The rule of adjective followed by a complement

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

The rule of adjective followed by a complement

HI,

I was wondering is there a simple rule to learn about the adjectives followed by the complement? I just feel like sometimes I get them and then when I choose an answer it's not right. Should I be learning something before I work on that?


Thanks 

Nicole

Asked 2 years ago
Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

It's not a compound adjective, it's an adjective modified by an adverb. The relevant rule in the lesson is:

5. Adjectives modified by adverbs with 2 or more syllables

Adjectives usually go AFTER nouns (adjective position)

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Adjectives with complements such as, e.g., facile à faire,  are treated as one compound adjective and come after the noun.

What specifically is your problem?

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

hi chris

every time i get to those questions i seem to get the adjectives placement wrong even though i know it's the right order but, also if there is an adjective plus the adverb i seem to get that wrong.

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Can you post a few examples and how you get them wrong? It would help me find a better answer to your question.

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

OKay so for these 2 sentences the first one I got wrong

Un étonnamment bon film. I know that bon goes before the now but why is it marked wrong?

Then the other sentence un clown extrêmemment drôle I know that drôle is describing the clown and how sorry he is but I got that right but now the other sentence?

Thanks 

Nicold

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

This link might be helpful: https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/compound-noun-plurals/

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

hi chris,

I am already aware of this site and the link you sent but it doesn't help my question though. For one of the examples listed for number 4 it says adjectives followed by a complement ( a de pour comme) so the one example sentence is un exercice facile a faire but on one of the quizzes that i took i had chosen un etonnamment bon film but they said it was wrong. 

i know in english it means surprisgnly so would etonnament be used as an adverb to be place after the adjective good?

thanks chris i really do appreciate your help

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

If I understand you correctly, you're uncertain about which of the two versions is correct:

un étonnement bon film vs. un film étonnement bon.

My understanding is that the compound adjective (étonnement bon) is treated as a whole new adjective and therefore placed in the default location, i.e., after the noun.

Maybe this question needs to be re-posted again to bring it to the attention of one of the kwiziq native speakers?

nicole r.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thankyou, chris for your help.

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Yes, but that doesn’t shed any light on Nicole‘s question either. 

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

It explains why you say "un bon film", but "un film étonnement bon". I thought that was the question.

The rule of adjective followed by a complement

HI,

I was wondering is there a simple rule to learn about the adjectives followed by the complement? I just feel like sometimes I get them and then when I choose an answer it's not right. Should I be learning something before I work on that?


Thanks 

Nicole

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