Noun Clauses – Free Exercise

show special characters
display incorrect answers

Exercises

Subjunctive or infinitive? Conjugate the verbs in the noun clauses in the correct form.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Decide if the underlined phrases are subordinate infinitive clauses or not. Choose yes if the subordinate clause is an infinitive clause, and no if it is not.

  1. Ingrid n’entend pas le téléphone sonner.
    [Ingrid doesn’t hear the phone ringing.]|The subject of the main clause (Ingrid) and the subject of the subordinate clause (le téléphone) are different → infinitive clause
  2. Le président aimerait être réélu l’année prochaine.
    [The president would like to be reelected next year.]|The main clause and the subordinate clause have the same subject (le président).|→ the infinitive is a compliment of the verb aimer, not part of an infinitive clause.
  3. Mon chat regarde les gens passer devant la fenêtre.
    [My cat watches the people walking in front of the window.]|The subject of the main clause (mon chat) and the subject of the subordinate clause (les gens) are different → infinitive clause
  4. Nous emmenons nos petits cousins voir le spectacle de marionnettes.
    [We take our little cousins to watch the puppet show.]|The subject of the main clause (nous) and the subject of the subordinate clause (not petits cousins) are different → infinitive clause
  5. Elles ont déclaré ne pas avoir vu la pancarte.
    [They claimed not to have seen the sign.]|The main clause and the subordinate clause have the same subject (Elles) → the infinitive is a compliment of the verb déclarer, not an infinitive clause