Spanish Phrase
Mi tarea era corregirlo.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that the speaker’s assigned work in the past was to correct something (e.g., a paper, an exercise). It uses the imperfect to convey a past duty rather than a single completed action.
When to use
Use this structure when you want to describe a past responsibility, especially in academic or work contexts, or when you are explaining what you were supposed to do at a certain time.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Mitareaeracorregirlo
Mi (possessive adjective)
Agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it is feminine singular to match 'tarea'.
tarea (noun)
A feminine singular noun meaning 'task' or 'homework'.
era (imperfect ser)
Imperfect of 'ser' used to describe a past state, habit, or ongoing duty.
corregirlo (infinitive + clitic)
Infinitive verb 'corregir' (to correct) attached to the direct‑object pronoun 'lo' (masc. singular). The clitic is placed after the infinitive.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué tenías que hacer ayer?
What did you have to do yesterday?
Mi tarea era corregirlo.
My task was to correct it.
✕Common Mistakes
Mi tarea fue corregirlo.
Using the preterite 'fue' changes the meaning to a completed action rather than an ongoing duty.
Mi tarea era corregirla.
The pronoun must match the gender of the object; 'lo' is used for masculine nouns.
Mi tarea era corregir.
The infinitive needs a direct‑object pronoun to indicate what is being corrected.
↔Alternatives
Mi deber era corregirlo.
My duty was to correct it.
Tenía que corregirlo.
I had to correct it.
Me correspondía corregirlo.
It was my turn to correct it.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries 'tarea' usually refers to homework, but it can also mean any assigned job. The imperfect 'era' signals an ongoing or habitual duty, whereas the preterite 'fue' would imply a single completed event.