Question 1

Why do we use the Imparfait (était) in the first half, but the Conditionnel Passé (aurait crié) in the second?

Accepted Answer

This is a mixed conditional. The si clause uses the Imparfait (était) because it describes an ongoing, present reality: he is generally a touchy person. The main clause uses the Conditionnel Passé (aurait crié) because it describes a hypothetical result in the past: the yelling already happened. In English, this is: 'If he were [present condition], he wouldn't have [past result].'

Question 2

Does susceptible mean the same thing in French as it does in English?

Accepted Answer

Not exactly; it is a common false friend. Describing a person as susceptible in French almost always means they are 'touchy,' 'easily offended,' or 'thin-skinned.' If you want to say someone is susceptible to a disease or a bad influence, you would generally use a word like vulnérable or sujet à.

Question 3

Why does the negation (n' ... pas) only go around aurait instead of the entire verb?

Accepted Answer

In compound tenses like the Conditionnel Passé, the negative structure always wraps around the conjugated auxiliary verb, which is aurait in this sentence. The past participle (crié) always stays outside the negative 'sandwich.'

Question 4

Is the contraction in s'il optional?

Accepted Answer

No, it is mandatory. The word si must always drop its 'i' and contract when followed by il or ils. However, remember that si never contracts with other vowels, including elle or on (you must always write si elle or si on).

S'il était moins susceptible, il n'aurait pas crié.

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