"Au quotidien, faire les courses est devenu un vrai cauchemar : il fallait que je lise toutes les étiquettes !" VS "Même les produits que je n'aurais jamais suspectés de contenir du gluten m'étaient à présent interdits à jamais. Il a fallu que j'apprenne à cuisiner.."
I'm guessing example 1 uses the imparfait since it's a "continuing action", but isn't example 2 also a "continuing action" even with the fullstop separating the two?
Imparfait versus Passé Composé
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The second example is better in passé composé because it is a single event: "I had to learn how to cook". And not "I was having to learn..."
Tom A. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Yes: he had to learn to cook only once. Reading the labels was something he was obliged to do repeatedly.
Kingsley W. asked:View original
Imparfait versus Passé Composé
"Au quotidien, faire les courses est devenu un vrai cauchemar : il fallait que je lise toutes les étiquettes !" VS "Même les produits que je n'aurais jamais suspectés de contenir du gluten m'étaient à présent interdits à jamais. Il a fallu que j'apprenne à cuisiner.."
I'm guessing example 1 uses the imparfait since it's a "continuing action", but isn't example 2 also a "continuing action" even with the fullstop separating the two?
I'm guessing example 1 uses the imparfait since it's a "continuing action", but isn't example 2 also a "continuing action" even with the fullstop separating the two?
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