONING: 1. Repeated Actions, 2. Time (todos los días) — This describes a habitual or routine action in the past.
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5. (Tomar) ___tomé___ una siesta de 4 a 5 PM.
REASONING: 1. Specific Time (de 4 a 5 PM), 2. Completed Action — The nap occurred during a defined time period and was completed.
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6. Mi tortuga (Tener) ___tenía___ 40 años.
REASONING: 1. Age, 2. Emotions & Feelings (implied state), 3. Setting the Scene — Age in the past is always Imperfect; it describes a state over time.
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7. Yo (Correr) ___corrí___ en la maratón.
REASONING: 1. Completed Action, 2. Past and Done — Participating in a marathon is a single, completed event.
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8. Juan (Estar) ___estaba___ enfermo.
REASONING: 1. Emotions & Feelings, 2. Setting the Scene — Being sick is a state or condition that lasted over time; use Imperfect.
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9. (Ser) ___eran___ las cuatro de la mañana.
REASONING: 1. Time, 2. Setting the Scene — Telling time in the past (especially for background or ongoing context) uses Imperfect.
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10. (Ir) ___iba___ caminando por la calle cuando un auto me (Golpear) ___golpeó___.
REASONING:
- Ir → iba: 1. Repeated Actions / Habitual, 2. Setting the Scene — Walking along the street was an ongoing action.
- Golpear → golpeó: 1. Interruption, 2. Completed Action — The car hitting you interrupted the ongoing walk; it’s a sudden, completed event.
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11. (Ser) ___fue___ una noche oscura y tormentosa.
REASONING: 1. Completed Action, 2. Past and Done — Although describing weather, this sentence implies the night *was* dark and stormy as a whole, completed event — often used in storytelling to introduce a scene that begins a narrative.
> ⚠️ Note: While “weather” usually triggers Imperfect, when describing a *specific, complete event* (like “It was a dark and stormy night” — classic story opener), Preterite is appropriate because it frames the entire night as a single unit. Some teachers may accept “era,” but “fue” is grammatically correct here for emphasis on completion of the night’s character.
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✔ Bonus Tip: You can name more than one acronym per answer — which you did! For example, sentence #10 uses both Interruption and Completed Action for “golpeó,” and Setting the Scene for “iba.”
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Final Answer Summary:
1. acosté — Specific Time, Completed Action
2. hacía — Weather, Setting the Scene
3. terminé — Past and Done, Completed Action, Yesterday
4. pasaba — Repeated Actions, Time
5. tomé — Specific Time, Completed Action
6. tenía — Age, Setting the Scene
7. corrí — Completed Action, Past and Done
8. estaba — Emotions & Feelings, Setting the Scene
9. eran — Time, Setting the Scene
10. iba — Setting the Scene, Repeated Actions; golpeó — Interruption, Completed Action
11. fue — Completed Action, Past and Done *(or "era" if emphasizing ongoing weather — but "fue" fits better with narrative tone)*
Let me know if you’d like this formatted as a printable answer key!
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1. Me (Acostar) ___acosté___ a las once.
REASONING: 1. Specific Time (a las once), 2. Completed Action — The action of going to bed happened at a specific time and was finished.
---
2. (Hacer) ___hacía___ 60 grados afuera.
REASONING: 1. Weather, 2. Setting the Scene — Describing the weather in the past uses Imperfect; it sets the background atmosphere.
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3. (Terminar) ___terminé___ toda mi tarea anoche.
REASONING: 1. Past and Done, 2. Completed Action, 3. Yesterday (Specified Time Frame) — “Anoche” specifies when the task was finished; it’s a single completed event.
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4. (Pasar) ___pasaba___ a mi perro todos los días.
REASONING: 1. Repeated Actions, 2. Time (todos los días) — This describes a habitual or routine action in the past.
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5. (Tomar) ___tomé___ una siesta de 4 a 5 PM.
REASONING: 1. Specific Time (de 4 a 5 PM), 2. Completed Action — The nap occurred during a defined time period and was completed.
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6. Mi tortuga (Tener) ___tenía___ 40 años.
REASONING: 1. Age, 2. Emotions & Feelings (implied state), 3. Setting the Scene — Age in the past is always Imperfect; it describes a state over time.
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7. Yo (Correr) ___corrí___ en la maratón.
REASONING: 1. Completed Action, 2. Past and Done — Participating in a marathon is a single, completed event.
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8. Juan (Estar) ___estaba___ enfermo.
REASONING: 1. Emotions & Feelings, 2. Setting the Scene — Being sick is a state or condition that lasted over time; use Imperfect.
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9. (Ser) ___eran___ las cuatro de la mañana.
REASONING: 1. Time, 2. Setting the Scene — Telling time in the past (especially for background or ongoing context) uses Imperfect.
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10. (Ir) ___iba___ caminando por la calle cuando un auto me (Golpear) ___golpeó___.
REASONING:
- Ir → iba: 1. Repeated Actions / Habitual, 2. Setting the Scene — Walking along the street was an ongoing action.
- Golpear → golpeó: 1. Interruption, 2. Completed Action — The car hitting you interrupted the ongoing walk; it’s a sudden, completed event.
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11. (Ser) ___fue___ una noche oscura y tormentosa.
REASONING: 1. Completed Action, 2. Past and Done — Although describing weather, this sentence implies the night *was* dark and stormy as a whole, completed event — often used in storytelling to introduce a scene that begins a narrative.
> ⚠️ Note: While “weather” usually triggers Imperfect, when describing a *specific, complete event* (like “It was a dark and stormy night” — classic story opener), Preterite is appropriate because it frames the entire night as a single unit. Some teachers may accept “era,” but “fue” is grammatically correct here for emphasis on completion of the night’s character.
---
✔ Bonus Tip: You can name more than one acronym per answer — which you did! For example, sentence #10 uses both Interruption and Completed Action for “golpeó,” and Setting the Scene for “iba.”
---
Final Answer Summary:
1. acosté — Specific Time, Completed Action
2. hacía — Weather, Setting the Scene
3. terminé — Past and Done, Completed Action, Yesterday
4. pasaba — Repeated Actions, Time
5. tomé — Specific Time, Completed Action
6. tenía — Age, Setting the Scene
7. corrí — Completed Action, Past and Done
8. estaba — Emotions & Feelings, Setting the Scene
9. eran — Time, Setting the Scene
10. iba — Setting the Scene, Repeated Actions; golpeó — Interruption, Completed Action
11. fue — Completed Action, Past and Done *(or "era" if emphasizing ongoing weather — but "fue" fits better with narrative tone)*
Let me know if you’d like this formatted as a printable answer key!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of spanish preterite vs imperfect worksheet.
