★ Must-know
📌 With the auxiliary être, the past participle agrees with the subject.
Further detail
In “Elle est arrivée,” the past participle agrees in the feminine singular with the subject elle.
In “Ils sont partis” and “Elles sont venues,” the past participle shows plural agreement with the subjects.
Subject agreement: feminine and plural forms change.
★ Must-know
📌 With the auxiliary avoir, the past participle generally does not agree with the subject.
📌 With avoir, the past participle agrees with a direct object (COD) placed before it.
Further detail
In “Les pommes qu’il a mangées,” les pommes is the COD placed before the past participle, so mangées agrees with it.
In “Les lettres que j’ai écrites,” les lettres is the COD placed before the past participle, so écrites agrees with it.
COD before the participle → agreement; COD after or absent → no subject agreement.
1. Which sentence correctly shows plural agreement between the subjects and past participles?
2. When does a past participle used with avoir agree with a direct object?
3. In the sentence “Elles ont choisi une destination,” why does choisi generally not agree with elles?
What agreement rule applies with the auxiliary être in French?
The past participle agrees with the subject.
How does the past participle agree in "Elle est arrivée"?
It agrees in the feminine singular with the subject elle.
Does the past participle agree with the subject with auxiliary avoir?
It generally does not agree with the subject.
When does the past participle agree with a direct object using avoir?
It agrees when the direct object is placed before the past participle.
Agreement with Être
Past participle agrees with subject (gender/number).
Agreement with Avoir
Agrees with COD before it; no agreement if after or none.
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