Imparfait/Passé composé – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Conjugate the verbs in brackets in the imparfait or the passé composé to complete the text.

Il y a un mois, (je/décider)   de partir en voyage.simply mentioning that the action took place → passé composéA month ago, I decided to go on a trip.

Comme mes parents (être)   malades, ils sont restés à la maison.setting the scene in the past → imparfaitSince my parents were ill, they stayed at home.

Je suis donc parti seul. Le soleil (briller)   quand (je/prendre)   le train.1. description of a scene in the past → imparfait|2. one-time action in the past → passé composéSo I set off alone. The sun was shining when I took the train.

J’avais choisi une ville en Pologne. La ville (sembler)   vide, tout (rester)   silencieux.description of a situation in the past → imparfaitI had picked a town in Poland. The town seemed empty, and everything was silent.

Le plan de la ville (être)   illisible, je me sentais seul.description of a situation in the past → imparfaitThe map was illegible to me and I felt lonely.

Soudain, un coup de trompette (retentir)  . Puis une foule de gens (apparaître)   en dansant.1. sudden action in the past → passé composé|2. sequentially occurring actions in the past → passé composéSuddenly, there was the sound of a trumpet. Then, a crowd of dancing people appeared.

Certains (jongler)  , d’autres (chanter)   à pleins poumons.simultaneously occurring actions in the past → imparfaitSome of them were juggling and others were singing loudly.

(Je/réaliser)   que c'était la fête de la ville.one-time action in the past → passé composéI realised that it was the village festival.

(Je/chercher)   mon appareil photo, quand quelqu’un (crier)   mon nom: c’était mon professeur de musique !one action is already taking place when a new action interrupts it → imparfait for the first action, passé composé for the second actionI was looking for my camera when someone called my name: it was my music teacher!

Il (passer)   tous les ans les vacances dans cette ville.repeating action in the past → imparfaitHe spent his holidays in this town every year.