Story with interruption, imperfect vs preterit
Bandita asked:
I use the imperfect, “estaba”..... the actions of being locked out and my card being in the car are still on-going, the reader or listener doesn't know the ending yet.
A member response:
Yes!
Estaba haciendo algo (imperfect) cuando algo pasó (preterit)....
I was doing something when something happened (story with an interruption).
Example,
I was locked out of my car when I suddenly realized that.....
I want to be sure I'm understanding the two parts:
-- 1 I was doing something -
-- 2 when something happened.
Q1: -- 1 I was doing something -- I was locked out of my car
-- 2 when something happened. -- when I suddenly realized that.....
I was locked out of my car when I suddenly realized that.....
My attempt:
Estaba bloqueada de mi coche cuando de pronto me di cuenta de que...
An adverb that modifies a verb usually is placed afterward. (If it comes before the verb, it is usually to add emphasis.)
Note: I do want to add emphasis to the word suddenly because I really did smack my head at the same time I was thinking, "drat, (more vocal) 
everything is in the van and I'm out here in the middle of no-where"!
Q2: Are there other suggestions/corrections for my attempt above?
1 Answer
"De pronto/ de repente" to me only makes sense where it is.
Sentence looks good to me.
