Mon annee a l'etranger

Margaret S.B2Kwiziq community member

Mon annee a l'etranger

 In the sentence "On a visite le Mont St Michel qui nous a laisses ......", shouldn't it be ".....qui nous a laisse   " referring to Mont St Michel?

Also, I think "....on est alles..." should be "...on est alle...", "on est parti..." should be "on est parti...", etc.?

Asked 4 years ago
Paul F.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

No, I think they are all correct in the exercise. In the case of  “a laissé” , it becomes plural here because the COD (nous) comes before the verb. It’s quite an annoying exception to the rule that the passé composé with an auxiliary of avoir remains invariable!

And in the case of “on” it can be a substitute for a specific “we” like here, in which case you need plural agreement as necessary. But when “on” refers to a general or unspecific case like “humankind in general” then it is conjugated in the singular.

Just when we think we understand a bit of French, It loves to trip us up with tricky things like this!

Mary P.C1Kwiziq community member

Yep, Paul’s right.  When a direct object comes before the verb, there’s agreement in the past participle.  Paul a vu Harriet (becomes) Il l’a vue, for example, the “e” agreeing with “her,” the direct obj.  before verb.  “On” can be plural or singular, depending on the context.  “On” is herself and school friends, so plural here, but a general “on,” like “On ne fume plus aux restaurants en France” would be singular: One doesn’t smoke.     It’s an annoying rule I always have to think about before I write something.

Margaret S. asked:

Mon annee a l'etranger

 In the sentence "On a visite le Mont St Michel qui nous a laisses ......", shouldn't it be ".....qui nous a laisse   " referring to Mont St Michel?

Also, I think "....on est alles..." should be "...on est alle...", "on est parti..." should be "on est parti...", etc.?

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