B1 repair workshop
Check the past sequence, polite suggestions, and linked clauses.
Repair the weekend timeline
Use imperfetto for a past background or repeated situation, passato prossimo for a completed event, and trapassato prossimo for an event that was already complete before another past event. Check the timeline before you choose the verb form. Do not use trapassato merely because a sentence contains two past actions.
- Elena preparava i cartelli quando Sara ha telefonato.· Elena was preparing the signs when Sara called.
- Quando Sara ha telefonato, Elena aveva già preparato i cartelli.· When Sara called, Elena had already prepared the signs.
- Sara ha letto l’avviso sul treno.· Sara read the notice on the train.
- Prima del ritardo, Sara pensava di aiutare dalle 11:00.· Before the delay, Sara planned to help from 11:00.
Repair the message
Use the conditional present to make a polite proposal. After an expression such as penso che, use the present subjunctive for a current view or the past subjunctive for an earlier completed action. A combined pronoun must have a clear receiver and object. Use a connector only when its logical relation is true.
- Potrei aiutare dopo le 11:15.· I could help after 11:15.
- Penso che Elena abbia ragione.· I think Elena is right.
- Penso che Paolo abbia già preparato i cartelli.· I think Paolo has already prepared the signs.
- Paolo deve sapere il nuovo orario; perciò glielo comunico.· Paolo needs to know the new time, so I tell it to him.