I need to decide if these capitalized words are preterite or imperfect and I just don't get it. Could someone help me out please? Here is the story:
I need help with this story. Could you please tell me if the words that are in all CAPITAL letters are preterite or imperfect? Sorry it's a lot I know but that you so much!
Dear Sir:
I am writing in response to your request for additional information. When I WAS FILLING out block number 3 of the accident reporting form, I WROTE "working alone" as the cause of my accident. You SAID in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I hope these details will be sufficient.
I am a bricklayer. On the day of the accident, I WAS WORKING alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I COMPLETED my work, I DISCOVERED that about 500 pounds of brick WERE LYING on the floor. Rather than carry the brick down by hand, I DECIDED to lower them in a barrel, using a pulley attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor.
I TIED the rope at ground level, and I WENT up to the roof, SWUNG the barrel out and LOADED the brick into it. Then I WENT back to the ground and UNTIED the rope. I WAS HOLDING it tight to assure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of brick. You will remember that in block 11 of the accident reporting form I WROTE that I weigh 135 pounds.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I LOST my presence of mind, and I FORGOT to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I ASCENDED at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, as I WAS GOING up, I MET the barrel as it WAS COMING down. That is how I FRACTURED my skull and BROKE my collarbone.
I CONTINUED up rapidly, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand ENTERED two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I CAME TO, and I MANAGED to hold tightly to the rope in spite of the pain I WAS SUFFERING. At approximately the same time, however, as I WAS HANGING by my hand, the barrel of brick HIT the ground, and the bottom FELL out of the barrel. Empty, the barrel now WEIGHED approximately 50 pounds.
You recall that I weigh 135 pounds. As you might imagine, I BEGAN a rapid descent down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, as I WAS GOING down, I MET the barrel as it WAS COMING up. That is how I SPRAINED my ankles and RECEIVED lacerations on my legs and lower body.
Because of the encounter with the barrel, I WAS GOING slowly enough to lessen my injuries when I DROPPED onto the pile of bricks and fortunately, I only CRACKED three vertebrae.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I WAS LYING there on the bricks, in pain, unable to get up, I WAS WATCHING the barrel six stories above me, and again I LOST my presence of mind. I RELEASED the rope.
Sincerely,
The Bricklayer
http://www.studyspanish.com/lessons/pretimp1.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHxnqP9Dh9o
I have to do that same thing and I just don't get it
In the story, the capitalized words are in the simple past tense (preterite) or ongoing past tense (imperfect). Here is a breakdown of the verb tenses used:
- "When I WAS FILLING out block number 3" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "I WROTE" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "You SAID" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "I WAS WORKING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "I COMPLETED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "DISCOVERED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WERE LYING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "DECIDED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "TIED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WENT" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "SWUNG" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "LOADED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "UNTIED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS HOLDING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "WROTE" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "LOST" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "FORGOT" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS GOING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "MET" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS COMING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "FRACTURED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "BROKE" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "CONTINUED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "ENTERED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "CAME TO" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS SUFFERING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "HIT" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "FELL" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WEIGHED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "BEGAN" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS GOING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "SPRAINED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "RECEIVED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS GOING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "DROPPED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "WAS LYING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "WAS WATCHING" - imperfect tense, ongoing action in the past.
- "LOST" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
- "RELEASED" - preterite tense, completed action in the past.
I hope this helps you determine the verb tenses in the story!
To determine whether the capitalized words in the story are in the preterite or imperfect tense, it's important to understand the differences between these two past tenses in Spanish.
The preterite tense is used to describe completed actions or events that took place in the past. It is often used for actions that have a clear beginning and end. On the other hand, the imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past, as well as provide background information or set the scene.
Let's go through each capitalized word and decide whether it should be in the preterite or imperfect tense, based on the context provided in the story:
1. WAS FILLING - imperfect: This is describing an ongoing action in the past when the person was filling out the accident form.
2. WROTE - preterite: This action refers to a specific instance of writing when the person wrote "working alone" on the form.
3. SAID - preterite: It indicates a specific action of speaking in the past.
4. WAS WORKING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person working alone on the roof.
5. COMPLETED - preterite: Refers to a specific action of finishing the work.
6. DISCOVERED - preterite: Indicates a single event of discovering something.
7. WERE LYING - imperfect: Describes the state of the bricks lying on the floor, which is ongoing.
8. DECIDED - preterite: This action signifies a specific decision made by the person.
9. TIED - preterite: Refers to the specific action of tying the rope.
10. WENT - preterite: Indicates a specific action of going up to the roof.
11. SWUNG - preterite: Refers to a specific action of swinging the barrel.
12. LOADED - preterite: Specifies a specific action of loading the bricks into the barrel.
13. WENT - preterite: Signifies a specific action of going back to the ground.
14. UNTIED - preterite: Refers to the specific action of untying the rope.
15. WAS HOLDING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person holding the rope tightly.
16. WROTE - preterite: Refers to the specific act of writing in block 11 of the accident form.
17. LOST - preterite: Specifies the specific event of losing the presence of mind.
18. FORGOT - preterite: Indicates the specific action of forgetting to let go of the rope.
19. WAS GOING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person ascending the side of the building.
20. MET - preterite: Signifies the specific event of meeting the barrel.
21. WAS COMING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the barrel coming down.
22. FRACTURED - preterite: Specifies the specific event of fracturing the skull.
23. BROKE - preterite: Denotes the specific action of breaking the collarbone.
24. CONTINUED - preterite: Refers to the specific action of continuing rapidly.
25. ENTERED - preterite: Refers to the specific action of entering two knuckles deep into the pulley.
26. CAME TO - preterite: Signifies the specific event of regaining consciousness.
27. WAS SUFFERING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person suffering.
28. HIT - preterite: Specifies the specific action of the barrel hitting the ground.
29. FELL - preterite: Indicates the specific action of the bottom of the barrel falling out.
30. WEIGHED - preterite: Specifies the specific action of the barrel weighing approximately 50 pounds.
31. BEGAN - preterite: Signifies the specific action of beginning the rapid descent.
32. WAS GOING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person going down the side of the building.
33. MET - preterite: Refers to the specific action of meeting the barrel.
34. SPRAINED - preterite: Specifies the specific action of spraining the ankles.
35. RECEIVED - preterite: Denotes the specific action of receiving lacerations.
36. WAS GOING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person going slowly.
37. DROPPED - preterite: Specifies the specific action of dropping onto the pile of bricks.
38. CRACKED - preterite: Indicates the specific action of cracking three vertebrae.
39. WAS LYING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person lying on the bricks.
40. WAS WATCHING - imperfect: Describes the ongoing action of the person watching the barrel.
41. LOST - preterite: Refers to the specific event of losing the presence of mind.
42. RELEASED - preterite: Signifies the specific action of releasing the rope.
Based on the analysis above, the preterite tense is used for specific completed actions, while the imperfect tense is used for ongoing actions or describing the background. Remember that context is essential in determining the correct tense.