weird verb ending

[ogicu8abruok6501]

彼はインタビューに、はきはきと答えてたよ。

what the heck is going on with that verb?

[Javizy]

It's the past progressive ～ていた with the い contracted, as it often is.

[BenjaminDesu]

The verb is --->

こたえる = to answer/ to reply.

True this is in past progressive and just to add on to that, the よ　（yo)　is used as an added ! or exclamation, a certainty or emphasis.


hope this helps