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Les ouvriers sont montés sur l'échafaudage pour voir la charpente.

Les ouvriers sont montés sur l'échafaudage pour voir la charpente.
The workers went up on the scaffolding to see the framework.
From Lesson 446:Auxiliary switch with motion verbs (être vs. avoir)·French

Questions & Answers about Les ouvriers sont montés sur l'échafaudage pour voir la charpente.

Why do we use sont montés with the auxiliary être here, rather than avoir?
This is the core of how verbs of motion work! The verb monter is used intransitively here, meaning the workers aren't taking a direct object up with them; they are just moving themselves. When used this way, monter takes être. If they had carried tools up, it would be transitive and use avoir (for example, Ils ont monté les outils).
Why is there an -s on montés?
Because we are using the auxiliary être, the past participle must agree with the subject. Since Les ouvriers is masculine plural, we add an -s to monté. If we had used avoir for a transitive action, there would be no subject agreement.
Could I use monter à l'échafaudage instead of monter sur l'échafaudage?
Not quite. Monter sur means to physically climb on or get on top of something physical (like scaffolding, a ladder, or a stage). Monter à is used for going up to a spatial destination, like a floor or a room (such as monter à l'étage).
What exactly does la charpente refer to?
A charpente is the structural framework of a building, usually the wooden or metal roof structure. It is a specific architectural term, which explains why the workers need an échafaudage (scaffolding) to reach it up high!

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