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Structural adjectives

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Unlike descriptive adjectives such as joli or beau, structural adjectives are used as articles before nouns. There are several types of these adjectives: numerical, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, and indefinite.

Les adjectifs numriques (Numerical adjectives)

As seen in Unit 9, cardinal and ordinal numbers can be used as nouns but are generally used as adjectives. In the following lists of cardinal and ordinal numbers, note that, except for premier, cinquime, and neuvime, the ordinal number is formed by adding the suffi x -ime to the cardinal number (omitting the final -e if there is one).
un deux trois quatre cinq six sept huit neuf one two three four five six seven eight nine premier, premire deuxime troisime quatrime cinquime sixime septime huitime neuvime first second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth

Cest la premire fois que je viens ici. Cest le quinzime jour de mes vacances. Il fte son vingtime anniversaire. Elle habite au septime tage. Le centime client recevra un prix. Regarde la cinquime page! Cest ma soixante-douzime photo.

It is the first time I am coming here. It is the fifteenth day of my vacation. He celebrates his twentieth birthday. She lives on the seventh floor. The hundredth client will receive a prize. Look on the fifth page! It is my seventy-second photo.

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EXERCICE

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Je prfre lire. I prefer reading. Complete each sentence with the ordinal number indicated in parentheses.

1. Ce sera bientt le 2. En 2007 on ftera le son roman Ltranger . (50th) 3. Ce nest pas la 4. Je crois bien lavoir lu pour la 5. Mon professeur ma dit que cest sa

anniversaire de la naissance dAlbert Camus. (100th) anniversaire de son Prix Nobel en Littrature pour fois que je lis ce roman. (1st) fois. (4th) anne lenseigner. (10th) fois que je te vois

6. Bon. Je vois que cela ne tintresse pas trop. Cest la biller. (9th) 7. Et pourtant cest la 8. Oui, je sais, cest la romans. (36th)

fois au moins que tu regardes le mme film. (3rd) fois que tu me rptes que tu prfres les films aux

Les adjectifs possessifs (Possessive adjectives)

Possessive adjectives serve to express my, your, his, her, our, and their. They are masculine or feminine, and singular or plural according to the noun they describe. The adjectives mon (my), ton (yourfamiliar), and son (his or her) are used before a masculine singular noun, as well as before a feminine singular noun that starts with a vowel sound.
mon oncle (m.) ton pull (m.) son chat (m.) mon amie (f.) ton charpe (f.) son table (f.) my uncle your sweater his/her cat my friend your scarf his/her stable

The adjectives ma (my), ta (yourfamiliar), and sa (his or her) are used before a feminine noun that does not start with a vowel sound.
ma tante (f.) ta robe (f.) sa tortue (f.) my aunt your dress his/her turtle

The adjectives mes (my), tes (yourfamiliar), and ses (his or her) are used before plural nouns.
mes parents (m. pl.) tes habits (m. pl.) ses animaux (m. pl.) my parents your clothes his/her animals

To express our, your (formal or plural), and their, the possessive adjectives are the same in the masculine singular and feminine singular forms.
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notre voiture (f.) notre vlo (m.) votre affiche (f.) votre crayon (m.) leur universit (f.) leur prof (m.)

our car our bike your poster your pencil their university their teacher

They are also the same in the masculine plural and feminine plural forms.
nos voitures (f. pl.) nos vlos (m. pl.) vos affiches (f. pl.) vos crayons (m. pl.) leurs universits (f. pl.) leurs profs (m. pl.)
EXERCICE

our cars our bikes your posters your pencils your universities their teachers

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La rentre des classes luniversit. Back to school at the university. Complete each sentence with the appropriate possessive adjective. (There may be more than one correct answer.)

1. Les lves de mon cours de franais aiment super! 2. Par contre les copains naiment pas 3. Moi, 4. 5. Ils font souvent 6. Jos est lexception. Il fait toujours 7. Je respecte 8. Nous avons tous ce pas?

nouveau professeur. Il est chambres. Elles sont trop petites.

chambre est assez confortable. amis trouvent que jai de la chance. devoirs chez moi. devoirs la bibliothque.

prfrence. Jos fait comme il veut. petites habitudes et manies, nest-

Les adjectifs demonstratifs (Demonstrative adjectives)

Demonstrative adjectives serve to express this, that, these, or those. They are masculine or feminine, and singular or plural according to the noun they describe. The adjective ce is used before a masculine singular noun starting with a consonant sound. However the adjective cet is used before a masculine singular noun if that noun starts with a vowel sound.
ce bateau (m.) cet htel (m.) this/that boat this/that hotel

The adjective cette is used before any feminine singular noun.

cette fille (f.) cette image (f.) this/that girl this/that picture
Structural adjectives
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The adjective ces is used before any plural noun.

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ces hommes (m. pl.) ces maisons (f. pl.)

EXERCICE

these/those men these/those houses

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Un sjour romantique. A romantic stay. Complete each sentence with the appropriate demonstrative adjective.

1. Quelle splendide pleine lune 2. 3. Et 4. O as-tu trouv 5. Je voudrais revenir ici 6. 7. Et 8.

soir!

dner est vraiment sensationnel. auberge est charmante. endroit de rve? hiver.

genre dendroit bon march est difficile trouver. montagnes tout autour de nous sont ravissantes. vacances sont merveilleuses.

Les adjectifs interrogatifs (Interrogative adjectives)

Interrogative adjectives are used to express what or which in questions. They are also used in exclamations. They are masculine or feminine, and singular or plural according to the noun they describe.
Quel temps? (m. s.) Quelle heure? (f. s.) Quels livres! (m. pl.) Quelles couleurs! (f. pl.) What weather? What time? What books! What colors!

In the following sentences, note how the interrogative adjective quel is used with nimporte to express any whatsoever.
Donne-moi nimporte quel manteau! Jaccepte nimporte quelle rponse.
EXERCICE

Give me any coat! I accept any answer.

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Des exclamations et des questions! Exclamations and questions! Complete each sentence with the correct interrogative adjective.

1. 2. Oui, et 3. Vraiment!

orage effrayant! inondation! Regarde toute cette eau! temps horrible! Quand est-ce que a va finir?

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4. Bientt, jespre. En attendant, 5.

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film veux-tu regarder?

drle de question! Un film dhorreur, voyons! ide! Tu nas pas assez peur comme a avec cet orage? serait ta prfrence?

6.

7. Eh bien, non. Cest lambiance idale. Mais 8. Nimporte film except un film dhorreur!

Structural adjectives
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