Breakdown of Les étudiants lisent les consignes et restent silencieux.
et
and
l'étudiant
the student (m)
rester
to stay
lire
to read
silencieux
silent (quiet, making no noise)
la consigne
the instruction
Questions & Answers about Les étudiants lisent les consignes et restent silencieux.
Since we are learning about the subjunctive, why aren't lisent or restent in the subjunctive here?
The subjunctive is only used after certain triggers, like expressions of will or desire (such as vouloir que). Because this sentence is just stating facts about what the students are actually doing, both verbs stay in the regular present tense (the indicative).
What is the infinitive of lisent?
The infinitive is lire (to read). It is an irregular verb. Notice how its plural present tense forms add an -s- to the stem, giving us nous lisons, vous lisez, and ils/elles lisent.
Is consignes the standard word for instructions?
Yes! In a school, work, or safety environment, les consignes refers specifically to the formal instructions, guidelines, or rules given for a task or exam. While you can also use les instructions, les consignes is extremely common and natural in this context.
Since les étudiants is plural, why doesn't silencieux get an extra -s at the end?
In French, masculine adjectives that already end in -s or -x in the singular do not change in the plural. Because silencieux (silent) ends in an -x, it stays exactly the same whether it describes one male student or a group of them.
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