Learn French: Il a totalement dévoré le vieux livre.

In French, adverbs of degree or quantity like totalement, vraiment, or beaucoup are typically placed directly between the conjugated auxiliary verb (a) and the past participle (dévoré) in compound tenses like the passé composé.

Why do we use vieux here instead of vieil?

The adjective vieil is only used before a masculine singular noun that starts with a vowel or a mute H, like in un vieil ami. Because livre starts with a consonant, we use the standard masculine singular form, vieux.

Is the placement of vieux before the noun an exception?

No, it follows a standard rule. While most French adjectives come after the noun, those describing Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, or Size (often remembered by the acronym BANGS) typically come before it. Since vieux describes age, it precedes livre.

Can dévorer be used figuratively for reading, just like in English?

Yes! Just like in English, dévorer un livre is a common figurative expression that means to read a book very quickly and enthusiastically because you are completely absorbed by it.