imperfect

Everyday

1. Having faults or mistakes; not perfect. tree →
2. (grammar) The imperfect tense describes past actions that were going on or happened often, as in French and Spanish, or «I was reading» in English. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and ethics it reminds us that everyone makes mistakes: «we are all imperfect». In shops «imperfect» goods have small faults and are cheaper. In language lessons it is a past tense. Phrases: an imperfect world, imperfect but useful, the imperfect tense.

Examples

• The vase is slightly imperfect, so it was half price. tree →
• Nobody is perfect; we are all imperfect. tree →
• Her English is imperfect, but she speaks it bravely. tree →
• Christians believe that God loves people even though they are imperfect. tree →
• In French lessons we learned the imperfect tense. tree →
• The plan was imperfect, but it worked. tree →

Note

Noun: imperfection. Opposite: perfect. Prefix im- means «not» (like impossible, impatient). In grammar, «imperfect» is a tense name, not a judgement.