Question 1

How does allions appeler show an unfulfilled intention?

Accepted Answer

By putting the verb aller (to go) into the imperfect tense (allions) and following it with an infinitive (appeler), you literally say "we were going to call." The imperfect tense shows that this was an ongoing plan or intention in the past that got interrupted or abandoned before the action actually happened.

Question 2

Why use il était here instead of c'était for "it was"?

Accepted Answer

When stating the time of day or using time-related adjectives like early or late, French strictly uses the impersonal il. Just as you say il est tard (it is late) in the present, you use il était tard in the past. C'était is usually reserved for identifying things or making general judgments.

Question 3

Why is the adverb déjà placed in the middle of the phrase rather than at the end?

Accepted Answer

While in English we can easily say "it was late already," French grammar is stricter. Short, common adverbs like déjà (already), souvent (often), and bien (well) generally must be placed immediately after the conjugated verb, which is était in this sentence.

Question 4

Why is était in the imperfect tense rather than the passé composé?

Accepted Answer

The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing background states, settings, or conditions in the past. The fact that it was late is a continuing state that provides the background context for why they didn't call the dentist, so it requires the imperfect.

Nous allions appeler le dentiste, mais il était déjà tard.

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