Le militant dénonce le fait que l'inaction continue.

Questions & Answers about Le militant dénonce le fait que l'inaction continue.

Is continue in the indicative or subjunctive mood in this sentence?
It is in the subjunctive mood, even though it looks exactly like the present indicative. Because continuer is a regular -er verb, its third-person singular form is continue in both moods. The phrase le fait que triggers the subjunctive here because the main verb dénonce expresses a subjective judgment.
Does le fait que always require the subjunctive?
Almost always. When le fait que is used with a verb expressing emotion, judgment, or opposition (like dénonce here), it strictly requires the subjunctive. You might occasionally hear native speakers use the indicative if the fact is stated as a purely neutral, undeniable certainty, but sticking to the subjunctive is the safest and most standard rule at this level.
Does the word militant have an aggressive connotation in French, like it often does in English?
No, this is a classic false friend. In French, un militant is simply the standard word for an activist or a campaigner for a cause. It does not automatically carry the extreme or violent undertones that the English word "militant" often implies.
Could we just say dénonce que l'inaction continue and skip le fait que?
That would be grammatically incorrect. The verb dénoncer generally requires a direct object noun rather than a simple que clause. By adding le fait que (the fact that), you create a noun phrase that can properly serve as the direct object of the verb.

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