1. Les progressives

2. Les conditions This is setting the stage. This describes the stage before the actors get on it. Il faisait beau Il pleuvait Il faisait du soleil Il était le 4 juin Il était 4 heures

3. Les conditions: Le temps, La date Lheure Le paysage Le décor

4. Descriptions A general rule: verbs like etre and avoir will usually be in the imperfect.

5. Il avait les cheveux longs et les bottes en cuir. Son visage était fâché avec le désir de la haine. Son corps était petit. Sa barbe était longue.

6. What is a progressive action? Something that is in the process of happening Il faisait ses devoirs He was in the process of doing his homework Luc mangeait le gateau Luc was eating the cake Matthieu regardait la télé. Matt was watching the TV

7. Henri téléphonait à Maman Henry was calling mom. Joe marchait dans les bois Joe was walking in the woods Fred faisait la guerre civile Fred was making a civil war Véronique cuisinait Veronica was cooking

8. With just these phrases, we can make half of a thought. This is going to be followed by a quand. Marc faisait la fete QUAND Marc was partying WHEN Luc courait QUAND Luke was running WHEN Matthieu regardait la télé QUAND Matt was watching tv WHEN

9. I was doing something This expression is taking place over an undefined time period Were you just doing something once or for a while Limparfait I did something. This expression is taking place at one definite point in the past. The passé composé

10. Je faisais les devoirs quand Luc est entré I was doing homework when Luke came in. How long was I doing homework? Unknown. Imp. Did Luke come in once or many times? Only once. P.C. Il chantait quand le chat a sauté du toit. He was singing when the cat jumped off of the roof. How long was he singing for? Uknown? Imperfect. Did the cat jumping off of the roof happen once or many times? Once? P.C.

11. I was reading when Mary entered. She wore a blue dress. Her hair was blond and her eyes were green. She was talking when I noticed (apercevoir) her crown (couronne). She was a princess! She was looking at me when the other man came. He was wearing a black hat. His glasses were dark. He was staring at us when the pig fell from the roof.

12. Gaston was looking at himself in the mirror when the dwarf came in. He was short and angry. His beard was red and longer than his body. It was about 6 oclock. The dwarf was singing when Gaston asked him a question earlier (plustot). Gaston was a handsome man.