Preterite + Imperfect (past tenses)
Edexcel GCSE Spanish revision on Preterite + Imperfect (past tenses). Aligned to the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Spanish 1SP0 specification. This bank has 5 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 5)
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Question 1
Preterite tense is used for...
- A) Habitual past actions
- B) Completed, one-off past actions
- C) Ongoing background events
- D) Future
Show answer
Answer: Completed, one-off past actions
Spanish has TWO past tenses (unlike English's one). PRETERITE: completed actions at a specific time. 'Ayer comí pizza' (Yesterday I ate pizza). 'Visité Madrid el año pasado' (I visited Madrid last year). Endings: -ar -> -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron. -er/-ir -> -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron.
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Question 2
Imperfect tense is used for...
- A) A single completed action
- B) Habitual or ongoing past actions, descriptions, background
- C) Future events
- D) Commands
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Answer: Habitual or ongoing past actions, descriptions, background
IMPERFECT: things you USED to do; descriptions; background. 'Cuando era pequeño...' (When I was little...). 'Hacía calor' (It was hot - description). Endings -ar -> -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban. -er/-ir -> -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían. Three irregulars: ser, ir, ver.
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Question 3
'I went to Madrid yesterday' = ?
- A) Iba a Madrid ayer
- B) Fui a Madrid ayer
- C) Voy a Madrid ayer
- D) Iré a Madrid ayer
Show answer
Answer: Fui a Madrid ayer
Ayer (yesterday) signals a specific, completed event - use preterite. Ir (to go) preterite irregular: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. (Same form as SER preterite - context distinguishes.) IMPERFECT would be for habitual: 'Iba a Madrid todos los veranos' = I used to go every summer.
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2 more questions on Preterite + Imperfect (past tenses) — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole Spanish spec.