Non-specified "you" form- dealing with ambiguity

Jeffrey C.B2Kwiziq community member

Non-specified "you" form- dealing with ambiguity

The question did not specify to use the tú or usted form, and in a later question, it did specify "tú."  So I typed "leyó", but was marked wrong. I had "leiste" until I saw "tú" specified later, so I changed it.  Either both should be right or it should be specified, to reduce frustration.  I can see if you were talking to a family member or close friend (in an obvious context), then it should be expected to be "tú." But this was quite ambiguous- you could have loaned a book to a friend or a colleague or boss.

Asked 1 year ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hola Jeffrey 

I checked all the test-questions here and they all have an explicit pronoun showing clearly on the sentence, either tú, usted, vosotros or ustedes, so there is no ambiguity. If you see the subject "tú" the only possible answer is "leíste" because the pronoun tú is already telling you that it is the informal you, and the same for the others, for usted you need leyó, for vosotros you need leísteis and for ustedes you need leyeron. 

I hope this clarified it.

Saludos cordiales.

Inma

Non-specified "you" form- dealing with ambiguity

The question did not specify to use the tú or usted form, and in a later question, it did specify "tú."  So I typed "leyó", but was marked wrong. I had "leiste" until I saw "tú" specified later, so I changed it.  Either both should be right or it should be specified, to reduce frustration.  I can see if you were talking to a family member or close friend (in an obvious context), then it should be expected to be "tú." But this was quite ambiguous- you could have loaned a book to a friend or a colleague or boss.

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your Spanish level for FREE

Test your Spanish to the CEFR standard

Find your Spanish level
Getting that for you now...