'fue preciso bajar' why don't use 'a' after fue?

Question

shouldn't be ir a?

but here... why not use a?

then how to understand this sentence?

Answer 1

ser preciso + inf = to be necessary to inf
fue preciso + inf = it was necessary to inf

Answer 2

Perhaps, you are confusing the past of "ir" and of "ser". As Lorenzo mentioned, your phrase/sentence involves "ser". "ir" is often followed by "a"; especially in the "ir a" + infinitive pattern but "ser" is rarely (I'd like to say 'never' but ...) followed by 'a'.

ahhh, yes, I think I do confuse them... thanks so much - chuan346, Nov 11, 2010

Answer 3

If you write the whole sentence it might make more sense