Testigo: extended writing | Spanish | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Match the Spanish below to the correct English translations.

matrimonio

⇔

marriage ✓

modelo

⇔

model ✓

felicidad

⇔

happiness ✓

peso

⇔

Mexican currency ✓

fin

⇔

end ✓

adios

⇔

goodbye ✓
Match the verb tenses to their definitions.

imperfect

⇔

expresses something that used to happen repeatedly: 'I used to play' ✓

preterite

⇔

expresses something completed in the past: 'I played' ✓

past continuous

⇔

expresses what was happening: 'I was playing' ✓
Match each verb to the correct tense.

escuché

⇔

preterite ✓

escuchaba

⇔

imperfect ✓

estaba escuchando

⇔

past continuous ✓
What is the 1st person singular form of 'comer' (to eat, eating) in the preterite?

estaba comiendo

comía

comí ✓
What is the 1st person singular form of 'gritar' (to shout, shouting) in the imperfect?

'gritaba' ✓
What is the correct translation of the following sentence? 'Iba de vacaciones a Francia pero el año pasado fui a Alemania.'

I went on holiday to France last year but I used to go to Germany. ✓

Last year I went on holiday to France and Germany.

I used to go on holiday to France but last year I went to Germany.

Exit quiz

Match the Spanish words below to the correct English translations.

veo

⇔

I see ✓

algo

⇔

something ✓

alguien

⇔

someone ✓

diverso

⇔

diverse ✓

peligroso

⇔

dangerous ✓

laboral

⇔

relating to work ✓
What is the correct translation of 'ahorraba dinero'?

I save money

I was saving money

I used to save money ✓
What is the correct translation of 'Yesterday I went out.'?

Ayer salí. ✓

Ayer salía.

Ayer estaba saliendo.
What is the most appropriate end for the following sentence? 'Estaba haciendo los deberes cuando __________.'

estaba escuchando un ruido raro.

escuché un ruido raro. ✓

escuchaba un ruido raro.
Which of these is not a use of the imperfect tense?

setting the scene in a story

driving the narrative in a story ✓

saying what used to happen repeatedly

describing general situations in the past
Sort the verbs below into the order they should appear in the following sentence: '__________ sol y estaba __________ una limonada cuando __________ a un hombre en peligro.'

1

⇔

hacía

2

⇔

bebiendo

3

⇔

vi

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

The imperfect tense is used for what used to happen repeatedly and to set the scene in past-tense accounts.
The past continuous tense is used for what was happening and to set the scene in past-tense accounts.
The preterite tense is used for something completed in the past and to drive the narrative in past-tense accounts.
It is important to make a plan before producing an extended piece of writing.

Common misconception

The imperfect tense is only used to talk about something that used to happen repeatedly.

The imperfect is used to talk about something that used to happen repeatedly, but it has other uses in different contexts. For example, it can be used to set the scene in a narrative account or story, and to describe general situations in the past.

Keywords

Imperfect - verb tense used to talk about something that used to happen repeatedly and to set the scene in past-tense accounts
Past continuous - verb tense used to talk about what was happening and to set the scene in past-tense accounts
Preterite - verb tense used to talk about something completed in the past and to drive the narrative forward in past-tense accounts