Question 1

Does d'autant plus que require the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

No, it is followed by the indicative! Even though it ends in que and expresses a strong feeling ("all the more"), it is fundamentally a conjunction of cause (like "because" or "since"). Since it introduces a concrete fact rather than a possibility or emotion, we use the indicative il a rather than the subjunctive il ait.

Question 2

Do I pronounce the "s" in plus in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you should pronounce the "s"! In the set expression d'autant plus que, the "s" is fully pronounced as an /s/ sound. This is a helpful exception to remember, as the rules for pronouncing plus can be tricky.

Question 3

Why use the singular un doute instead of the plural des doutes?

Accepted Answer

While English speakers often say someone "has doubts" in a general sense, French very commonly uses the singular avoir un doute when hesitating or suspecting something about one specific issue. Because he is examining one specific detail, he has one specific doubt.

Question 4

Why does it say avec la loupe (with the magnifying glass) if a specific one wasn't mentioned previously?

Accepted Answer

French frequently uses definite articles (le, la) with tools, instruments, and body parts to refer to their general function rather than a specific physical object. Saying avec la loupe sounds highly natural to a French ear, implying he is simply using "the standard tool for this job."

Il examine le détail avec la loupe, d'autant plus qu'il a un doute.

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