Question

Preterite or imperfect?

1. no specific beginning or ending
2.continuing action (was dancing)

Answer 1

In Spanish, the preterite and imperfect tenses are used to indicate past actions or events, with the imperfect tense being used for actions without specific beginning or ending, and for continuing or ongoing actions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Spanish, the preterite and imperfect tenses are used to indicate past actions or events, but they have distinct uses.

1. The first sentence, "no specific beginning or ending," suggests that the imperfect tense should be used. For example, you could say "No tenía un inicio o un final específicos."
2. The second sentence, "continuing action (was dancing)," indicates an ongoing action in the past, which is typically expressed using the imperfect tense. For example, you could say "Estaba bailando."

When determining whether to use the preterite or the imperfect tense in Spanish, you need to consider the context of the action in the sentence. The preterite is used for actions that have a specific beginning or ending, whereas the imperfect is used for past actions that were ongoing, had no definite end, or set the scene in the past.

For example, if you're trying to convey a continuing action, such as 'was dancing,' you would use the imperfect tense. On the other hand, if you're indicating a completed action with a specific start and end point, you would use the preterite tense.

In summary, if there is no specific beginning or ending, use the imperfect tense. If the action is continuing or ongoing, use the imperfect tense as well.