¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions
I can use the imperfect continuous and preterite tenses in the context of a conflict.
¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions
I can use the imperfect continuous and preterite tenses in the context of a conflict.
Link copied to clipboard
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- The Spanish Civil War happened between 1936 and 1939. Franco became a dictator and ruled Spain until his death in 1975.
- The imperfect continuous is for ongoing past actions; form it with the imperfect of ‘estar’ and the present participle.
- In the imperfect continuous, reflexive pronouns can go before the 1st verb or be attached after the present participle.
- The preterite tense is used to talk about events completed in the past.
- When 'cuando' indicates an interruption to ongoing past actions, the preterite tense is generally used afterwards.
Keywords
Imperfect continuous - verb tense used to talk about ongoing actions in the past, what 'was happening'
Reflexive pronoun - used to indicate doing something to yourself, words like 'myself' and 'yourself'
Preterite - verb tense used for events completed in the past
Common misconception
'Estaba' only means 'I was' in the imperfect.
'Estaba' means 'I was' but also 'she, he, it was' in the imperfect.
To help you plan your year 10 spanish lesson on: ¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 spanish lesson on: ¿Qué estaba pasando? Imperfect continuous, preterite interruptions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 spanish lessons from the My neighbourhood: conflictos unit, dive into the full secondary spanish curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
The video testimony of María Magdalena can be found on the Spanish Civil War Virtual Museum website. The children's drawings can be found on the University of San Diego library website.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
Some of our videos, including non-English language videos, do not have captions.
Starter quiz
6 Questions
wall
proof, evidence, test
fork
recent
chemical
bad
I will say
there will be
I will put
I will want
I will know
I will go out
Exit quiz
6 Questions
waiter
body
ice cream
permission
dessert
knife