Questions & Answers about « D'ailleurs, j'ai tout vu ! » s'exclame-t-elle.
Why is there a "-t-" in s'exclame-t-elle?
This sentence uses a reporting clause (an incise), which often requires subject inversion in written French. Because the verb exclame ends in a vowel and the subject pronoun elle starts with a vowel, French inserts a -t- to avoid a "vowel clash" (hiatus) and make it easier to pronounce. You will only see this added -t- with the pronouns il, elle, and on.
How does the inversion work with a reflexive verb like s'exclamer here?
When you invert a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun (here, s') stays anchored right in front of the verb. You only swap the position of the main verb and the subject pronoun. So, the standard statement elle s'exclame simply becomes s'exclame-t-elle.
D'ailleurs is translated as "moreover" here. Doesn't it also mean "by the way"?
Why is tout placed between the two parts of the verb in j'ai tout vu?