imperfect or past tense?

Question

it said complete with past tense or imperfectex)yo ____________ en mi cuarto cuando ________ el telefono.(estar, sonar)so..i dont get what grammar i have to use

Imperfect is a past tense so it can't be either or. It's supposed to be either imperfect or preterite. - benweck, Nov 16, 2010

Answer 1

Remember that the imperfect is used for actions that were interrupted in the past. The action interrupted is to be put in the imperfect, and the action doing the interruption is to be put in the preterite. Therefore, we will have: I was in my room( the action interrupted) ""Yo estaba en mi cuarto" When the phone rang ( the action interrupting) "cuando sonó el telefóno"

So we will have: "Yo estaba en mi cuarto cuando sonó el telefóno"

hope it helps...