A1 Past Tense 17 min read Easy

French Double Agreement: Feeling and Being (Double Accord)

In the past tense, reflexive verbs of state require agreement for both the participle and the following adjective.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

When using the verb 'être' in the past, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject.

  • If the subject is feminine, add an 'e' to the participle: Elle est allée.
  • If the subject is plural, add an 's' to the participle: Ils sont allés.
  • If the subject is feminine plural, add 'es': Elles sont allées.
Subject + (être) + Participle (+ e/s/es)

Overview

French grammar often requires precise attention to detail, and the phenomenon of Double Agreement (or Double Accord) exemplifies this. This rule applies specifically to pronominal verbs (verbs used with a reflexive pronoun like se, me, te, nous, vous) when they describe a past state, feeling, or self-perception, and are followed by an adjective (also called an attribute). In such cases, both the past participle of the verb and the accompanying adjective must agree in gender and number with the subject of the sentence.

This dual agreement ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy, reflecting the subject's characteristics twice within the verb phrase.

At its core, this rule highlights two fundamental principles of French grammar: the agreement of past participles with être (the auxiliary verb for all pronominal verbs in compound tenses) and the agreement of adjectives when they describe the subject directly. Ignoring either of these agreements results in a grammatically incorrect sentence. For instance, saying Je me suis senti fatiguée (I felt tired, feminine subject) would be incorrect because senti does not agree with the feminine subject, while fatiguée does.

The correct form is Je me suis sentie fatiguée.

Conjugation Table

Subject Reflexive Pronoun Être (Present) Past Participle (Agreement 1) Adjective (Agreement 2) Translation (Example)
:--------- :------------------ :----------------- :------------------------------ :-------------------------- :---------------------------
Je (m.) me suis senti fatigué I felt tired (male)
Je (f.) me suis sentie fatiguée I felt tired (female)
Tu (m.) t' es trouvé prêt You found yourself ready (m.)
Tu (f.) t' es trouvée prête You found yourself ready (f.)
Il s' est cru intelligent He thought himself intelligent
Elle s' est crue intelligente She thought herself intelligent
Nous (m.) nous sommes sentis heureux We felt happy (m. plural)
Nous (f.) nous sommes senties heureuses We felt happy (f. plural)
Vous (m.) vous êtes vus grands You saw yourselves tall (m. pl.)
Vous (f.) vous êtes vues grandes You saw yourselves tall (f. pl.)
Ils se sont sentis motivés They felt motivated (m.)
Elles se sont senties motivées They felt motivated (f.)

How This Grammar Works

The mechanism behind French Double Agreement is rooted in the interplay of auxiliary verbs and the function of adjectives. In French, all pronominal verbs (those conjugated with a reflexive pronoun like se, me, te, etc.) use the auxiliary verb être in compound tenses such as the Passé Composé, Plus-que-parfait, and Futur Antérieur. A fundamental rule of être is that the past participle always agrees in gender and number with the subject when être is the auxiliary verb.
For example, in Elle s'est lavée (She washed herself), lavée agrees with Elle. This is the first layer of agreement.
When a pronominal verb is followed by an adjective that directly describes the subject's state or quality (acting as an attribut du sujet), that adjective must also agree in gender and number with the subject it modifies. Consider Elle est belle (She is beautiful); belle agrees with Elle. This is the second layer.
The Double Accord occurs when these two conditions converge: a pronominal verb in a compound tense, describing the subject's state, followed by an adjective. The past participle agrees because of être, and the adjective agrees because it directly describes the subject. It is not simply doing the job twice; rather, two distinct grammatical rules of agreement happen to apply to consecutive elements in the sentence, both referencing the same subject.
This dual reflection provides emphatic clarity about the subject's characteristics at the moment of the past action or state. This grammatical structure is especially prominent with verbs expressing feelings, self-perception, or internal states.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming a sentence with Double Agreement follows a consistent structure. Understanding each component ensures correct application.
2
Subject: Begin with the person or thing performing the action and experiencing the state. This subject determines the gender and number for subsequent agreements.
3
Elle (She), Nous (We, feminine plural), Vous (You, plural)
4
Reflexive Pronoun: Select the reflexive pronoun that corresponds to your subject. This pronoun always precedes the auxiliary verb.
5
Elle s' (She her-self), Nous nous (We our-selves), Vous vous (You your-selves)
6
Auxiliary Verb être: Conjugate être in the present tense (for Passé Composé) to match the subject. All pronominal verbs use être.
7
Elle s'est (She her-self is), Nous nous sommes (We our-selves are), Vous vous êtes (You your-selves are)
8
Past Participle: Use the past participle of the main verb. Crucially, this participle must agree in gender and number with the subject because être is the auxiliary.
9
Elle s'est sentie (feminine singular), Nous nous sommes trouvées (feminine plural), Vous vous êtes crus (masculine plural)
10
Adjective (Attribute): Place the adjective directly after the past participle. This adjective must also agree in gender and number with the subject it describes.
11
Elle s'est sentie seule (feminine singular), Nous nous sommes trouvées fatiguées (feminine plural), Vous vous êtes crus intelligents (masculine plural)
12
Example Flow:
13
Subject: Je (feminine)
14
Reflexive Pronoun: me
15
Auxiliary être: suis
16
Past Participle (se sentir): sentie (agreeing with Je feminine)
17
Adjective (malade): malade (agreeing with Je feminine, as malade is invariable in gender)
18
Result: Je me suis sentie malade. (I felt sick.)

When To Use It

Double Agreement is essential when expressing past feelings, self-perceptions, or states of being using specific pronominal verbs followed by an adjective. These verbs often describe how a subject finds themselves, feels, believes themselves to be, or sees themselves.
Here are the most common verbs requiring Double Agreement in this context:
  • Se sentir (to feel): Used to describe one's emotional or physical state.
  • Après l'examen, elle s'est sentie soulagée . (After the exam, she felt relieved.)
  • Nous nous sommes sentis incapables face à la tâche. (We felt incapable facing the task.)
  • Tu t'es sentie perdue dans la grande ville. (You felt lost in the big city.)
  • Se trouver (to find oneself / to feel): Expresses how one perceives their situation or state.
  • Il s'est trouvé ridicule de porter ce chapeau. (He found himself ridiculous wearing that hat.)
  • Elles se sont trouvées très à l'aise pendant la conférence. (They felt very comfortable during the conference.)
  • Vous vous êtes trouvés surpris par la nouvelle. (You found yourselves surprised by the news.)
  • Se croire (to believe oneself to be / to think oneself): Indicates a subjective belief about one's own qualities or status.
  • Il s'est cru le meilleur de l'équipe. (He thought himself the best on the team.)
  • Elle s'est crue invisible et a parlé fort. (She believed herself invisible and spoke loudly.)
  • Ils se sont crus invincibles après leur victoire. (They thought themselves invincible after their victory.)
  • Se voir (to see oneself): Often used metaphorically to describe one's image or how they appeared.
  • En rentrant, je me suis vue épuisée dans le miroir. (Coming home, I saw myself exhausted in the mirror.)
  • Après une semaine, nous nous sommes vus changés . (After a week, we saw ourselves changed.)
  • Tu t'es vu célèbre en rêve, n'est-ce pas ? (You saw yourself famous in a dream, didn't you?)
This pattern is crucial for personal narratives, expressing internal experiences, and accurately reflecting a subject's state in the past.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently encounter specific difficulties with Double Agreement. Recognizing these common errors and understanding their grammatical roots can significantly improve accuracy.
  • The "Single Agreement" Trap: This is perhaps the most prevalent error. Learners remember to make one agreement but forget the other. They might correctly agree the adjective but not the past participle, or vice versa. This often happens because the two agreement rules, though related, are distinct.
  • Incorrect: Elle s'est senti seule . (Past participle senti should be sentie to agree with Elle.)
  • Correct: Elle s'est sentie seule . (Both sentie and seule agree with Elle.)
  • Incorrect: Ils se sont trouvés fatigué . (Adjective fatigué should be fatigués to agree with Ils.)
  • Correct: Ils se sont trouvés fatigués . (Both trouvés and fatigués agree with Ils.)
  • Incorrect Auxiliary Verb (Avoir instead of Être): A fundamental rule for all pronominal verbs in compound tenses is that they always use être as their auxiliary verb. Using avoir is a significant error.
  • Incorrect: Elle s'a sentie malheureuse. (Avoir is wrong here.)
  • Correct: Elle s'est sentie malheureuse.
  • Over-generalizing the Rule: Not all pronominal verbs require an adjective to follow them for this double agreement. Some pronominal verbs do not take an attribut du sujet. The Double Agreement rule applies specifically when an adjective modifies the subject's state or quality directly after the verb.
  • Incorrect Application: Elles se sont parlées longues . (Se parler does not typically take an adjective as an attribute. Longues here might be an adverb or just awkward. The past participle parlées itself implies a different agreement rule if se is COD, but se parler is indirect object.)
  • Correct (without double agreement): Elles se sont parlé pendant des heures. (No adjective, and parlé is invariable because se is an indirect object here. This is a more complex rule beyond A1.)
  • Missing Plural s or Feminine e: Forgetting to add the appropriate gender or number markers is a common oversight, particularly when the verb and adjective are in close proximity.
  • Incorrect: Nous nous sommes sentie prêts. (Sentie should be sentis and prêts is correct for masculine plural but the two words don't agree consistently.)
  • Correct: Nous nous sommes sentis prêts . (If nous refers to a masculine plural group.)
  • Correct: Nous nous sommes senties prêtes . (If nous refers to a feminine plural group.)
By consciously checking for both agreements and verifying the auxiliary verb, you can avoid these prevalent errors.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

To fully grasp Double Agreement, it's beneficial to distinguish it from other agreement patterns in French grammar. Understanding these contrasts clarifies when and why Double Agreement is necessary.
  1. 1Simple être with an Adjective:
  • When the auxiliary verb être is used in the present tense (or other simple tenses) followed by an adjective describing the subject, only one agreement is made: the adjective with the subject.
  • Elle est fatiguée . (She is tired.) — fatiguée agrees with Elle.
  • Ils sont heureux . (They are happy.) — heureux agrees with Ils.
  • Contrast: There is no past participle here, so no first layer of agreement. The adjective directly follows être and describes the subject.
  1. 1Non-Pronominal Verbs with être in Compound Tenses:
  • Verbs of movement or change of state (e.g., aller, venir, partir, naître, mourir) also use être as their auxiliary verb in compound tenses. In these cases, the past participle agrees with the subject in gender and number. However, these verbs are not typically followed by an adjective functioning as an attribut du sujet in the same way.
  • Elle est allée au marché. (She went to the market.) — allée agrees with Elle.
  • Ils sont partis tôt. (They left early.) — partis agrees with Ils.
  • Contrast: Only the past participle agrees. There is no second adjective requiring agreement in this structure.
  1. 1Verbs with avoir as the Auxiliary:
  • The vast majority of French verbs use avoir in compound tenses. With avoir, the past participle generally does not agree with the subject. It only agrees with a preceding direct object (COD).
  • Elle a mangé la pomme. (She ate the apple.) — mangé is invariable.
  • Elles ont vu le film. (They saw the film.) — vu is invariable.
  • Contrast: No agreement with the subject for the past participle, and typically no adjective directly describing the subject's state in this construction for double agreement. The rules for avoir are distinct.
  1. 1Pronominal Verbs with se as an Indirect Object or without an Adjective:
  • Some pronominal verbs, like se téléphoner (to call each other) or se parler (to talk to each other), use être, and their past participles may remain invariable. This happens when the reflexive pronoun se functions as an indirect object (COI).
  • Elles se sont téléphoné . (They called each other.) — téléphoné is invariable. There is no adjective.
  • Contrast: This is a more advanced rule (accord du participe passé des verbes pronominaux) and distinct from Double Accord. The key difference for A1 is the presence of the adjective modifying the subject for Double Agreement. If there's no such adjective, the rule doesn't apply.
Double Agreement is therefore a specific convergence of rules: the inherent subject agreement of past participles with être, combined with the necessary subject agreement of an adjective functioning as an attribut du sujet immediately following certain pronominal verbs.

Real Conversations

Double Agreement is not confined to textbooks; it's a natural part of expressing personal experiences and feelings in modern French. You'll encounter it in casual chats, social media, and personal reflections.

- Texting with a friend (informal tu):

- A: Ça va ? T'as l'air fatiguée.

- B: Non, je me suis sentie stressée toute la semaine avec mes partiels. Maintenant ça va mieux !

- (A: How are you? You look tired. B: No, I felt stressed all week with my exams. Now it's better!)

- Social Media Post (personal reflection, feminine subject):

- Après cette randonnée intense, je me suis trouvée épuisée mais tellement fière ! #aventure #nature

- (After this intense hike, I found myself exhausted but so proud! #adventure #nature)

- Casual conversation about a past event (masculine plural subject):

- On a visité le Louvre hier. Après deux heures, nous nous sommes sentis un peu perdus dans les galeries.

- (We visited the Louvre yesterday. After two hours, we felt a bit lost in the galleries.)

- Describing a past thought or belief (feminine singular):

- Elle m'a dit qu'elle s'était crue invisible à la fête, mais tout le monde l'a vue !

- (She told me she thought herself invisible at the party, but everyone saw her!)

These examples demonstrate how Double Accord is seamlessly integrated into everyday communication when conveying past states or emotions. The agreements sound completely natural to a native speaker, highlighting the importance of mastering this rule for authentic French expression.

Progressive Practice

1

Mastering Double Agreement requires consistent practice, moving from recognition to active production. Here's a structured approach to help you internalize this rule.

2

Identification Drills: Start by reading sentences and identifying whether Double Agreement is present and, if so, why. Circle or highlight the subject, reflexive pronoun, past participle, and adjective. Check if both the past participle and the adjective correctly agree with the subject.

- Elle s'est sentie seule. (Identify: Elle is f.sg., sentie f.sg., seule f.sg.)

- Nous nous sommes crus intelligents. (Identify: Nous (m.pl.) is m.pl., crus m.pl., intelligents m.pl.)

3

Fill-in-the-Blanks: Practice conjugating the pronominal verb and making the adjective agree. Provide sentences with blanks for the past participle and the adjective, along with the infinitive verb and the base form of the adjective.

- Je (f.) me suis _______ (se sentir) _______ (fatigué) après le travail.

- Ils se sont _______ (se trouver) _______ (heureux) de partir en vacances.

- Vous (f.pl.) vous êtes _______ (se croire) _______ (capables) de tout faire.

4

Transformation Exercises: Take simple sentences describing a present state and transform them into the Passé Composé using a pronominal verb that implies Double Agreement.

- Elle est triste. -> Elle s'est sentie triste.

- Nous sommes prêts. -> Nous nous sommes trouvés prêts.

- Tu es étonné. -> Tu t'es senti étonné.

5

Sentence Construction: Create your own sentences using a given subject, a pronominal verb from the When To Use It section, and an adjective.

- Subject: Vous (f.pl.), Verb: se sentir, Adjective: déçue.

- Vous vous êtes senties déçues.

- Subject: Il, Verb: se trouver, Adjective: malin.

- Il s'est trouvé malin.

6

Journaling/Self-Reflection: Write a few sentences daily in French about how you felt or perceived yourself at different points in your day or week. This active recall helps solidify the pattern.

- Ce matin, je me suis sentie très motivée.

- Après la réunion, je me suis trouvée un peu confuse.

Consistent engagement with these types of exercises will build your confidence and accuracy in applying Double Agreement.

Quick FAQ

Addressing common questions can clarify remaining uncertainties about French Double Agreement.
  • Q: Does Double Agreement happen in the present tense?
  • A: No. Double Agreement specifically occurs in compound tenses (like the Passé Composé, Plus-que-parfait, etc.) because these tenses include a past participle that must agree with être. In the present tense, you'd say Elle se sent seule (She feels alone). Here, only the adjective seule agrees with Elle because there is no past participle.
  • Q: What if the group (e.g., Nous or Vous) includes both men and women?
  • A: In French, when a group consists of both masculine and feminine individuals, the masculine plural form is used for agreement. This applies to both the past participle and the adjective.
  • Nous nous sommes sentis fatigués . (We felt tired, even if the group includes women.)
  • Q: Is senti or sentie correct for a feminine subject like Elle?
  • A: For a feminine singular subject like Elle, the correct form is sentie, with an -e at the end to indicate feminine gender. For example, Elle s'est sentie heureuse (She felt happy). Similarly, the adjective will also take an -e.
  • Q: Does this rule apply to all pronominal verbs?
  • A: No, it applies to pronominal verbs when they are followed by an adjective that functions as an attribut du sujet (directly describing the subject's state or quality). Verbs like se laver (to wash oneself) followed by an adjective (Elle s'est lavée propre) would also follow this, but it's most common and often nuanced with verbs of feeling/perception like se sentir, se trouver, se croire, se voir. It generally does not apply to pronominal verbs where se is an indirect object (e.g., se parler, se téléphoner).
  • Q: Is this rule formal or informal?
  • A: This rule is a fundamental aspect of correct French grammar. It applies in all registers—formal, informal, written, and spoken. Using it correctly ensures clarity and conveys proficiency. While some spoken French might simplify agreements, accurate written and careful spoken French consistently adheres to Double Agreement.
  • Q: How do I remember both agreements?
  • A: Think of it as a double-check system. All pronominal verbs use être, which means the past participle always agrees with the subject. If an adjective follows and describes the subject's state, that adjective also agrees with the subject. It’s like two consecutive reflections of the same subject: one in the participle, one in the adjective. Always ask:

Agreement Patterns for 'Être'

Subject Verb (Aller) Agreement Example
Je (m)
suis
none
Je suis allé
Je (f)
suis
+e
Je suis allée
Il
est
none
Il est allé
Elle
est
+e
Elle est allée
Nous (m)
sommes
+s
Nous sommes allés
Nous (f)
sommes
+es
Nous sommes allées
Ils
sont
+s
Ils sont allés
Elles
sont
+es
Elles sont allées

Meanings

This rule dictates that when a verb is conjugated with 'être' in the passé composé, the past participle must match the subject in gender and number.

1

Movement verbs

Verbs of motion like 'aller' or 'partir'.

“Il est parti.”

“Elle est partie.”

2

State of being

Verbs describing a change of state.

“Elle est née.”

“Il est mort.”

3

Reflexive verbs

Actions done to oneself.

“Elle s'est lavée.”

“Ils se sont levés.”

Reference Table

Reference table for French Double Agreement: Feeling and Being (Double Accord)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subj + être + Participle
Elle est partie
Negative
Subj + ne + être + pas + Participle
Elle n'est pas partie
Question
Être + Subj + Participle?
Est-elle partie?
Plural
Subj + sont + Participle + s
Ils sont partis
Feminine
Subj + est + Participle + e
Elle est arrivée
Reflexive
Subj + se + être + Participle
Elle s'est lavée

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Elle est arrivée.

Elle est arrivée. (General)

Neutral
Elle est arrivée.

Elle est arrivée. (General)

Informal
Elle est arrivée.

Elle est arrivée. (General)

Slang
Elle est arrivée.

Elle est arrivée. (General)

The House of Être

Être Verbs

Movement

  • Aller To go
  • Partir To leave

State

  • Naître To be born
  • Mourir To die
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Examples by Level

1

Elle est allée au cinéma.

She went to the cinema.

2

Ils sont arrivés hier.

They arrived yesterday.

3

Marie est partie.

Marie left.

4

Nous sommes rentrés.

We returned.

1

Elle s'est lavée rapidement.

She washed herself quickly.

2

Elles sont nées à Lyon.

They were born in Lyon.

3

Ils se sont amusés.

They had fun.

4

La porte est restée ouverte.

The door remained open.

1

Elles sont devenues des expertes.

They became experts.

2

Nous nous sommes rencontrés en été.

We met in the summer.

3

Elle est tombée amoureuse.

She fell in love.

4

Ils sont sortis tard.

They went out late.

1

Elles se sont senties obligées de partir.

They felt obliged to leave.

2

Les solutions sont apparues évidentes.

The solutions appeared obvious.

3

Elle est décédée paisiblement.

She passed away peacefully.

4

Ils sont revenus sur leur décision.

They went back on their decision.

1

Elles sont parvenues à leurs fins.

They achieved their goals.

2

Les fleurs sont fanées prématurément.

The flowers withered prematurely.

3

Elles se sont succédé sans interruption.

They followed one another without interruption.

4

Ils sont intervenus dans le débat.

They intervened in the debate.

1

Elles se sont évertuées à comprendre.

They strove to understand.

2

Les époques sont révolues.

The eras have passed.

3

Elles sont survenues à l'improviste.

They occurred unexpectedly.

4

Ils se sont mépris sur ses intentions.

They misunderstood his intentions.

Easily Confused

French Double Agreement: Feeling and Being (Double Accord) vs Être vs Avoir

Learners don't know which auxiliary to use.

French Double Agreement: Feeling and Being (Double Accord) vs Agreement with Avoir

Learners try to agree with the subject for all verbs.

French Double Agreement: Feeling and Being (Double Accord) vs Reflexive verbs

Learners forget the 'se' pronoun.

Common Mistakes

✗

Elle est allé

✓

Elle est allée

Missing feminine agreement.
✗

Ils sont allé

✓

Ils sont allés

Missing plural agreement.
✗

Elle a allée

✓

Elle est allée

Wrong auxiliary verb.
✗

Ils sonts allés

✓

Ils sont allés

Extra 's' on the auxiliary.
✗

Elle s'est lavé

✓

Elle s'est lavée

Reflexive verbs need agreement.
✗

Elles sont nés

✓

Elles sont nées

Missing feminine plural agreement.
✗

Nous sommes allé

✓

Nous sommes allés

Missing plural agreement.
✗

Elle est devenue un expert

✓

Elle est devenue une experte

Agreement extends to nouns.
✗

Ils sont mort

✓

Ils sont morts

Missing plural agreement.
✗

Elle est resté

✓

Elle est restée

Missing feminine agreement.
✗

Elles se sont succédé

✓

Elles se sont succédé

Wait, 'succéder' is an exception (no agreement).
✗

Elles sont parvenu

✓

Elles sont parvenues

Missing agreement.
✗

Ils sont intervenu

✓

Ils sont intervenus

Missing agreement.

Sentence Patterns

Je suis ___ à la maison.

Elle est ___ à Paris.

Ils se sont ___ très tôt.

Elles sont ___ des amies.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

Je suis rentré ! :)

Social Media very common

Enfin arrivée à Tokyo !

Job Interview common

Je suis devenu responsable de...

Travel common

Nous sommes arrivés à l'hôtel.

Food Delivery occasional

Le livreur est arrivé.

Email common

Je suis parti en congé.

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💡

The 'E' is a Queen

If you are a girl or talking about a girl, just add an 'e' everywhere in the past participle and adjective. It makes your sentence feminine and classy.
⚠️

Don't use Avoir!

Reflexive verbs like se sentir ALWAYS use être in the past. Never say J'ai me senti. It sounds like a computer translation gone wrong.
🎯

Journaling Trick

When writing about your day in French, most of your sentences will use this rule. Practice by writing one sentence about how you felt this morning!

Smart Tips

Always check the subject gender before writing the participle.

Elle est allé. → Elle est allée.

Focus on the auxiliary verb first.

Elle a allé. → Elle est allée.

Check if it's a movement verb.

J'ai arrivé. → Je suis arrivé.

Remember the 's' for 'nous' and 'ils'.

Nous sommes allé. → Nous sommes allés.

Pronunciation

/a.le/

Silent endings

The 'e' and 's' are usually silent, so 'allé', 'allée', 'allés', and 'allées' sound the same.

Rising for questions

Est-elle allée ? ↑

Indicates a question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Être' as a mirror; the participle must look like the subject.

Visual Association

Imagine a girl (Elle) wearing a hat with an 'e' on it, and a group of people (Ils) wearing shirts with an 's' on them.

Rhyme

With être you must agree, add an e or an s for all to see.

Story

Marie (Elle) went to the store. She is 'allée'. Her friends (Elles) went too. They are 'allées'. They all bought clothes.

Word Web

AllerPartirVenirArriverNaîtreMourirResterTomber

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about your day using 'être' verbs and check your agreements.

Cultural Notes

Agreement is strictly enforced in formal writing and education.

Similar to France, but spoken French may drop the final 's' sounds.

Standard French grammar is used in schools and official documents.

Derived from Latin 'esse' (to be) and 'habere' (to have).

Conversation Starters

“

Où es-tu allé(e) en vacances ?

“

À quelle heure es-tu arrivé(e) ?

“

Comment vous êtes-vous rencontrés ?

“

Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé hier ?

Journal Prompts

Describe your morning routine using reflexive verbs.
Write about a trip you took recently.
Tell a story about a time you got lost.
Reflect on a major life change.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct participle.

Elle est ___ (aller) au parc.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: allée
Feminine subject needs 'e'.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils sont partis.
Plural subject needs 's'.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Elles est arrivée.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle est arrivée.
Subject-verb agreement.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Il est né. -> Ils ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sont nés
Plural agreement.
Is this true? True False Rule

Reflexive verbs use 'être'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Reflexive verbs always use 'être'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Où est Marie? B: Elle ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: est partie
Feminine agreement.
Order the words. Sentence Building

sont / arrivées / Elles / tard.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles sont arrivées tard.
Correct word order.
Match the subject to the participle. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-b, 2-c, 3-a, 4-d
Gender/number matching.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct participle.

Elle est ___ (aller) au parc.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: allée
Feminine subject needs 'e'.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils sont partis.
Plural subject needs 's'.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Elles est arrivée.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle est arrivée.
Subject-verb agreement.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Il est né. -> Ils ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sont nés
Plural agreement.
Is this true? True False Rule

Reflexive verbs use 'être'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Reflexive verbs always use 'être'.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Où est Marie? B: Elle ___ ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: est partie
Feminine agreement.
Order the words. Sentence Building

sont / arrivées / Elles / tard.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles sont arrivées tard.
Correct word order.
Match the subject to the participle. Match Pairs

Match: 1. Il, 2. Elle, 3. Ils, 4. Elles

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-b, 2-c, 3-a, 4-d
Gender/number matching.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank (Je = feminine). Fill in the Blank

Je me suis ___ (trouver) ___ (belle).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: trouvée belle
Fix the agreement for 'Ils'. Error Correction

Ils se sont cru malin.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils se sont crus malins.
Reorder the words to say 'She felt happy'. Sentence Reorder

heureuse / s'est / Elle / sentie

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle s'est sentie heureuse
Translate to French: 'They (f) felt tired.' Translation

They (f) felt tired.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles se sont senties fatiguées.
Identify the correct masculine singular form. Multiple Choice

Which one is correct for 'Il'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il s'est senti prêt.
Match the subject with the correct agreement. Match Pairs

Match these:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle | sentie seule, Ils | sentis seuls, Il | senti seul
Fill in the blank for 'Nous' (all men). Fill in the Blank

Nous nous sommes ___ (sentir) ___ (fort).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sentis forts
Correct the agreement for 'Tu' (feminine). Error Correction

Tu t'es trouvé mignonne.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tu t'es trouvée mignonne.
Reorder the words: 'We felt ready'. Sentence Reorder

sommes / Nous / prêtes / senties / nous

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nous nous sommes senties prêtes
Which sentence shows a belief about oneself? Multiple Choice

Select the correct belief sentence for 'Elle':

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle s'est crue capable.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Because the subject is feminine. It's like an adjective.

No, only a small group (movement/state) and reflexive verbs.

No, it's silent.

They don't agree with the subject.

Yes, it's standard French.

It's a spelling error, but people will understand you.

Yes, like 'succéder' which doesn't agree.

Write sentences about your day.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish low

Pretérito perfecto compuesto

Spanish does not agree the participle with the subject.

German moderate

Perfekt

German does not have subject-participle agreement.

Japanese none

Past tense conjugation

Japanese lacks gender/number agreement entirely.

Arabic partial

Past tense (Maadi)

Arabic agreement is built into the verb stem.

Chinese none

Aspect markers

Chinese has no conjugation or agreement.

English low

Present perfect

English has no participle agreement.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
French Past Participle Agreement with Reflexive Verbs
Next
Each Other in the Past (Participe passé avec l'un l'autre)

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