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On grammar and usage: What is the difference between the imperfect tense and the preterit tense?



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On grammar and usage: What is the difference between the imperfect tense and the preterit tense? 
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Joined: Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:27 pm
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Post On grammar and usage: What is the difference between the imperfect tense and the preterit tense?
Can you give an example, please?


Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:27 pm
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Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:27 pm
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Post Re: On grammar and usage: What is the difference between the imperfect tense and the preterit tense?
I think it matters on the language you are using. In Spanish preterit tense is used to refer to actions that occurred at a fixed point in time. In Hebrew grammar the imperfect tenses is used to refer to uncompleted action and describes a present or future time. You might have to look it up in a specific grammar book for the language you are studying.


Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:27 pm
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 12:27 pm
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Post Re: On grammar and usage: What is the difference between the imperfect tense and the preterit tense?
If you are talking about Spanish, which is the language in which I learned these terms, the imperfect tense is used to describe something that happened in the past with no specifically stated time. For example, the sentence "When I was a young child, I went to the mall," when translated into Spanish would require you to conjugate the verbs "be" and "go" (used as "was" and "went" in English) to the imperfect tense.

The preterite tense is used to describe something that occurred in the past at a specific time. For example, the sentence "I went to the mall last Wednesday" when translated into Spanish would require you to conjugate the verb "go" (used as "went" in English) to the preterite tense.

Hope this helps.


Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:27 pm
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