SAT II Spanish : Verb Tense in Spanish

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II Spanish

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Sat Subject Test In Spanish

Fill in the blank with the correct answer.

Me __________ ir al concerto contigo, pero no tengo dinero. 

Possible Answers:

gusto

gustaría

gustan

gustó

gustaba

Correct answer:

gustaría

Explanation:

The correct answer is "gustaría," the conditional tense. When translated the sentence means "I would like to go to the concert but I don't have money."

"Gusto" is the wrong tense and person. "Gustaba" and "gustó" are the wrong tense, and "gustan" is the wrong tense and number.

Example Question #9 : Sat Subject Test In Spanish

Fill in the blank with the correct answer. 

Nosotros __________ allí por ocho años. 

Possible Answers:

éramos

estábamos

vivimos 

íbamos

vivíamos

Correct answer:

vivimos 

Explanation:

The correct answer is vivimos. Even though the example given "por ocho años" was an action that occurred over a long period of time, since a definitive beginning and ending period is given in the sentence, the only viable verb is "vivimos," as all of the other verbs are in the imperfect tense. 

Example Question #1 : Imperfect / El Imperfecto

Fill in the blank with the correct answer. 

Cuando era joven, yo __________ cada día. 

Possible Answers:

he caminado

caminé

caminaba

había caminado

caminaría

Correct answer:

caminaba

Explanation:

The correct answer is "caminaba." Since the action happened repeatedly in the past, the tense that is needed is the imperfect. The other tenses cannot work, since they do not express the continuous action of the imperfect. 

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