Agreement 2: The past participle

Question 1

When would the past participle of a verb conjugated with avoir have an agreement?

Answer 1

It can agree with the DIRECT OBJECT of the verb, but only if it precedes the verb!!!1

Question 2

What are the two common situations when the direct object will often precede the verb?

Answer 2

1. After the preposition “que”

2. In a question

Question 3

What forms can the direct object take?

Answer 3

A noun, a demonstrative pronoun or a direct object pronoun.

Question 4

What is a demonstrative pronoun?

Answer 4

Celui, celle, ceux, celles

Question 5

What are the three types of pronominal verbs?

Answer 5

Subjective, reflexive and reciprocal

Question 6

Explain the three types of pronominal verbs

Answer 6

1. Subjective - verbs which ONLY exist in pronominal form
2. Reflexive - verbs which exist in pronominal and ‘ordinary’ form, and which express the subject acting upon itself
3. Reciprocal - verbs which exist in pronominal and ‘ordinary’ form, and which express plural subjects acting upon eachother

Question 7

When should the past participle agree with the subject of a pronominal verb?

Answer 7

When the verb is a SUBJECTIVE verb

Question 8

Should the past participle ever agree with the subject of a reflexive or reciprocal verb?

Answer 8

No, but the past participle will agree with the pronoun part of the verb (je ME suis…; nous NOUS sommes…) ONLY when this is equivalent to a direct object.