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French IIB exam > Grammar > Flashcards

Grammar Flashcards

1
Q

Si = passé composé

A

Result = future or imperative

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2
Q

Si = imperfect

A

Result = present conditional

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3
Q

Si = pluperfect

A

Result = past conditional

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4
Q

Si = present indicative

A

Result = future or imperative

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5
Q

How to form the future perfect?

A

Future of avoir or être

+

Past participle

Je serai venu(e), j’aurai parlé etc

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6
Q

What is the use of the future perfect?

A

Used to express a future action that will be completed before another future action.

Nearly every case requires the future tense in the dependent clause

Il sera déjà parti quand vous arriverez

Nous nous serons couchés quand vous reviendrez

Also used after these conjunctions:
Après que (after)
Quand (when)
Aussitôt que (as soon as)
Tant que (until)
Dès que (as soon as)
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7
Q

How to form the pluperfect ?

A

Imperfect form of avoir or être

+

Past participle

J’avais parlé, tu étais venu(e) etc

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8
Q

What is the use of the pluperfect?

A

Used to express a past action completed before another past action.

HOWEVER
when a past action introduced by quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que or après que immediately precedes a second past action that is in the compound last, the first action may also be expressed by the compound past

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9
Q

The definite article with professional titles

A

When talking ABOUT someone who has a professional title, the definite article accompanies the title.
Le docteur Martin est dentiste.

In formal address, in speaking and writing, article used before professional titles in combination with Monsieur, Madame etc.
Monsieur le président.

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10
Q

Definite article with names of languages and Academic subjects

A

DA used at all times EXCEPT when the noun follows de or en. Or in the case of languages, when the noun IMMEDIATELY follows Parler

J'étudie la biologie.
Il parle très mal le russe.
Je ne parle pas japonais.
Elle se spécialise en maths.
C'est mon livre d'histoire.
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11
Q

Definite article with dates.

A

DA precedes the date.

Les cours recommencent le 15 Septembre.

Je suis né le 20 février 1957.

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12
Q

Definite article with days of the week.

A

Use the DA to indicate habitual occurrence.
Il enseigne le lundi (He teaches Monday)
To emphasise the habitual nature, the plural is used with the adjective tous.
Tous les samedis nous allons à la plage.

When a date is accompanied by a day of the week, the article precedes the day.

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13
Q

When is the definite article used with seasons?

A

Used with names of the seasons except when they are preceded by en

NOTE
au Printemps, en été, en automne, en hiver

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14
Q

When is the article used with nouns in apposition?

A

Definite article normally used with nouns in apposition to state what the speaker considers a well known fact

Whenever the noun in apposition furnishes additional and presumably unknown info the noun in apposition tends to be used without any article

Pasteur, le grand savant français, mourut en 1895.
Pierre Dupont, étudiant en médecine, habite à Paris.

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15
Q

Use of the article with a noun following the preposition en?

A

Normally no article follows en,

BUT EXCEPTIONS

en l’honneur
En l’air
En l’absence

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16
Q

Article with first names?

A

Only used with first names which have been modified by an adjective

Marie est partie hier avec son frère Henri Et le petit Claude

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17
Q

When is the article used before names of countries and continents?

A

Normally used before names of countries and continents.

BUT not used after en (which expresses in or to with feminine countries) nor after de (meaning from) when it precedes a feminine country

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18
Q

Article with names of cities?

A

Not usually found in city named.

EXCEPTIONS
La Haye (The Hague)
La Nouvelle-Orléans
Le Havre
La Rochelle
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19
Q

Article used with names of streets and avenues?

A

Normally used before names of streets and avenues

Dites-moi où est la rue Racine
Le Boulevard Saint-Germain est très tranquille.
Connaissez-vous l’avenue des Champs-Élysées

BUT when the preposition in or on precede the street name in English, French tends to omit the preposition and article

Nous sommes arrivés Boulevard Saint-Michel

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20
Q

Prepositions and article with names of streets and avenues

A 
Dans la rue (on the street)
Dans l'avenue (on the avenue)
Sur l'avenue (on the avenue)
Sur la place (in the square)
Sur Le boulevard (on the boulevard)
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21
Q

How to express speed per hour?

A

à + Speed + à l’heure

Le train roulait à cent soixante kilomètres à l’heure.

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22
Q

How to express money per hour?

A

De l’heure

Marie gagne cinq dollars de l’heure.

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23
Q

How to express something accomplished per unit time?

A

Par + UNIT OF TIME
par jour, par semaine, par mois, par an.

Dan ce pays on travaille huit heures par jour Et quarante heures par semaine.

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24
Q

How to use expressions of dry measure, weight etc?

A

Expressed per with expressions of weight etc by placing the definite article before the expression

Les pommes de terre coûtent dix francs la livre.
Le sucre coûte quatre francs le kilo.

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25
Q

What prepositions are used with expressions of means of locomotion and when is the article used?

A 
En train ( or par le train)
En voiture
En avion (or par avion) 
À pied
À bicyclette 
En Moto
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26
Q

Article with profession, nationality or religion?

A

M. Badin est avocat
Sa femme est américaine
Mlle Bajard est un excellent professeur

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27
Q

What type of verbs in the main clause are owed by the subjunctive in the subordinate clause?

A

Verbs of wishing, preferring, suggesting etc. And verbs and expressions of emotion such as fearing, being glad, being sorry etc.

REMEMBER
affirmative espérer is followed by INDICATIVE

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28
Q

How does French express a sentence such as “George wants me to do…”?

A

English: want + object + infinitive
French: vouloir + que + subjunctive

Je veux que tu partes tout de suite
Georges veut que je fasse tout moi-même

29
Q

When is the present and past subjunctive used ?

A

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
if action of subordinate clause takes place AT THE SAME TIME or AFTER the action in the main clause

PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
if action of subordinate clause takes place BEFORE the action of the main clause

30
Q

When must the infinite be used instead of a que-clause with the subjunctive even after constructions which seem to require a subjunctive?

A

When the subjects of the main and subordinate clauses are the same, INFINITIVE is required INSTEAD OF que.

Avez-vous peur de faire cela?

NOTE ne and pas precede a present infinitive: j’ai peur de ne pas arriver à l’heure.

NOTE ne and pas usually precede the auxiliary of a past infinitive: j’ai peur de ne pas avoir vu le vrai responsable.

NOTE verbs of wishing are followed directly by the infinitive, verbs of emotion require de before an infinitive

31
Q

What are the subordinate conjunctions that are always followed by the subjunctive?

A 
Afin que (in order that, so that)
Pour que (in order that, so that)
Bien que (although) 
Quoique (although)
Pourvu que (provided that)
À condition que (provided that) 
À moins que (unless)
Sans que (without) 
Avant que (before)
Jusqu'à ce que (until)
32
Q

What are the subordinate conjunctions when the subject of both clauses are the same?

A 
À moins de + infinitive 
Afin de + infinitive 
Pour + infinitive 
Avant de + infinitive 
Sans + infinitive 
NOTE
bien que
Quoique
Pourvu que
Jusqu'à ce que
This cannot be done
Nous viendrons bien que nous soyons fatigués
33
Q

Subjunctive or indicative with superlatives or adjectives such as premier , denier and seul?

A

In clauses whose antecedent is modified by a superlative or by adjectives such as premier, dernier and seul, verb may be indicative or subjunctive

Indicative = objective fact 
Subjunctive = element of doubt or personal opinion

C’est le plus beau musée que je connaisse.
Que est le plus grand édifice qu’on ait (a) construit à Paris?

34
Q

What construction can be used to insist on an action?

A

Être en train de + infinitive

Je suis en train de travailler.

35
Q

What is the use of the present tense?

A

Used to state a general truth.

Also used to express the English progressive -ing.
Il pleut en ce moment.
It is raining at the moment.

Also used to express a future idea when an expression in the sentence indicates the future.
Je pars en vacances demain.

Also used for actions which began in the past and are still continuing in the present .
Present + DEPUIS + length of time
= have been + Verbing + for + time
Je travaille ici depuis 5 ans.

36
Q

How else can one express an action which began in the past and is still continuing in the present?

A

Il y a + time + que…
Il y a 5 ans que Je travaille ici

Voilà + time + que…
Voilà 5 ans que Je travaille ici

Voici + time + que…
Voici 5 ans que Je travaille ici

REMEMBER
in negative sentences with these and depuis, passé composé is used.
Je n’ai pas voyagé depuis 3 ans.

37
Q

What to use if an action is finished and took place over some time?

A

Passé composé + pendant

Nous avons étudié pendant 6 heures

38
Q

How to form the future tense?

A

Stem of infinitive for -er and -ir verbs (-re verbs drop e) + endings:

  • ai -ons
  • as -ez
  • a -ont
39
Q

How to form the conditional ?

A

Add the imparfait endings to the future stem.

Endings:

  • ais. -ions
  • ais. -iez
  • ait. -aient
40
Q

What do you use to express an action that had been going on for some time when something else happened?

A

Depuis is used with the imperfect; the interrupting action is the passé composé

Nous conduisions depuis deux heures quand j’ai décidé de prendre le Volant

41
Q

When can the English pluperfect be used and the french pluperfect cannot?

A

When an action introduced by quand, lorsque, aussitôt que and après que precedes another action in the passé composé, first action must be in the passé composé

Quand j’ai fini d’étudier hier, nous sommes allé say café

Dès qu’elle a eu fait la vaisselle, ils ont regardé la télé

42
Q

When the subject of the clause with quand, lorsque and après que is the same subject of the main clause and when the main clause is in the passé composé, what construction can be used?

A

Après + past infinitive :

Après avoir fini
Après être parti(e)(s)
Après s’être + lavé(e)(s)

Après être rentrée à la Maison, Elle a pris une douche

43
Q

How to express “night and day”?

A

Le jour et la nuit
Ou
Jour et nuit

44
Q

How to say in or to for a feminine country ?

A

En

No definite article follows this

45
Q

How to say from for a feminine country ?

A

De

No DA

46
Q

How to express to and from masculine countries ?

A

Au/aux

47
Q

How to express from for masculine countries?

A

Du/des

48
Q

When qui is the object of the sentence, what word order is used when the subject of the sentence is a pronoun? Noun?

A

Qui + Verb + Pronoun Subject

Qui + Noun Subject + Verb + Pronoun Subject

Qui voyez-vous là-bas?
Whom do you see over there?

Qui Jacques voir-il là-bas?
Whom does Jack see over there?

49
Q

When is que and when is qu’est-ce que used as the object of the sentence to refer to a thing?

A

When the DO is a thing, either can be used but notice DIFFERENCE IN WORD ORDER

Que + verb + subject
Qu’est-ce que + subject + verb

Que voyez-vous?
Qu’est-ce que vous voyez?
What do you see?

50
Q

What is the use of Quoi ?

A

Used to refer to a thing after a preposition.
De quoi parlez-vous?
Of what are you speaking ?

Also used when asking “what?” Alone.

Also used instead of que before an infinitive, esp in negative sentences.
Je ne sais pas quoi faire.

51
Q

How to say going to/being in a city?

A

À

Je suis à Paris, Je vais à Lille

52
Q

How to say going to/being in a country or continent?

A

En witty feminine countries and continents.
Je suis allé en Chine.

Au/aux with masculine countries
Je suis resté un mois au Pérou.

53
Q

What are the masculine countries which end in e?

A

Le Mexique

Le Cambodge

Le Zaïre

54
Q

What preposition do you use for going to/being in a place which is modified by an adjective or phrase that is not an integral part of the name?

A

Use dans + definite article

Dans le Vieux Paris

Dans la vibrante Barcelone

55
Q

What are the spelling changes of some US States?

A

La Californie, la Floride, la Georgie
=> use en for these

For other states use dans le
Dans Le Michigan

56
Q

How to say from a city

A

Only de

De Grenoble

57
Q

How to say from a feminine country ?

A

Only de

De Tunisie

58
Q

How to say from a masculine country?

A

Du

Du Maroc

59
Q

Going to/being in The Northern Territory

A

Dans Le territoire du Nord

60
Q

Going to/being in Queensland

A

Dans Le Queensland

61
Q

Going to/ being in Victoria

A

Dans Le Victoria

62
Q

Going to/being in New South Wales

A

En Nouvelle Galle du Sud

63
Q

Going to/being in Western Australia

A

En Australie Occidentale

64
Q

Going to / being in Tasmania

A

En Tasmanie

65
Q

Going to/ being in South Australia

A

En Australie méridionale (du Sud)

66
Q

When do you use the past infinitive?

A

If the action after a preposition clearly takes place before the action of the main verb of the sentence.

L’ouvrier a été renvoyé pour avoir insulté le directeur.

Use Avant de + Infinitive to express before doing
Avant de m’habiller, je prends une douche.

Après + compound infinitive to express after verb-ing
Après avoir mangé, Je fais la vaisselle.

Remember ne pas precede the infinitive

67
Q

What about pour?

A

Used to express purpose (in order to)

With venir and Aller often omitted .
Il est venu (pour) me Chercher en voiture.

Also used to express “enough to” and “to much too”
Assez pour + inf
Il est assez âgé pour conduire

Trop pour + inf
Je suis trop fatiqué pour sortir

68
Q

What are some words that use the de in the passive?

A

Entourer de (surround)

Couvrir de

Remplir de (to fill)

French IIB exam (7 decks)

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