AP Spanish : Preterite / El Pretérito
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Preterite / El Pretérito
Which is the correct verb form?
Estaba andando en el parque cuando, de repente, un ciervo me __________.
sorprendió
sorprendido
sorprenderá
sorprendía
sorprendió
This sentence expresses the completed action of the deer surprising me in the park, thus the preterite tense is the only correct response.
Example Question #2 : Preterite / El Pretérito
Which verb form is correct in context?
Estaba andando en la calle cuando, de repente, un ladrón __________ robarme.
intentó
intenté
intentaba
intentaban
intentó
An interrupted action sequence requires the imperfect tense for the interrupted action and the preterite tense for the interrupting action, in this case, "intentó." The other verbs either do not agree in tense or in number with "un ladrón."
English translation: "I was walking in the street when, all of a sudden, a thief tried to rob me."
Example Question #3 : Preterite / El Pretérito
Which verb form properly completes the sentence?
__________ cerca de la orilla del rio cuando, de repente, vi un pez.
Anduve
Andaré
Andé
Andaba
Andaba
The first verb conveys an action that is interrupted, so it needs to be in the imperfect tense. Only "Andaba" is the first person imperfect form of "andar" (to walk).
English translation: "I was walking near the bank of the river when, all of a sudden, I saw a fish."
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