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    Learn French > French lessons and exercises > French test #3068
    > Other French exercises on the same topics: BE, HAVE, DO, DID, WAS... | Find the correct tense [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Subjunctive present - The Present Indicative - FLE : AVOIR au présent - Simple Past - Verb Être - The Present Imperative - French Simple future - Imperfect indicative.
    > Double-click on words you don't understand


    Avoir ou être - choix de l'auxiliaire


    avoir ou être ?

    Choosing the proper auxiliary in composed tenses and passive form

    In composed tenses, the verbs are conjugated with the auxiliary 'avoir' or 'être': the tenses are thus composed of a conjugated auxiliary and of the past participle of the verb, past participle whose agreement depends on the auxiliary: with the auxiliary 'avoir', the past participle agrees with the direct object complement (COD) only if there is one that is placed before it in the sentence. With the auxiliary 'être', the past participle agrees with the subject.

    All the transitive verbs (those who can have a COD or an indirect object complement COI) are always conjugated with the auxiliary 'avoir' while all the pronominal verbs (those who are conjugated with a reflexive pronoun dealing with the same person or the same object than the subject : je me..., tu te..., il se..., elle se..., on se..., nous nous..., vous vous..., ils se..., elles se...) are always conjugated with the auxiliary 'être'. Some intransitive verbs (those who never have any COD and COI) are conjugated with the auxiliary 'être'. Some verbs describing a motion are conjugated with the auxiliary 'avoir' in a transitive way or with the auxiliary 'être' in an intransitive way. To conclude some verbs describing an exchange are normally conjugated with the auxiliary 'avoir' to put the emphasis on the exchange, but can also be conjugated with the auxiliary 'être' to insist on the result of that exchange.

    The passive form, without being a true past participle, is always built with the auxiliary 'être'.

    Transitive verb

    Intransitive verb

    Pronominal verb

    Verb of motion

    Verb of exchange

    Passive form

    'avoir', agrees with the COD before it

    'avoir' in transitive use

    'avoir', puts the emphasis on the exchange

    Often 'être', agrees with the subject

    'être', agrees with the COD placed before it if it refers to the subject

    'être' in an intransitive use

    'être', puts the emphasis on the result

    'être', agrees with the subject

    Choose the proper auxiliary.

    Thanks for your participation

     





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    French exercise "Avoir ou être - choix de l'auxiliaire" created by anonyme with The test builder.
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    1. Nos voisins acheté une voiture neuve.

    2. Maman pris un rendez-vous chez le médecin.

    3. Ma sœur aînée divorcée depuis trois ans.

    4. Ils partis dès la fin de l'orage.

    5. L'ouragan déraciné un vieil arbre dans le jardin.

    6. Mes deux meilleures amies allées au cinéma.

    7. Il déjà rentré la voiture dans le garage lorsque j'arriverai à la maison.

    8. Le rendez-vous pris depuis une semaine.

    9. Mes parents pensent que le pneu de la voiture crevé !

    10. Nos amis rentrés chez eux dès cette nuit.










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