Imperfect tense

    AQA
    GCSE

    The Imparfait (Imperfect Tense) constitutes a fundamental component of the French verbal system, functioning primarily to express continuous, habitual, or incomplete actions in the past. Candidates must master morphological derivation from the first-person plural (nous) present indicative stem and apply specific endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient). Assessment focuses on the aspectual distinction between the imperfect (background, state, habit) and the passé composé (foreground, completed event), as well as its syntactic role in 'si' clauses for hypothetical constructs.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    4
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Credit the correct derivation of the stem from the 'nous' form of the present tense (e.g., nous finissons -> finiss-).
    • Award marks for accurate application of endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient, ensuring strict spelling accuracy.
    • Differentiate usage: Credit imperfect for 'was doing' or 'used to do', and passé composé for completed actions.
    • Reward the correct irregular stem for être (ét-), particularly in high-frequency phrases like c'était or il y avait.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have used the perfect tense here; switch to the imperfect to convey the habitual nature of the action"
    • "Check your stem formation for this -ir verb; remember to use the 'nous' form base"
    • "Good use of 'c'était', now try to include a reflexive verb in the imperfect tense for higher complexity"
    • "Ensure the ending matches the subject 'nous' (-ions) rather than the phonetic equivalent of 'on' (-ait)"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Credit the correct derivation of the stem from the 'nous' form of the present tense (e.g., nous finissons -> finiss-).
    • Award marks for accurate application of endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient, ensuring strict spelling accuracy.
    • Differentiate usage: Credit imperfect for 'was doing' or 'used to do', and passé composé for completed actions.
    • Reward the correct irregular stem for être (ét-), particularly in high-frequency phrases like c'était or il y avait.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡In the 90-word and 150-word tasks, explicitly include a 'used to' phrase (e.g., avant, je jouais) to guarantee imperfect tense credit.
    • 💡When translating 'was/were + -ing' from English to French, always select the imperfect tense, never the passé composé.
    • 💡Check the 'nous' form stem carefully for -ir verbs; ensure choisissais is used, not choisais.
    • 💡Use c'était for descriptions of weather or feelings in the past to secure range of language marks.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Confusing the perfect and imperfect tenses (e.g., using j'ai allé instead of j'allais for 'I used to go').
    • Phonetic spelling errors in endings, specifically confusing singular (-ais/-ait) with plural (-ez/-er) due to similar pronunciation.
    • Incorrect stem formation for -ger and -cer verbs (omitting the 'e' or 'ç' before 'a' endings).

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Écrivez
    Traduisez
    Décrivez
    Mentionnez
    Expliquez
    Donnez

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