Question 1

How do the verb tenses in this sentence form the 'third conditional'?

Accepted Answer

This sentence talks about a hypothetical past event that didn't happen. It uses the classic pattern for this: si + Plus-que-parfait -> Conditionnel passé. Here, avait délibéré is the Plus-que-parfait (had deliberated) and aurait été is the Conditionnel passé (would have been).

Question 2

Why do we use plus longtemps instead of plus long for 'longer'?

Accepted Answer

Longtemps is an adverb meaning 'for a long time,' while long is an adjective describing the physical length of something. Since we are describing how much time the jury spent deliberating, we must use the adverb longtemps.

Question 3

How exactly is aurait été formed?

Accepted Answer

Aurait été is the Conditionnel passé (past conditional) of the verb être. To form it, you take the present conditional of its auxiliary verb (avoir becomes aurait) and add the past participle of the main verb (être becomes été).

Question 4

Is le procès a false friend?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Un procès specifically means a 'trial' or a 'lawsuit' in a legal context. If you want to talk about a 'process' (like a step-by-step method), you would use the word un processus.

Si le jury avait délibéré plus longtemps, le procès aurait été équitable.

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