edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
- 1Try
- 2Learn
- 3Practise
- 4Check
Reflexive verbs and their agreementConjugating reflexive verbs with être and deciding whether the participle agrees…The conditional for unconfirmed informationRecognising the conditional French journalism uses for unconfirmed information, and not…Nominalisation in written FrenchTurning a verb into a noun with French suffixes, and rewriting a spoken sentence the way…Faire, prendre, mettre and avoir beauLearning French fixed combinations whole, instead of translating them word by word.Certainty and updates across sourcesCompare source independence, timing and scope before asserting, keeping a reservation or…Responsibility and nominal registerWhen condensing minutes, preserve each act’s agent, object and status: proposal…
Another oneKeep practising: FrenchThe rule, in three lines
The past subjunctive is the subjunctive of the auxiliary plus the participle: que j'aie fait, que je sois parti. It is used when the event is earlier than the main clause. If it is later or simultaneous, the present subjunctive goes.
The usual slip. Leaving everything in the present subjunctive even when the event has already happened: «je suis content qu'il vienne hier».
Why it catches you out. English has almost no subjunctive left, so the whole system is new. The good news is there is nothing to unlearn; the bad news is that nothing in the English sentence tells you when French needs one.