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World Languages Grade 9-12 Answer Key

World Languages: French Imparfait vs Passé Composé

Choosing the right past tense in French

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World Languages: French Imparfait vs Passé Composé

Choosing the right past tense in French

World Languages - Grade 9-12

Instructions: Read each sentence carefully. Choose the correct past tense and explain your reasoning when asked. Pay attention to clues such as background description, repeated action, completed event, and interruption.
  1. 1

    Choose the correct form: Quand j'étais petit, je _____ au parc tous les samedis. A. suis allé B. allais

    Look for a phrase that shows repetition.

    The correct answer is B, allais. The imparfait is used because the sentence describes a repeated habit in the past.
  2. 2

    Choose the correct form: Hier soir, nous _____ un film au cinéma. A. avons vu B. voyions

    The correct answer is A, avons vu. The passé composé is used because seeing the movie was a completed event at a specific time.
  3. 3

    Fill in the blank with the correct tense of être: Il _____ minuit quand le téléphone a sonné.

    Time, weather, age, and background conditions often use the imparfait.

    The correct answer is était. The sentence gives background information, so the imparfait is used.
  4. 4

    Fill in the blank with the correct tense of commencer: Le concert _____ à huit heures précises.

    The correct answer is a commencé. The passé composé is used because the concert began at a specific moment.
  5. 5

    Complete the sentence with the correct forms: Je _____ mes devoirs quand mon ami m'_____. Use faire and appeler.

    Use imparfait for the action in progress and passé composé for the interruption.

    The correct sentence is: Je faisais mes devoirs quand mon ami m'a appelé. The ongoing background action uses the imparfait, and the interrupting event uses the passé composé.
  6. 6

    Decide whether the underlined verb should be imparfait or passé composé: Tous les étés, ma famille a voyagé en Provence.

    A repeated summer tradition is usually not a single completed event.

    The verb should be in the imparfait: voyageait. The phrase tous les étés shows a repeated past action.
  7. 7

    Translate into French: We were tired, but we finished the project.

    A correct translation is: Nous étions fatigués, mais nous avons fini le projet. Étions describes a condition, and avons fini describes a completed action.
  8. 8

    Translate into French: She used to read every night before sleeping.

    Used to often signals the imparfait in French.

    A correct translation is: Elle lisait tous les soirs avant de dormir. The imparfait is used because the sentence describes a habitual action in the past.
  9. 9

    Choose the correct verb forms: Pendant que les enfants _____ dans le jardin, leur père _____ le dîner. A. ont joué, a préparé B. jouaient, préparait C. jouaient, a préparé

    The correct answer is B, jouaient, préparait. Pendant que often introduces two simultaneous ongoing actions, so both verbs use the imparfait.
  10. 10

    Choose the correct verb forms: Soudain, la porte _____ et tout le monde _____. Use s'ouvrir and crier.

    Soudain means suddenly, which often points to a completed event in the story.

    The correct sentence is: Soudain, la porte s'est ouverte et tout le monde a crié. Soudain signals sudden completed events, so the passé composé is used.
  11. 11

    Explain the difference in meaning: A. Je connaissais Paul. B. J'ai connu Paul.

    Je connaissais Paul means I knew Paul or was acquainted with him over time. J'ai connu Paul usually means I met Paul or came to know him at a specific point.
  12. 12

    Fill in the blanks: Il _____ beau, alors nous _____ une promenade. Use faire and faire.

    Weather in the past is commonly background information.

    The correct sentence is: Il faisait beau, alors nous avons fait une promenade. Fait beau describes background weather, and avons fait describes a completed activity.
  13. 13

    Rewrite the sentence using the correct past tenses: Je marchais au lycée et j'ai vu mon professeur.

    A better sentence is: Je marchais vers le lycée quand j'ai vu mon professeur. Marchais describes an action in progress, and j'ai vu describes the completed event that happened during it.
  14. 14

    Choose the correct tense and explain: À l'âge de dix ans, Luc _____ très timide. A. a été B. était

    Descriptions of people in the past usually use the imparfait.

    The correct answer is B, était. The imparfait describes Luc's personality or state at that time in the past.
  15. 15

    Write a 3 sentence mini-story in French using at least two imparfait verbs for background or habits and at least two passé composé verbs for completed events.

    Start with a background sentence, then add one or two specific events.

    Answers will vary. A strong response could be: Quand j'étais jeune, j'allais souvent chez ma grand-mère. Un jour, j'ai trouvé une vieille photo dans le salon. Ma grand-mère m'a raconté une histoire, et nous étions très heureux. The response should use the imparfait for background or habit and the passé composé for completed events.
LivePhysics™.com World Languages - Grade 9-12 - Answer Key

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