The English praeterite being the equivalent of three tenses in French,
it is of the utmost importance that a clear idea of the shades of
meaning conveyed by the latter should be firmly possessed.


i.

_WHENEVER REPETITION OF THE ACTION IS IMPLIED_ the IMPARFAIT is used.

The force, in English, is "used to . . .," "kept . . . -ing," etc.

E.g., Esth. l. 6: _m'aidais à soupirer_ . . . "wast wont to sigh with
me."

l. 83: . . . _disais-je_, . . . = "I would say"


ii.

_WHEN NO REPETITION OF THE ACTION IS IMPLIED_.

A. IF THE ACTION IS CONSIDERED AS BEING SIMPLY IN PROGRESS, WITHOUT
REFERENCE EITHER TO ITS BEGINNING OR TO ITS END, again the IMPARFAIT is
used.

The force, in English, is "was . . . -ing."

E.g., l. 12: _je vivais séparée_ = "I was living apart."

l. 58: . . . _attendaient leur arrêt_ = "were awaiting their doom."