show special characters
display incorrect answers
Exercises
Subjunctive or infinitive? Conjugate the verbs in the noun clauses in the correct form.
- Clara a oublié qu’elle (devoir / imparfait) faire les courses ce jour-là.[Clara forgot that she had to do the shopping today.]|If the main verb expresses a declaration or a comment, we use the indicative in the subordinate clause. This presents the information as an objective truth.
- Mes parents refusent que (aller / présent) à la fête de Jérémie.[My parents refuse to let me go to Jérémie’s party.]|If the main verb expresses a wish, feeling, doubt or possibility we use the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. This presents the information in a more subjective manner.
- Penses-tu que nous (pouvoir / présent) nous y rendre à pied?[Do you think that we can go on foot?]|Verbs of opinion that are normally followed by the indicative change to take the subjunctive when they are used in a negation or a question with inverted word order.
- Il a dit qu’il (être / conditionnel) en retard.[He said that he would be late.]|If the verb in the main clause expresses a statement, declaration or opinion it is followed by the indicative. This presents the information as an objective truth.
- Est-ce que tu as compris ce qu’elle (dire / passé composé) dit?[Did you understand what she said?]|When the verb in the main clause expresses a statement, declaration or opinion it is followed by the indicative. This presents the information as an objective truth.
Replace the noun clauses introduced by que with infinitives.
- Example:
- Ils croient qu’ils ont oublié de fermer la porte.They thought that they forgot to close the door.
- → Ils croient avoir oublié de fermer la porte.
- Elle a l’impression qu’elle a oublié quelque chose.
→ Elle a l’impression [She has the impression that she forgot something.|→She has the impression of having forgotten something.]|We can replace a noun clause with an infinitive clause when it is in the indicative and has the same subject as the main clause, although this is not obligatory.
- Arthur et Loïc prétendent qu’ils sont à la bibliothèque.
→ Arthur et Loïc prétendent [Arthur and Loïc claim that they are at the library.|→ Arthur and Loïc claim to be at the library.]|We can replace a noun clause with an infinitive clause when it is in the indicative and has the same subject as the main clause, although this is not obligatory.
- Nous espérons que nous verrons les chutes d’Iguazú un jour.
→ Nous espérons [We hope that we will see Iguazú falls one day.|→ We hope to see Iguazú falls one day.]|We can replace a noun clause with an infinitive clause when it is in the indicative and has the same subject as the main clause, although this is not obligatory.
- Je suis certaine que j’ai fermé la porte.
→ Je suis certaine [I’m certain that I closed the door.|→ I’m certain of having closed the door.]|We can replace a noun clause with an infinitive clause when it is in the indicative and has the same subject as the main clause, although this is not obligatory.
- Vous m’avez promis que vous rentrerez à l’heure.
→ Vous m’avez promis [You promised me you would come home on time.|You promised to come home on time.]|We can replace a noun clause with an infinitive clause when it is in the indicative and has the same subject as the main clause, although this is not obligatory.