No cheating! The answers are here (like Programmed Learning) so cover the bottom part with the answers and try the exercises FIRST! Then you can scroll down and check your answers. Immediate "feedback" is best. That means try #1, slide down only for that answer, try #2, etc.

Remplacez les mots soulignés par la forme correcte du verbe, utilisant le passé composé ou l'imparfait, suivant le cas. (Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the verb, using "appropriately" either the passé composé or the imperfect):

1. I was eating when my father entered.
Je _______________ quand mon père _______________.

2. Where did you put your keys?
Où ____________________ tes clés?

3. Why were they crying?
Pourquoi _______________________?

4. We used to go at Lyons when we were children.
Nous _________________ à Lyons quand nous ____________ enfants.

5. You didn't tell the truth when I asked you.
Vous ________________ la vérité quand je vous __________________.

6. It was nice out (use: faire beau) when we went to the beach.
Il ___________________ quand nous _________________ à la plage.

7. Did you see my brother at the party last night?
Est-ce que tu _____________ mon frère à la fête hier soir?

8. My friends always sang that song in the chorus.
Mes amis _____________________ cette chanson dans la chorale.

9. I didn't understand what he was saying.
Je ___________________ ce qu'il _________________.

10. She finished her homework at 7 o'clock.
Elle _______________ ses devoirs à 19h.

les réponses:

EXERCICE: Passé Composé / Imparfait -- Réponses

1. Je mangeais quand mon père est entré.

2. Où as-tu mis / est-ce que tu as mis tes clés?

3. Pourquoi pleuraient-ils / est-ce qu'ils pleuraient?

4. Nous allions à Lyons quand nous étions enfants.

5. Vous n'avez pas dit la vérité quand je vous ai demandé.

6. Il faisait beau quand nous sommes allés à la plage.

7. Est-ce que tu as vu mon frère à la fête hier soir?

8. Mes amis chantaient toujours cette chanson dans la chorale.

9. Je n'ai pas compris ce qu'il disait.

10.Elle a fini ses devoirs à 19h.

To solve these exercises, you need to identify whether to use the passé composé or the imparfait tense in each sentence. Here's a breakdown of how to determine which tense to use:

1. "I was eating when my father entered."
To translate this sentence into French, you need to use the imparfait tense for "I was eating" and the passé composé tense for "my father entered." The correct answer is: Je mangeais quand mon père est entré.

2. "Where did you put your keys?"
In this sentence, you need to use the passé composé tense for "did you put." The correct answer is: Où as-tu mis / est-ce que tu as mis tes clés?

3. "Why were they crying?"
To express the past continuous action of "were crying," you should use the imparfait tense. The correct answer is: Pourquoi pleuraient-ils / est-ce qu'ils pleuraient?

4. "We used to go at Lyons when we were children."
This sentence requires the imparfait tense for "used to go" and "were children." The correct answer is: Nous allions à Lyons quand nous étions enfants.

5. "You didn't tell the truth when I asked you."
For the negation and past action of "didn't tell," you should use the passé composé tense. The correct answer is: Vous n'avez pas dit la vérité quand je vous ai demandé.

6. "It was nice out when we went to the beach."
To express the descriptive state of "was nice out," use the imparfait tense, and for the action of "went," use the passé composé tense. The correct answer is: Il faisait beau quand nous sommes allés à la plage.

7. "Did you see my brother at the party last night?"
For the action of "did you see," use the passé composé tense. The correct answer is: Est-ce que tu as vu mon frère à la fête hier soir?

8. "My friends always sang that song in the chorus."
Since this sentence describes a habitual action, you should use the imparfait tense for "sang." The correct answer is: Mes amis chantaient toujours cette chanson dans la chorale.

9. "I didn't understand what he was saying."
To express the action of "didn't understand" and the continuous action of "was saying," use the passé composé and imparfait tenses, respectively. The correct answer is: Je n'ai pas compris ce qu'il disait.

10. "She finished her homework at 7 o'clock."
To express the completed action of "finished," use the passé composé tense. The correct answer is: Elle a fini ses devoirs à 19h.

By applying the rules for the passé composé and imparfait tenses, you can arrive at the correct answers for each exercise.