imperfect

B2 · Upper Intermediate Technical

adj. describing a verb tense for an action in the past that was not finished or happened many times.

adj. denoting a tense of verbs used to describe a past action that is incomplete, continuous, or habitual.

“In the sentence 'I was walking', the verb is in the imperfect tense.”

“The student struggled to distinguish between the preterite and the imperfect when narrating stories in Spanish.”

C2 · Proficiency Science Technical

adj. describing a flower that has only male parts or only female parts, but not both.

adj. having either stamens or pistils, but not both; unisexual.

“Corn plants have imperfect flowers because the male and female parts are separate.”

“The botanist explained that imperfect flowers require cross-pollination to produce seeds effectively.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. an object that has a small mistake or flaw, often sold at a lower price.

n. an item, typically a manufactured good, that possesses a minor flaw or defect.

“The factory shop sells imperfects at a fifty percent discount.”

“The quality control team sorted the garments into first-quality items and imperfects destined for the outlet store.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technical

n. the name of the verb tense used for unfinished past actions.

n. the imperfect tense or aspect itself.

“The teacher asked the class to conjugate the verb in the imperfect.”

“The use of the imperfect in this poem creates a sense of nostalgia by focusing on ongoing past states rather than completed events.”