L’imparfait ou Passé Composé? http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/imperfect_2 .htm

Indicaters One time event Specific time/date Main event of a story Passé composé: L’imparfait: One time event Specific time/date Main event of a story Interruptions Sequence of events Repeated events/actions Event(s) in progress « used to » « was/were _______ing » Descriptions (physical, mental/personality, age, weather, etc.) Background/details of a story

L’imparfait The French imperfect (imparfait) is a descriptive past tense which indicates an ongoing state of being or a repeated or incomplete action. The beginning and end of the state of being or action are not indicated, and the imperfect is very often translated in English as "was/were" or "was/were ___-ing." Video camera! Imparfait is open-ended. We do not know anything specific about starting or ending points. The imperfect can indicate any of the following:

1. Repeated events/actions Habitual states or actions (repeated events or actions) Je jouais à la poupée quand j’étais jeune (I used to play with dolls when I was young.) Le mardi, Sheldon mangeait de la pizza (Tuesdays, Sheldon used to eat pizza)

2. Event(s) in Progress Actions or states of an unspecified duration (events in progress) Il marchait dans la rue. (He was walking in the street) Le téléphone sonnait et sonnait sans arrête. (The telephone was ringing and ringing without end.)

3. & 4. “Used to” or “was/were ___ing ” Nous dansions aux soirée dansante. (We used to dance at dance parties) Je dormais quand il est arrivé. (I was sleeping when he arrived) Why is the second part in passé composé? It is an interruption of the action of sleeping Video…snap shot!

5. Descriptions Physical/emotional descriptions: time, weather, age, feelings (mental/physical states of being) C’était midi. Je me levais à 6h30. Il faisait chaud hier. Elle était vieille. (She was old) Quand j’étais jeune… Il était triste. Elle était amoureuse de lui. (She was in love with him)

6. Background/details of a story Background information (setting the context) C’était hiver et il faisait froid (It was winter and it was cold) Il y avait beaucoup de fleurs dans le jardin. (There were a lot of flowers in the garden)

Le passé composé Passé composé is a completed action in the past that happened at a precise moment. Snap shot! Imparfait is an open-ended event or action whereas passé composé is a specific, completed event or action

1. One time Event Une fois, j’ai fait un château de sable incroyable! (Once, I made an incredible sand castle!) J’ai mangé un sandwich pour le déjeuner aujourd’hui. (I ate a sandwich for lunch today)

2. Specific time/date Je suis allée à Paris en 2009. (I went to Paris in 2009) J’ai regardé un film hier soir à 19h00. (I watched a movie at 7 last night)

3. Main event of a Story Elle a travaillé à l’école pendant trois ans. (She worked at the school for three years) Nous avons habité à New York pendant dix ans et demi. (We lived in New York for 10 ½ years)

4. Interruptions Je jouais aux dames quand il est venu. (I was playing checkers when he came.) (Video…snap shot!) Pendant que je mangeais, ma mère est partie au travaille. (While I was eating, my mom left for work) (Video…snap shot!)

5. Sequence of Events D’abord je suis allé à l’école. Ensuite, j’ai mangé le déjeuner avec mes amis. A la fin de la journée, j’ai dormi a 22h00. (First, I went to school. Then, I ate lunch with my friends. At the end of the day, I went to sleep at 10)

Clue/Key words? D’habitude (usually) Passé composé: Imparfait: Dates/times days Une fois (once/one time) Un jour (one day) Sequencing words (d’abord, ensuite, puis, enfin…) Tout à coup (all of the sudden) Soudain (suddenly) Au moment où (just then/at the moment when) D’habitude (usually) Toujours, tous les jours (always, every day) Souvent (often) De temps en temps (from time to time)

Clue/Key words? Passé composé: Imparfait: Dates/times days Une fois (once/one time) Un jour (one day) Sequencing words (d’abord, ensuite, puis, enfin…) Tout à coup (all of the sudden) Soudain (suddenly) Au moment où (just then/at the moment when) D’habitude (usually) Toujours, tous les jours (always, every day) Souvent (often) De temps en temps (from time to time) When you are going through a reading, look for these words/phrases first!! Make a note to yourself and THEN conjugate the verb in the appropriate tense! Don’t forget about CONTEXT! Is it an action that would be “filmed” or a “snap shot” of an action in the past? Was the action complete? Was it habitual? Is a description (physical or emotional)?