FRENCH SENTENCE BUILDER – PART 2 doc

The elements and word order in the sentence will vary according to the function performed by qui, which can be either subject or direct object.. qui = subject of a compris Qui est-ce qu

·3· Precise questions

In Unit 2, you learned the various ways to form a question such as using

intona-tion, using the phrase est-ce que, and making subject-verb inversions In this unit,

you will continue practicing these interrogative structures while focusing on ing for very precise information

ask-Complex questions

Questions in which you expect more specific information than a simple

choice-answer or a straightforward yes or no response are referred to as complex

ques-tions They start with an interrogative pronoun, an interrogative adverb, or any other interrogative word or phrase

Questions with qui

There are several ways to create an interrogative sentence with the interrogative

pronoun qui The elements and word order in the sentence will vary according to

the function performed by qui, which can be either subject or direct object The

various possible structures for an interrogative sentence introduced by qui are as

follows:

Qui + verb

In this interrogative sentence, qui is the subject and is followed directly by the

verb

Qui était ce monsieur? Who was that gentleman?

(qui = subject of était)

Qui dit cela? Who says that?

(qui = subject of dit)

Qui a compris la leçon? Who understood the lesson?

(qui = subject of a compris)

Qui est-ce qui + verb

In this interrogative sentence, qui is the subject, but the word order is the one used

in the est-ce que method with one difference: The phrase used is est-ce qui.

Qui est-ce qui dit cela? Who says that?

Precise questions 19

Qui est-ce que + subject + verb

In this interrogative sentence structure, qui is the direct object, but the word order is the one used

in the est-ce que method.

Qui est-ce que tu as vu? Whom did you see?

Qui est-ce que nous inviterons? Whom will we invite?

Qui est-ce que tu préfères? Whom do you prefer?

3·1

EXERCICE

On the lines provided, write either qui est-ce qui or qui est-ce que as appropriate.

Qui + interrogative sentence including inversion

In this interrogative sentence, qui is also the direct object, but the word order is the one used in

the inversion method

Qui Marielle a-t-elle épousé? Whom did Marielle marry?

(qui = direct object of a épousé)

Qui as-tu vu? Whom did you see?

(qui = direct object of as vu)

Qui inviterons-nous? Whom will we invite?

(qui = direct object of inviterons)

Qui avez-vous embauché? Whom did you hire?

(qui = direct object of avez embauché)

Qui aimez-vous le mieux ? Whom do you love the most?

(qui = direct object of aimez)

3·2

EXERCICE

Translate each question and answer into English.

1 Qui as-tu rencontré hier soir? —Un vieil ami

2 Qui as-tu invité? —La famille

3 Qui est-ce que Raymond va féliciter? —Son nouvel employé

4 Qui cherchez-vous? —La vendeuse.

5 Qui est-ce que tes parents préfèrent? —Moi bien sûr

6 Qui Suzanne embrasse-t-elle? —Son copain

Questions with qu’est-ce que and que

The phrase qu’est-ce que/qu’ as well as the pronoun que express what and play the role of direct

object in a sentence

Qu’est-ce que/qu’ + subject + verb

In this interrogative sentence, the phrase qu’est-ce que (what) is followed by a subject and a

verb

Qu’est-ce qu’Anne fait? What is Anne doing?

Qu’est-ce que tu désires? What would you like?

Qu’est-ce que nous allons manger? What are we going to eat?

Precise questions 21

Que/Qu’ + verb + subject

In this interrogative sentence, que (what) is followed by a verb and a subject.

(The noun, Anne, and the verb, fait, have been inverted.)

Qu’allons-nous manger? What are we going to eat?

3·4

EXERCICE

Write the letter of the phrase that completes each question on the lines provided.

1 Qu’est-ce que recevoir comme cadeaux? a vous dites

3 Qu’est-ce que quand on vous donne un cadeau? c vous aimez

4 Qu’est-ce que pour vous amuser? d vous n’aimez pas

5 Qu’est-ce que faire le jour de votre anniversaire? e vos parents

Questions with qu’est-ce qui

The phrase qu’est-ce qui is used to express what It plays the role of subject in the sentence.

Qu’est-ce qui arrive? What is happening?

Qu’est-ce qui s’est passé? What happened?

Qu’est-ce qui prouve ce fait? What proves this fact?

5 ne va pas?

Questions with interrogative adverbs

With the interrogative adverbs pourquoi (why), comment (how), quand (when), combien de (how many/how much), and ó (where), French uses the following methods to create interrogative

sentences:

Interrogative adverb + est-ce que + word order of simple

declarative sentence

In the following questions, the interrogative adverb is followed by the phrase est-ce que, the

sub-ject, and the verb

Pourquoi est-ce que Patrick n’aime pas Why doesn’t Patrick like his work?

son travail?

Comment est-ce que tu vas? How are you?

Quand est-ce que tu vas au travail? When are you going to work?

Combien de jours est-ce que tu resteras? How many days will you stay?

Où est-ce qu’Anne va avec tous ces livres? Where is Anne going with all those books?

Où est-ce qu’elle habite? Where does she live?

Interrogative adverb + word order appropriate to inversion method

In using this method, apply what you have previously learned about the inversion method (remember not to invert a noun-subject with the verb; instead add a hyphen and a subject pro-noun after the verb)

Pourquoi Patrick n’aime-t-il pas son travail? Why doesn’t Patrick like his work?

Quand vas-tu au travail? When do you go to work?

Combien de jours resteras-tu? How many days will you stay?

Où Anne va-t-elle avec tous ces livres? Where does Anne go with all these books?

Interrogative adverb + word order of simple declarative sentence

Using this method means simply adding the interrogative adverb to the declarative sentence and using a higher pitch intonation at the end of the sentence This is used in very familiar settings only

Pourquoi Patrick n’aime pas son travail? Why doesn’t Patrick like his work?

Note in the following sentences that the words comment, quand, combien de jours, and ó

can be placed at the head of the question or after the verb:

Comment tu vas? How are you?

Quand tu vas au travail? When do you go to work?

Tu vas au travail quand? When do you go to work?

Precise questions 23

3·7

Arranging the sentence fragments provided in the appropriate order, write questions to be

used in familiar settings Do not use est-ce que, and do not make an inversion, but

remember to use a question mark.

1 tu / vas / ó / maintenant

2 vas / tu / comment / au travail

3 rentres / quand / tu / aujourd’hui

4 ne manges pas / pourquoi / tu

5 combien de café / veux / tu

6 ça / va / comment

3·8

EXERCICE

Redo each question from the previous exercise, this time using the words provided with the

est-ce que structure.

1 tu / vas / ó / maintenant

2 vas / tu / comment / au travail

3 rentres / quand / tu / aujourd’hui

4 ne manges pas / pourquoi / tu

5 combien de café / veux / tu

6 ça / va / comment

Questions with the adjective quel

Many very common interrogative questions include a form of the adjective quel Here are a few Note how the form of quel changes according to the gender (masculine or feminine) and the

number (singular or plural) of the noun it accompanies As previously seen, there are again three

ways to create this type of question: the est-ce que method, the inversion method, and the voice

pitch method

Quel train est-ce que tu prends? Which train are you taking?

Quel train prends-tu?

Quel train tu prends?

Quelle heure est-ce qu’il est? What time is it?

Quelle heure est-il?

Quelle heure il est?

Quels livres est-ce que tu as lus? What books have you read?

Quels livres as-tu lus?

Quel livres tu as lus?

Quelles dates est-ce que tu préfères? What dates do you prefer?

Quelles dates préfères-tu?

Quelles dates tu préfères?

Now consider these examples in which quel does not directly precede the noun, and note

the word order in this type of interrogative sentence:

Quel + être + subject

Quels sont tes numéros de téléphone? What are your phone numbers?

Quelles sont les prévisions météorologiques? What is the weather forecast?

Quelle est ton opinion? What is your opinion?

3·9

EXERCICE

Translate the following questions into French using the correct form of quel.

1 What time is it?

2 What is his date of birth?

3 What is her telephone number?

4 What is the weather today?

5 What are his favorite colors?

6 What choice do I have?

Precise questions 25

3·10

Begin each question with the appropriate interrogative word Qui, Où, Comment, Que/

Qu’ There may be more than one possible answer.

Write either ó, qu’, qu’est-ce qu’, or qu’est-ce qui to complete the following questions.

anniversaire?

Questions with prepositions

Complex questions sometimes start with prepositions followed by question words; these are used

to elicit concrete or fuller responses to a question As previously seen, there are usually several

ways to form a question: the est-ce que method, the inversion method, and using intonation in a

declarative sentence The word order in the complex interrogative sentence introduced by a osition may be as follows:

prep-preposition + interrogative word + est-ce que + declarative sentence

or

preposition + interrogative word + inversion method word order

Pendant combien de temps? For how long?

Dans combien de temps? When? / In how much time?

Pour qui est-ce qu’elle achète le bijou? For whom does she buy the jewel?

Pour qui achète-t-elle le bijou?

Pour qui elle achète le bijou?

Depuis quand est-ce qu’Anne habite Paris? Since when does Anne live in Paris?

Depuis quand Anne habite-t-elle Paris?

Depuis quand Anne habite Paris?

Pendant combien de temps est-ce qu’ils For how long did they wait?

ont attendu?

Pendant combien de temps ont-ils attendu?

Pendant combien de temps ils ont attendu?

3·12

EXERCICE

Using tu for you and the inversion method, translate the sentences into French.

1 Where are you from?

2 Where are you going?

3 Since when do you study French?

4 When are you going to finish this exercise?

5 Until when are you going to wait?

6 To whom do you write most of your e-mails?

Precise questions 27

3·13

Complete the following questions for your favorite singer using vous to address him/her

and the present indicative of the verbs in parentheses.

3·14

EXERCICE

Translate the following questions into French, using vous for you and the inverted word

order structure.

1 Where would you like to go?

2 How much can you spend?

3 Who is traveling with you?

4 What airline do you prefer?

5 Why do you want to travel first class?

3·15

EXERCICE

Complete each of the following sentences with the appropriate interrogative term.

Aman Ary, à l’âge de dix-neuf ans, est un grand athlète Comme enfant, il jouait déjà au

foot et cette expérience l’a inspiré pour le reste de sa vie Son père l’emmenait aussi

régulièrement à des matchs de football Aman voulait devenir célèbre, comme ses idoles, et il

voulait jouer comme eux pour une équipe professionnelle aux États-Unis Actuellement, Aman joue pour l’équipe nationale de France Aman est très discipliné: il ne rate jamais l’entraînement

et il maintient la forme Son rêve s’est réalisé!

Some interrogative terms are used to ask limiting or partial questions Some elicit a specific

answer about a noun such as the adverbial phrase combien de (how much) or the adjectives lequel, laquelle, lesquels, and lesquelles (which one/which ones).

Lequel de ces tableaux préfères-tu? Which one of these paintings do you prefer?

(Lequel is in the masculine singular form; it refers to one tableau.)

Laquelle de ces serveuses est la plus Which one of these waitresses is the most

(Laquelle is in the feminine singular form; it refers to one serveuse.)

Combien d’euros as-tu? How many euros do you have?

Combien de temps avons-nous? How much time do we have?

3·17

EXERCICE

Complete the following questions with a form of lequel or with the phrase combien de.

·4· Exclamatory sentences

Exclamatory sentences communicate strong feelings The speaker often adds

voice modulation and facial expressions to stress emotions Exclamatory

sen-tences are more common in speech than in writing

Basic exclamatory sentences

There are three basic ways of expressing yourself in an exclamatory manner in

French You may use a declarative sentence and add intonation (an exclamation

mark in writing), or start a sentence with one of the conjunctions que or comme

followed by the declarative sentence

Ce souper est délicieux! Supper is delicious! (intonation)

Que tu es gentil! How nice you are!

Comme il fait froid! How cold it is!

Declarative sentence with intonation or punctuation

With the appropriate punctuation you can use declarative sentences (Unit 1) to

express strong feelings For some, a definition of an exclamatory sentence in

Eng-lish and in French alike is a forceful declarative sentence that shows strong

emo-tion In writing, an exclamation mark ends the sentence

declarative sentence + !  exclamatory sentence

The exclamation mark adds emphasis, an element of surprise, astonishment,

admiration, or happiness to what was initially a simple declarative sentence

(affir-mative or negative)

Ce monsieur a gagné la loterie! This man won the lottery!

Je suis la meilleure! I am the best!

Tu n’as pas fait ton devoir! You did not do your homework!

Regarde ma nouvelle voiture! Look at my new car!

Bon, je ne dirai pas un mot! Fine, I will not say one word!

4·1

EXERCICE

Fill in the blanks to complete the French translations of the following sentences.

3 It is hot outside! Qu’ !

3 I have so many friends!

4 My boss loves me a lot!

5 I am very rich!

6 Everybody admires me!

Exclamatory sentences introduced by exclamatory

conjunctions, adverbs, or adjectives

Exclamation words express the attitudes and emotions of the speaker A definition of a formal exclamatory sentence (used in writing) is one that begins with an exclamation word

Exclamations with que and comme

Some exclamatory sentences start with que (how) or comme (how) These words underscore the

quality, nature, or intensity of the adjective or verb that follows them

que + declarative sentence + !  exclamatory sentence

Que c’est beau! How beautiful this is!

Qu’il est grand! How tall he is!

Que vous êtes polis! How polite you are!

Que vous avez l’air content! How happy you look!

comme + declarative sentence + !  exclamatory sentence

Comme vous travaillez bien! How well you work!

Comme ils sont mignons! How cute they are!

Comme ils nagent vite! How fast they swim!

Comme tu es amusante! How funny you are!

Comme ils sont adorables! How adorable they are!

Exclamations with combien, combien de/d’, and que de/d’

Exclamatory sentences are also introduced by the exclamatory adverbs combien (how much), combien de/d’, and que de/d’ (how much/how many) These words stress the quantity or intensity

Exclamatory sentences 31

combien + declarative sentence + !  exclamatory sentence

Combien j’aime ce pays! How I love this country!

Combien j’ai attendu ce moment! How I waited for this moment!

combien de + noun + !  exclamatory phrase

Combien de roses! How many roses!

Combien de compliments! How many compliments!

Combien d’argent il a hérité! How much money he inherited!

que de + noun + !  exclamatory phrase

Que de cadeaux sous l’arbre de Noël! How many gifts under the Christmas tree!

Que d’amour! How much love!

que de + noun + declarative sentence + !  exclamatory sentence

Que de confettis on jette dans les rues! How much confetti they throw into the streets!

Que de papier vous gaspillez! How much paper you waste!

Que de sucreries elle mange! How many sweets she eats!

Exclamations with quel

Exclamations can also be introduced by a form of the adjective quel (what) This exclamation

word underscores the quality, nature, or intensity of the noun or noun phrase it describes

quel/quelle/quels/quelles + noun + !  exclamatory phrase

Quel conducteur! What a driver!

Quels sportifs! What athletes!

Quelles magnifiques couleurs! What magnificent colors!

quel/quelle/quels/quelles + noun + !  exclamatory sentence

Quelle imagination elle a! What imagination she has!

Quelle peur bleue j’ai eue hier soir! What horrible fright I had last night!

Quelle force ils ont! What strength they have!

These exclamations may have several meanings For example, the exclamation Quelle

voi-ture! (What a car!) could praise the size, value, performance, beauty, or other qualities of the car;

or the context may suggests the car is ugly, old, or otherwise despicable

Quelle maison il a achetée! What a great (or horrible) house he bought!

4·3

EXERCICE

Translate the following sentences into English.

1 Que de plaisirs on trouve dans la vie!

2 Combien de surprises elle nous réserve!

3 Quelle innocence on voit dans les enfants!

4 Combien nous sommes attachés à la vie!