Present, Imperfect Or Preterit Tense

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| By Iris.cadiz
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Iris.cadiz
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1. Yo comí en un restaurante chino anoche.

Explanation

The correct answer is "preterit" because the sentence is describing a specific action that happened in the past (eating at a Chinese restaurant last night). The preterit tense is used to indicate completed actions in the past.

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Present, Imperfect Or Preterit Tense - Quiz


Read the sentence. Decide if it uses the present, the preterit or the imperfect tense.

2. Rosaura le regalaba flores a su mamá todos los meses.

Explanation

The correct answer is "imperfect" because the sentence is describing a habitual action in the past. The use of "todos los meses" indicates that Rosaura used to give flowers to her mom every month, which suggests a repeated action in the past. The imperfect tense is used to express ongoing or repeated actions in the past.

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3. Carmela se comió toda la pizza y no me dejó ni un pedacito.

Explanation

The use of the preterit tense in this sentence indicates that Carmela ate the entire pizza in the past, leaving no piece for the speaker. The preterit tense is used to describe completed actions in the past, and in this case, it emphasizes that the action of eating the pizza was finished and not ongoing.

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4. Tú te encontrabas conmigo todos los viernes pero ya no.

Explanation

The correct answer is "imperfect" because the sentence describes a past habitual action or state. The use of "te encontrabas" indicates that the speaker and the person being addressed used to meet every Friday in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, while the preterit tense would be used for a specific, completed action. The present tense would not be appropriate in this context because the sentence is referring to a past situation.

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5. María estaba en la escuela.

Explanation

The correct answer is "imperfect" because the sentence "María estaba en la escuela" indicates an ongoing action or state in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were ongoing or habitual, which is the case in this sentence.

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6. De niño, _______________ a la escuela todos los días. (caminar)

Explanation

The correct answer is "caminaba" because it is the conjugated form of the verb "caminar" in the past tense for the first person singular pronoun "yo" (I). This indicates that as a child, the person used to walk to school every day.

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7. El  año pasado visité El Vaticano en Italia.

Explanation

The correct answer is "Preterit" because the sentence indicates a specific past action that was completed. The use of "visit" and "el año pasado" (last year) suggests that the visit to the Vatican in Italy happened at a particular point in time in the past. Therefore, the preterit tense is appropriate to describe this past event.

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8. Ellos ___________________ una novela el año pasado. (escribir)

Explanation

The correct answer is "escribieron" because it is the conjugated form of the verb "escribir" in the third person plural (ellos) in the past tense. This indicates that "they wrote" a novel last year.

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9. Nosotros ______________ en ese restaurante frecuentemente. (comer)

Explanation

The correct answer is "comemos" because it is the conjugated form of the verb "comer" that agrees with the subject "nosotros" (we). This sentence is in the present tense and expresses a habitual action, indicating that "we eat" frequently at that restaurant.

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10. Yo no ________ por las tarde, lo hago por la noche.  (correr)

Explanation

The correct answer is "corro" because it is the first person singular form of the verb "correr" in the present tense. The sentence states that "I do not run in the afternoons, I do it at night." Therefore, the verb needs to be conjugated to match the subject "yo" (I) and the present tense, which is "corro."

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11. Roberto leía el periódico.

Explanation

The correct answer is "imperfect" because the verb "leía" indicates an ongoing or habitual action in the past. The imperfect tense is used to describe actions that were happening in the past without a specific beginning or end. In this sentence, it suggests that Roberto used to read the newspaper regularly or was in the process of reading it at a specific time in the past.

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12. Mi mamá prepara el desayuno para nosotros todos los días.

Explanation

The correct answer is present because the sentence describes an action that happens regularly in the present. The use of "prepara" indicates that the action is ongoing and habitual.

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13. Ayer Margarita _______________ a la cuerda con los niños. (Saltar)

Explanation

The correct answer is "saltó" because it is the correct conjugation of the verb "saltar" in the past tense for the third person singular form. In this sentence, "Ayer Margarita saltó a la cuerda con los niños" means "Yesterday Margarita jumped rope with the children." The verb "saltar" means "to jump" and it is conjugated as "saltó" for the third person singular form in the past tense.

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14. Nosotros salimos tarde de la clase.

Explanation

The correct answer is "preterit" because the sentence "Nosotros salimos tarde de la clase" indicates a specific past action of leaving the class late. The preterit tense is used to describe completed actions in the past, which aligns with the context of the sentence.

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15. Vosotros cantáis muy bien.

Explanation

The given sentence "Vosotros cantáis muy bien" is in the present tense. The verb "cantáis" is conjugated in the present tense for the subject "vosotros" which means "you all" in Spanish. The phrase "muy bien" indicates that the action of singing is done very well in the present. Therefore, the correct answer is present.

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Yo comí en un restaurante chino anoche.
Rosaura le regalaba flores a su mamá todos los meses.
Carmela se comió toda la pizza y no me dejó ni un pedacito.
Tú te encontrabas conmigo todos los viernes pero ya no.
María estaba en la escuela.
De niño, _______________ a la escuela todos los días. (caminar)
El  año pasado visité El Vaticano en Italia.
Ellos ___________________ una novela el año pasado. (escribir)
Nosotros ______________ en ese restaurante frecuentemente. (comer)
Yo no ________ por las tarde, lo hago por la noche. ...
Roberto leía el periódico.
Mi mamá prepara el desayuno para nosotros todos los días.
Ayer Margarita _______________ a la cuerda con los niños. (Saltar)
Nosotros salimos tarde de la clase.
Vosotros cantáis muy bien.
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