a) In spanish (castillian) gramar the Preterite or Simple Past Tense is used to express specific actions completed or concluded in the past that are separated from the present.
In other words:
It is applied when the person speaking gives information about the past that is not related to the present.
Knowing this, let’s begin with the answers:
In this sentence the main verb is comenzar (to begin). This Spanish verb is conjugated in preterite with the second person in singular tú (you) as comenzaste (you began).
In english the sentence is written as follows:
You began yesteray
In this sentence the main verb is escribir (to write). This Spanish verb is conjugated in preterite with the first person in singular yo (I) as escribí (I wrote).
In english the sentence is written as follows:
I wrote a letter
In this sentence the main verb is vivir (to live). This Spanish verb is conjugated in preterite with the first person in plural nosotros (we) as vivimos (we lived).
In english the sentence is written as follows:
We lived in San Diego
In this sentence the main verb is pagar (to pay). This Spanish verb is conjugated in preterite with the third person in plural ellos (they), which is the subject Mis padres, as pagaron (they paid).
In english the sentence is written as follows:
My parents paid for dinner
In this sentence the main verb is jugar (to play). This Spanish verb is conjugated in preterite with the third person in plural ellos (they), as jugaron (they played).
In english the sentence is written as follows:
They played baseball
b) Write both the infinitive form and the preterite yo form of the following verb.
The infinitive form of a verb is the verb in its basic form (in present), in other words is like the name or presentation of a verb as it appears in grammar or when you search in the dictionary .
It is usually preceded by to, but is not always necessary; this will depend on the context.
On the other hand, “the preterite yo form” of a verb is the conjugation of a verb in preterite or simple past tense with the fisrt person in singular yo (I).
Now, we have two verbs below, to pay (pagar) and to prefer (preferir):
1. to pay
2. to prefer
In the sentence below according to the context, the right verb is almorzar (to lunch) conjugated in future with the third person in singular él (he) which is Mi abuelo (My grandfather), as almorzará (he will lunch or he will have lunch).
Therefore, the sentence is:
Today my grandfather does not eat with us. He will have lunch with some friends
The option traer (to bring) does not match with the context.
