Spanish
Grade 7
15 min
¡A escribir! Mi última compra
Write a paragraph describing your last shopping experience using the preterite tense.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Write a short paragraph in Spanish describing a recent purchase.
Correctly use the preterite tense for regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs to narrate past events.
Incorporate at least three vocabulary words related to professions and shopping.
Use the imperfect tense to provide simple background descriptions (e.g., 'la tienda era grande').
Use adjectives that correctly agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe.
Form a basic comparison using 'más... que' or 'menos... que'.
¿Qué fue lo último que compraste? ¿Un videojuego, ropa nueva, un libro? ¡Vamos a contar la historia de esa compra! 🛍️
In this tutorial, you will learn how to write a story about your last purchase. We will use the preterite tense to talk about wha...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
El PretéritoA past tense used for actions that are seen as completed. It answers the question, 'What happened?'.Yo compré una camisa nueva. (I bought a new shirt.)
El Imperfecto (Introducción)A past tense used for descriptions, setting the scene, or talking about ongoing past actions. It answers the question, 'What was it like?' or 'What was happening?'.La tienda era muy moderna y había mucha gente. (The store was very modern and there were a lot of people.)
El/La Vendedor(a)The salesperson; the professional who sells things in a store.El vendedor me ayudó a encontrar mi talla. (The salesman helped me find my size.)
El/La Cajero(a)The cashier; the professional who takes the payment for a purchase.Le di el dinero a la cajera. (I gave the...
3
Grammar Rules & Patterns
Preterite Tense: Regular -AR Verb Endings
yo: -é, tú: -aste, él/ella/Ud.: -ó, nosotros: -amos, ellos/ellas/Uds.: -aron
To talk about a completed past action using a regular -ar verb like 'comprar' (to buy), remove the -ar and add the correct ending for who did the action.
Preterite Tense: Regular -ER/-IR Verb Endings
yo: -í, tú: -iste, él/ella/Ud.: -ió, nosotros: -imos, ellos/ellas/Uds.: -ieron
To talk about a completed past action using a regular -er verb like 'vender' (to sell) or an -ir verb like 'escribir' (to write), remove the ending and add the correct preterite ending.
Using Preterite vs. Imperfect
Preterite = Action (What happened). Imperfect = Description (What was it like?).
Use the preterite for the main events of your story...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
You bought a new video game that was better than your old one. The cashier was nice. Which sentence best summarizes this experience using a comparison and a preterite verb?
A.El videojuego era bueno y el cajero fue simpático.
B.Compré un videojuego que era más divertido que mi juego viejo.
C.El cajero era simpático y yo compraba un videojuego.
D.El videojuego costó mucho y es más divertido.
Challenging
Read the sentences: 1. La tienda era muy popular. 2. El cajero me dio mi recibo. 3. Primero, entré en la tienda. 4. Después, pagué por los pantalones. What is the most logical order for these sentences to describe a shopping trip?
A.1, 3, 4, 2
B.3, 1, 4, 2
C.2, 4, 3, 1
D.3, 4, 1, 2
Challenging
Which sentence best incorporates a profession, a preterite action, an imperfect description, and correct adjective agreement?
A.El vendedor, que fue amable, me ayuda a encontrar una camisa verdes.
B.El vendedor, que era amable, me ayudó a encontrar una camisa verde.
C.El vendedor, que era amable, me ayudaba a encontrar una camisa verde.
D.El vendedor, que fue amable, me ayudó a encontrar una camisa verde.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing Free