FIA Grammar Chapter 16

Question 1

What negative word do you use to express complete absense/total lack?

There isn’t a resemblence.

vs.

There’s isn’t any resemblence.

Answer 1

• aucun/aucune*
• Il n’y a pas de ressemblance.*

vs.

Il n’y a aucune ressemblance.

Note that aucun functions as an adjective, and that it is always singular.

Question 2

What pronoun do you use to stand in for the name of a place that has already been referred to, irregardless of whether it’s somewhere you are going or somewhere you currently are?

I am going to go to Chartres.

I want to go there too.

Have you been in France for a long time?

No, I’ve been here two days.

Answer 2

• Y*
• Je vais aller à Chartres.*
• Je veux y aller aussi.*
• Il y a longtemps que vous ètes en France?*
• Non, ca fait deux jours que j’y suis.*

Question 3

What are two ways you can use the verb devoir?

Answer 3

To express an obligation or necessity.

Je dois aller à Chartres demain.

To express an assumption you are making about a situation.

Vous devez être riche.

Question 4

Conjugate devoir in the present indicative.

Answer 4

je dois

tu dois

il doit

nous devons

vous devez

ils doivent

Question 5

How do you say the following?

just now

now

right away

shortly/in a moment

later

Answer 5

• tout à l’heure*
• maintenant*
• tout de suite*
• tout à l’heure*
• plus tard*

Question 6

How do you say the following?

day before yesterday

yesterday

today

tomorrow

day after tomorrow

Answer 6

• avant-hier*
• hier*
• aujourd’hui*
• demain*
• aprés-demain*

Question 7

How do you say…

In the 20th century.

Answer 7

Au XXème siècle.

Question 8

What is the difference between the imparfait and the passé composé?

Answer 8

The imparfait is used to refer to an action whose significance lies in its extension, its duration. The passé composé is used to refer to an action presented as an event, an occurence, a discrete point in time.

Ma mere est née (point) pendant que me grand-parents étaient (durée) à La Rochelle.

Question 9

What are the two uses of the verb pouvoir?

Answer 9

It is used to talk about permission to do something, and also to refer to the ability to do it.

Question 10

Conjugate pouvoir and vouloir in the present indicitive.

Answer 10

je peux/veux

tu peux/veux

il peut/veut

nous pouvons/voulons

vous pouvez/voulez

ils peuvent/veulent

Question 11

1. How do you use avoir envie with a verb?

She wants to work.

2. How do you avoir envie with a noun?

She wants some chocolate.

3. How would you make these statements replacing the object with en?

Answer 11

1. With de and a verb in the infinitive.
   * Elle a envie de travailler.*
2. With de and a noun.
   * Elle a envie de chocolat.*
3. En replaces de and what follows it, and is placed before the verb avoir.
   * Elle en a envie.*

Question 12

1. How do you say that someone takes advantage of something in order to accomplish something else?

Aunt Georgette takes advantage of the beautiful weather in order to walk Fido.

How do you use en to replace that which is being taken advantage of?

Answer 12

• 1. profiter de* noun pour
• Tante Georgette profite du beau temps pour promener Fido.*

2. De and the noun that follows it are replaced by en positioned directly in front of the verb.
   * Tante Georgette en profite pour promener Fido.*

Question 13

Conjugate venir, tenir, and comprendre in the present indicative.

Note that in the six forms of the present tense the stem of these verbs has three different vowel sounds.

Answer 13

je viens/tiens/comprends

tu viens/tiens/comprends

il vient/tient//comprend

nous venons/tenons/comprenons

vous venez/tenez/comprenez

ils viennent/tiennent/comprennent