1. Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Describing past events…
Let’s review the conjugations…choose a different subject (je, tu, il/elle/on, nous, vous, ils/elles)
Write each verb on your notecard in the passé composé and the imparfait.
SORTEZ LES NOTES!

2. Passé Composé vs. Imparfait
Describing past events…
En anglais! Write about your evening last night for Halloween or a Halloween party you went to or a past Halloween outing. Tell what you did and describe what it was like….
Last night, I went trick-or-treating with my kids. We went to our friend’s neighborhood and it was awesome! However, it was really hot. My kids were wishing that they picked costumes that weren’t long-sleeved. They got so much candy, and they wanted to eat all of it! But, I did not allow them to because it was really late. It was 9:00 when we returned home. We were so tired!!

3. Get your PhD in Imparfait!

4. Progressive Actions Habitual events Description
Get your PhD in Imparfait!
Progressive Actions Habitual events Description

5. I was climbing.
I fell.
Progressive
Imparfait
1 Time Event
Passé Composé
I was working.
I finished.

6. He was looking at the firecracker...
when it went off.
Progressive
Imparfait
1 Time Event
Passé Composé
He was seeing a lot of women...
until he met me!
(Awe!)

7. Habitual Actions/ Repeated Events
Over and over and over… I used to do this.
fall down and hurt myself
skip stones on the lake
work at McDo!
I used to send text messages in class!
click my pens in class while taking hard tests.

8. The Imparfait
There is not an exact equivalent of this tense in English.
Usually translated with the “was/were + verb-ing” or the “used to verb” tenses, but it can be others as well.
I was driving my car; We used to eat ice cream on Sundays; It was a cloudy day.
-Represents an ongoing event in the past, something that is currently taking place in our story.

9. Passé Composé: Defined moments (i.e. on a timeline)
I was born.
I got an A on my imparfait exam in French.
I got my uncle a fishing rod.
I climbed Mount Everest.

10. The Passé Composé You know how to form it, but what does it mean?
There is not an exact equivalent in English, but the closest is simple past
I ate; He read; She won; You understood.
-Represents a one time event in the past, something that has both begun and ended in our story.

11. Cont’d
If you visualize a timeline, passé composé are the single dots on the timeline. They take place at a known time.
Imparfait are the long lines on our timeline. They last for a period of time and take place around our story, giving a description.

12. Comparing
ANY verb can be conjugated in both tenses, but it’s the meaning of each that has to do with what we want to say:
We drove to the movies.
We were driving to the movies.
The sentences are identical, other than the verb tense. The 1st one is understood to be a single event, the 2nd one you are expecting to hear something more about what happened during the trip.

13. Continuous Progressive Actions/
Eras of your life.
Continuous Progressive Actions/
I used to have short hair.
I used to go to Northeast Elementary
I used to know a girl named Ruth
I used to play basketball.
I used to watch Barney every day.

14. Les Règles – Passé ComposéI S
ompleted past action (CPA) imited amount of time nterrupting action*** hange in mental state equence of events

15. J’étais décontracté et heureux dans l’eau.
Pourquoi est-ce que ces descriptions sont en imparfait selon des catégories de OH WHAT A DEAL?
J’étais sportif.
Il pleuvait.
Il était 4h55.
J’avais froid.
J’étais dans le jardin.
J’étais décontracté et heureux dans l’eau.
J’avais six ans.
Ma soeur avait sept ans.

16. Cut and Paste TIME Cut and Paste TIME AGE LOCATION AGE LOCATION
PHYSICAL STATE
EMOTION
TIME
AGE
LOCATION
APPEARANCE
WEATHER
PHYSICAL STATE
Cut and Paste
PHYSICAL STATE
EMOTION
TIME
AGE
LOCATION
APPEARANCE
PHYSICAL STATE
WEATHER

17. Why are these descriptions imperfect due to criteria of OH WHAT A DEAL?
I was athletic.
WEATHER
It was raining.
TIME
It was 4:55.
I was cold.
PHYSICAL STATE
I was in the garden.
LOCATION
I was relaxed and happy.
EMOTION
I was six. My sister was seven.
AGE

18. ___ Mon amie était triste. ___ Mes frères voulaient un chien.
Choose the appropriate letter of the OH WHAT A DEAL criteria to use in determining the imperfect use within each sentence.
___ J’étais à l’école.
___ Tu étais blonde.
___ Il était 18h00.
___ Mon amie était triste.
___ Mes frères voulaient un chien.
___ Il faisait chaud.
___ Elle avait neuf ans.
___ J’avais faim.

19. SOLUTION Choose the appropriate letter of the DATE LAWS criteria to use in determining the imperfect use within each sentence.
_L_ J’étais à l’école.
_D_ Tu étais blonde.
_T_ Il était 18h00.
_E_ Mon amie était triste.
_E_ Mes frères voulaient un chien.
_W_ Il faisait chaud.
_A_ Elle avait neuf ans.
_S_ J’avais faim.