Devoir (and its discontents)After I had had to do my homework, I went for a walk.Really? No native English speaker would ever say this. One might say "After I did my homework, I went for a walk" but that doesn't mean what I think the question writer is after.
Having had to do something is a state of being, not something after which one takes a walk. Consider a work around to what is said: "After being in a position where I was required to do my homework, I took a walk." Weird, awkward, unidiomatic, and just strange. If this question was written by a native English speaker, it was surely in pursuit of teaching the plupurfect of devoir, which I never hear in conversation. It is something taught but in my experience never used and really never needed. Apparently, whatever exists on the conjugation chart has to be worked into a question....
When I took French in 60s, the pluperfect of devoir was translated as "must have", but I only hear the passe compose in cases where the pluperfect might have worked. Again, I never hear this said and rarely written.
Anyway you look at it, devoir in the past is a condition - not something that happens before something else happens. So no more is needed than the passe compose IMO.....
When I used , it was marked out in favor of , which I never hear i conversation. However, at the end of the exercise, I see enlever used when the text is played back. Looks like an oversight or self-contradiction you can easily repair.
I was marked incorrect for writing , which is perfectly good French. Is there a nuance I missed?
Really? No native English speaker would ever say this. One might say "After I did my homework, I went for a walk" but that doesn't mean what I think the question writer is after.
Having had to do something is a state of being, not something after which one takes a walk. Consider a work around to what is said: "After being in a position where I was required to do my homework, I took a walk." Weird, awkward, unidiomatic, and just strange. If this question was written by a native English speaker, it was surely in pursuit of teaching the plupurfect of devoir, which I never hear in conversation. It is something taught but in my experience never used and really never needed. Apparently, whatever exists on the conjugation chart has to be worked into a question....
When I took French in 60s, the pluperfect of devoir was translated as "must have", but I only hear the passe compose in cases where the pluperfect might have worked. Again, I never hear this said and rarely written.
Anyway you look at it, devoir in the past is a condition - not something that happens before something else happens. So no more is needed than the passe compose IMO.....
II noticed that she pronounces the s at the end of "plus". I have never understood when to pronounce this and when not. Could someone explain please?
Why was my answer marked wrong because I used tu instead of vous when there was no indicator either way.
Wouldn’t either choice be correct in a quiz?
I realize that in speech there is always a reason for choosing tu versus vous.
Thank you
J'ai choisi abimer au lieu de ruiner, un mot qui n'était pas dans mon vocabulaire avant. C'était un mauvaise utilisation d'abimer ? Dans la même phrase, j'ai utilisé jolie au lieu de belle. Un autre mauvais choix?
In level C1 why is there so much emphasis on passé simple? I would rather be practising useful phrases. Thank you.
I thought they were the same as English's what and which but I feel like that's wrong.
soir vs soiree
I don't know if there are any more. Thank you in advance!
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