Preterite vs. Imperfect

More Practice

For the first set of sentences, decide if the sentence is preterite or imperfect. These sentences are in English. Hold up the correct card.

When I lived in Florida, the summers were so hot.

IMPERFECT

I went to Flagstaff last weekend.

PRETERITE

When she was young, Marisol used to sleep with a teddy bear.

IMPERFECT

The students were studying for a test.

IMPERFECT

She set the table after she made dinner.

PRETERITE

We went to the lake a lot when I was a kid.

IMPERFECT

They were talking outside of the restaurant.

IMPERFECT

He dusted while she cleaned the floors.

IMPERFECT

Did you get the mail?

PRETERITE

Mary read the newspaper to her niece every night.

IMPERFECT

I wore a sweater when the temperature dropped below 60 degrees.

IMPERFECT

Mercedes was beautiful.

IMPERFECT

Last summer we painted our living room.

PRETERITE

For the second set of sentences, decide which verb you would use to complete the sentence - preterite or imperfect. These sentences are in Spanish. Hold up the correct card.

(Nevó/Nevaba) mucho cuando estaba en Minnesota.

Nevaba

John (jugó/jugaba) Monopoly con Sabrina cuando lo llamaste.

Jugaba

Cuando estaba Paris, (vi/veía) La Mona Lisa.

Vi

Yo (estuve/estaba) en la oficina del director frecuentamente.

Estaba

Oí que tú (escribiste/escribías) tu madre cada semana.

Escribía

¿Adónde (fuiste/ibas) antes de clase hoy?

Fuiste

(Dijeron/Decían) que la casa era embrujada (haunted).

Decían

Me (gustó/gustaba) ver la tele mucho.

Gustaba

Cuando la vio, la (besó/besaba).

Besó

Nunca (entregó/entregaba) su tarea a tiempo.

Entregaba

Mi profesor (gritó/gritaba) durante la clase hoy.

Gritó

This set of sentences has two verbs each. Decide if each is a preterite/preterite, an imperfect/imperfect or a preterite/imperfect sentence. The sentences are in English.

When he was a young man, he never paid his bills on time.

Was- Imperfect Paid- Imperfect

The mother kissed her son on the forehead and sent him to school.

Kissed- PreteriteSent- Preterite

There was a loud explosion and someone screamed.

There was- PreteriteScreamed- Preterite

When the fight broke out, I was in the parking lot.

Broke- Preterite WAS - Imperfect

I didn’t walk to school yesterday because it rained.

Walk- PRETERITERained- PRETERITE

The gift I gave her put a smile on her face.

Gave- PreteritePut- Preterite

He was turning the corner on his motorcycle when he hit the pole.

Was turning- ImperfectHit - Preterite

I tripped while I was running.

Tripped- PreteriteWas running- Imperfect

Did you call your grandmother and thank her for the socks?

Call - PreteriteThank - Preterite

The house at the end of the drive had tall trees and was really old.

Had- Imperfect Was - Imperfect

For this last set of sentences, you will choose between preterite and imperfect and write the correct form of the verb on a scratch sheet of paper.

Yo no _____ (SABER) nada sobre Chile hasta _____ (LEER) este libro.

Sabía Leí

Cuando mi hermano _____ (SER) niño, _____ (QUERER) ser doctor.

Era Quería

El día ______ (SER) bonito y _____ (HACER) buen tiempo.

Era Hacía

Yo _____ (ESTAR) cortando el pastel cuando me _____ (CORTAR).

Estaba Corte (should have an accent)

Ellos _____ (TRAER) las bebidas y nosotros _____ (PREPARAR) la comida.

Trajeron Preparamos

Yo _____ (IR) de compras y _____ (BUSCAR) una blusa nueva.

Fui Busque (should have an accent)