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French Spelling and Grammar

The double P or not, the past participle that traps you, the agreement of "demi" in "une heure et demie", the invariable color of "les yeux marron", the plural after "on": test the pitfalls that trip up even the teachers.

10

Questions

2

Minutes

Tip: Use keys 1-4 to answer quickly

The 10 quiz questions

Question 1 : How is "demi" (half) agreed in "une heure et demie" (an hour and a half)?

Possible answers:

  • Une heure et demies
  • Une heure et demi
  • Une heure et demie
  • Une heure et demis

Explanation: Placed after the noun, "demi" agrees in gender but never in number.

Question 2 : Which sentence is correctly spelled?

Possible answers:

  • On est allés au cinéma (correct)
  • On est allé's au cinéma (apostrophe)
  • On a allé au cinéma (wrong auxiliary)
  • On sont allés au cinéma (wrong conjugation)

Explanation: "On" is an indefinite singular pronoun in French, but when it clearly means "we," plural agreement of the past participle or adjective is accepted: "On est allés au cinéma." Singular agreement remains grammatically correct.

Question 3 : What is the correct spelling of the word meaning "happening at the right time"?

Possible answers:

  • Opportun
  • Oportun
  • Oportunn
  • Opportum

Explanation: "Opportun" is spelled with two P's and one N. The adjective comes from the Latin "opportunus".

Question 4 : How do you write the number 80 in French?

Possible answers:

  • Quatre-vingts
  • Quatrevingt
  • Quatre-vingt
  • Quatres-vingts

Explanation: Quatre-vingts takes an S when not followed by another number (quatre-vingt-trois).

Question 5 : What is the past participle of the French verb "résoudre" (to solve)?

Possible answers:

  • Résolvé
  • Résout
  • Résous
  • Résolu

Explanation: Résoudre gives "résolu" as its past participle. "Résous" is the present tense form (je/tu résous).

Question 6 : How is "les yeux marron" (brown eyes) written in French?

Possible answers:

  • Les yeux marrons
  • Les yeux marron
  • Les yeux marronnés
  • Les yeux de marron

Explanation: Color adjectives derived from nouns (marron, orange, crème) are invariable in French.

Question 7 : What is the correct spelling?

Possible answers:

  • Apparrement
  • Apparament
  • Apparemment
  • Aparemment

Explanation: "Apparemment" is spelled with two P's and one M. It's a very common mistake.

Question 8 : Which French sentence is correct?

Possible answers:

  • Quoi que tu dises, je pars
  • Quoiqu'il fasse, il réussit
  • Quoique tu dises, je pars
  • Quoi-qu'il en soit

Explanation: "Quoique" in one word means "although". "Quoi que" in two words means "whatever".

Question 9 : "Après qu'il..." - which grammatical mood is used in French?

Possible answers:

  • Subjunctive (qu'il soit parti)
  • Indicative (qu'il est parti)
  • Conditional (qu'il serait parti)
  • Imperative

Explanation: "Après que" is followed by the indicative because the action is completed. "Avant que" uses the subjunctive.

Question 10 : Which of the following words is the correct spelling?

Possible answers:

  • Hipopotame
  • Hyppopotame
  • Hippopotame
  • Hipotamme

Explanation: "Hippopotamus" comes from the Greek "hippos" (horse) and "potamos" (river), literally "river horse". In French, it is "hippopotame" with two p's and one t.

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