Question 1

Why is there no article before matériel in the phrase faute de matériel?

Accepted Answer

The prepositional phrase faute de (for lack of) is usually followed directly by a noun without an article when referring to a general concept, an uncountable item, or a plural idea. You drop the article unless you are referring to a very specific, previously mentioned item.

Question 2

Since the lesson is about faute de + noun or infinitive, how would you rewrite this sentence using an infinitive?

Accepted Answer

You could say faute d'avoir du matériel (for lack of having equipment). When using an infinitive after faute de, you treat the rest of the clause like a normal sentence, which is why the partitive article du reappears here.

Question 3

Why does the sentence use both avait oublié and a fermé instead of putting both verbs in the same tense?

Accepted Answer

This contrasts the plus-que-parfait (had forgotten) with the passé composé (closed). The plus-que-parfait is used for avait oublié to clearly show that the forgetting happened first, which created the conditions for the factory to close later.

Question 4

Is matériel a false friend for the English word material?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in many contexts! While it looks like material, matériel typically refers to equipment, gear, or hardware. If you want to talk about the physical substance used to build or make something, you would usually use un matériau or la matière.

Il avait oublié le minerai et l'usine a fermé, faute de matériel.

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