El pretérito progresivo en inglés
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El pretérito progresivo
Al igual que el presente, el pretérito existe también en forma progresiva para expresar las acciones incompletas en un cierto momento:
At that time Bruno and Horatio were working in the garage. En esa época, Bruno y Horatio trabajaban en el garaje.
Para las descripciones:
Se usa con 'always (siempre)' y 'constantly (constantemente)' para expresar irritación o emociones negativas de manera repetitiva en el pasado:
Stink was always barking. Stink siempre estaba ladrando.
Ejercicio 1
Last night, Luna DeLune that she to the moon in a turquoise spaceship.
Last night, Luna DeLune [not done] dreamt 1 that she [not done] was flying 2 to the moon in a turquoise spaceship.
1 dreamt: The verb 'to dream' can be conjugated two different ways in the past tense: 'dreamed' or 'dreamt'. Either form is acceptable in this construction. We put this verb in the past tense because of the phrase 'last night' at the beginning of the sentence.
2 was flying: The past continuous form of the verb (was flying) is acceptable here to indicate that the action of Luna's dream (flying) was continuous. Note: The past simple tense of the verb (flew) is also acceptable here. We put this verb into a past tense form because of the phrase 'last night' at the beginning of the sentence.
Ejercicio 2
Bruno: As I , Susie, this is a corporation. We do business here.
Susie: That explains the suit and tie.
Bruno: Very funny. Now, if you don't mind, before you came in, I my uncle's girlfriend.
Susie: That explains the suit and tie.
Bruno: Very funny. Now, if you don't mind, before you came in, I my uncle's girlfriend.
Bruno: As I was saying 1, Susie, this is a corporation. We do business here.
Susie: That explains the suit and tie.
Bruno: Very funny. Now, if you don't mind, before you came in, I was calling 2 my uncle's girlfriend.
Susie: That explains the suit and tie.
Bruno: Very funny. Now, if you don't mind, before you came in, I was calling 2 my uncle's girlfriend.
1 was saying: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (I was saying) to express an event from the immediate past. 'As I was saying' is a common expression in English.
1 saying: We cannot use the 'ING' form of the verb (saying) without an auxiliary, such as 'was'.
1 was said: We cannot use the passive voice (was said) in this sentence. However, we could say: 'He was said to be highly skilled in the martial arts'.
1 am to say: 'I am to say' is grammatically incorrect. We cannot use the infinitive 'to say' preceded by the verb 'to be' conjugated in the present tense.
2 was calling: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (was calling) to express an event from the immediate past. Bruno uses the past tense here because he is referring to 'before you came in', which is a moment in the recent past. The use of the progressive (-ing) form suggests that Bruno's call was interrupted by Susie's entrance.
2 calling: We cannot use the -ING form of the verb (calling) without an auxiliary, such as 'was'.
2 was called: We cannot use the passive voice (was called) in this example. This would be used in a sentence such as: 'The doctor was called to the hospital sometime after midnight'.
2 am to call: 'I am to call' expresses, in the present tense, that Bruno is expected to call his uncle's girlfriend. We can't use the present tense immediately after the phrase 'before you came in', which refers to the past.
Ejercicio 3
Man: Do you remember when we first started this company?
Woman: I certainly do! You , worried that we would fail. But look at us now! We're rich.
Man: Rich? You're exaggerating, aren't you?
Woman: Look, just five years ago we to borrow our parents' bicycles all the time, but now we own two scooters!
Woman: I certainly do! You , worried that we would fail. But look at us now! We're rich.
Man: Rich? You're exaggerating, aren't you?
Woman: Look, just five years ago we to borrow our parents' bicycles all the time, but now we own two scooters!
Man: Do you remember when we first started this company?
Woman: I certainly do! You were always complaining 1, worried that we would fail. But look at us now! We're rich.
Man: Rich? You're exaggerating, aren't you?
Woman: Look, just five years ago we were asking 2 to borrow our parents' bicycles all the time, but now we own two scooters!
Woman: I certainly do! You were always complaining 1, worried that we would fail. But look at us now! We're rich.
Man: Rich? You're exaggerating, aren't you?
Woman: Look, just five years ago we were asking 2 to borrow our parents' bicycles all the time, but now we own two scooters!
1 were always complaining: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (you were complaining) to describe continuous actions in the past. To 'complain (about a situation)' is to express dissatisfaction or resentment about it.
1 are always complaining: Because the narrator is speaking about the past (the man refers to the period when the company first started), we cannot use the present progressive (are complaining).
1 always complain: Because the narrator is speaking about the past (the man refers to the period when the company first started), we cannot use the 'present' simple tense (complain).
1 were always complained: Because the context requires an active construction, we cannot use the passive voice (were complained) here. In fact, 'complained' is almost never used in the passive voice.
2 were asking: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (we were asking) to describe continuous actions in past events.
2 are asking: Because the narrator is speaking about the past (five years ago), we cannot use the 'present' progressive (are asking).
2 were asked: Although the passive voice (we were asked) is grammatically correct, it does not make sense in the logic of the sentence. The narrator is saying that it was very difficult just to ride a bicycle, and now he owns two scooters.
2 ask: Because the narrator is speaking about the past (five years ago), we cannot use the 'present' simple tense (beg).
Ejercicio 4
Polly: When I found him in the closet, he there without any clothes on.
Susie: Did they fire him?
Polly: I don't know. When I told Bruno, he , but didn't seem too surprised.
Susie: Did they fire him?
Polly: I don't know. When I told Bruno, he , but didn't seem too surprised.
Polly: When I found him in the closet, he was standing 1 there without any clothes on.
Susie: Did they fire him?
Polly: I don't know. When I told Bruno, he was disgusted 2, but didn't seem too surprised.
Susie: Did they fire him?
Polly: I don't know. When I told Bruno, he was disgusted 2, but didn't seem too surprised.
1 was standing: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (he was standing) to describe continuous actions in past events.
1 was stood: 'Was stood' is in the passive voice and we cannot use the passive voice in this case.
1 standing: We cannot use the gerund here without the auxiliary 'was'.
1 stands: Because Polly is speaking about a past event, we cannot use a present tense form of the verb here.
2 was disgusted: Because Polly is describing Bruno's reaction, we use the simple past tense 'was' with 'disgusted' (adjective).
2 was disgusting: Because Bruno is not actively 'disgusting', we cannot use the preterit progressive (was disgusting) here.
2 disgusted: We cannot use 'disgusted' without a verb here. Although 'disgusted' is the preterit form of the verb 'to disgust', it does not make sense here because we need the passive voice, and 'disgusted' is in an active voice.
2 disgusts: Because Polly is speaking about a past event, and because Bruno does not 'disgust' anyone but is 'disgusted' himself, we cannot use the present tense form of the verb here.
Ejercicio 5
When I first came to the United States, I English. Often, I wasn't able to understand what people were saying to me. Once, while I on the street, someone came up to me and asked if I was lost. And I he wanted to know how much I cost!
When I first came to the United States, I was still learning 1 English. Often, I wasn't able to understand what people were saying to me. Once, while I was standing 2 on the street, someone came up to me and asked if I was lost. And I thought 3 he wanted to know how much I cost!
1 was still learning: This is the best choice here. We often use the preterit progressive (was still learning) to describe continuous actions in the past. The preterit progressive (or past progressive) is often used after a simple past tense verb (came) which establishes the time frame.
1 was still learned: 'Was learned' is grammatically incorrect in this construction. We cannot use the verb 'learned' in the passive voice (was learned) here.
1 still learned: 'Still learned' does not make sense. 'Still' implies that an action is either continuous or occurring in the present. It is not often used with the preterit form of the verb (learned).
1 learning: We cannot use the -ING form of the verb here without the auxiliary 'was'.
2 was standing: The preterit progressive tense (he was standing) is generally used to describe continuous actions in past events. The preterit progressive (or past progressive) is often used after a simple past tense verb (came) which establishes the time frame.
2 was stood: 'Was stood' is a passive voice construction, which does not make sense here. To use it would be grammatically incorrect.
2 standing: We cannot use the -ING form of the verb here without the auxiliary 'was'.
2 stood: Because the clause is introduced by the adverb 'while' we cannot use the preterit form of the verb 'stood'.
3 thought: 'Thought' is the preterit form of the verb, which best expresses the finished action of the narrator's thinking.
3 was thinking: 'Was thinking' indicates that the action is continuous. 'To think' is not often used in the preterit progressive tense (was thinking), unless we are talking about two separate actions. For example: 'I was just thinking about my brother, when he walked in the door'.
3 was thought: 'Was thought' is grammatically incorrect here. The passive voice 'was thought' indicates that the subject is also the object of the action. We could say: 'The explorer was thought to have died in the accident'.
3 thinking: We cannot use the -ING form of the verb here without the auxiliary 'was'.
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