1. In English, explain the difference between the two sentences.

Question

Alberto leyó el libro cuando volvió a casa.
Alberto leía el libro cuando volvió a casa. (2 points)

Answer 1

The difference between the two sentences lies in the tense used and what that conveys about the actions.

1. "Alberto leyó el libro cuando volvió a casa."

   • This sentence uses the simple past tense (leyó). It indicates that Alberto read the book in a completed action. It suggests that he finished reading it at some point after he returned home.

2. "Alberto leía el libro cuando volvió a casa."

   • This sentence uses the imperfect tense (leía). This tense suggests that Alberto was in the process of reading the book when he returned home. It implies that his reading was ongoing and perhaps interrupted by his return.

In summary, the first sentence describes a completed action, while the second describes an ongoing action that was happening at the same time as another action (his return).