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Annuler cet événement rendrait Marie triste, alors ils se montrent prudents.

Annuler cet événement rendrait Marie triste, alors ils se montrent prudents.
Canceling this event would make Marie sad, so they are being careful.
FromLesson 10inHardcore French

Breakdown of Annuler cet événement rendrait Marie triste, alors ils se montrent prudents.

Marie
Marie
ils
they
alors
so
se
oneself
montrer
to show
l'événement
the event
annuler
to cancel
rendre
to make
triste
sad
prudent
careful

Questions & Answers about Annuler cet événement rendrait Marie triste, alors ils se montrent prudents.

What does the phrase Annuler cet événement mean and how does it function grammatically in the sentence?
It means "to cancel this event." Here, the infinitive Annuler acts as the subject of the sentence, representing the action whose potential consequence is being discussed.
Why is the verb form rendrait used, and what does it indicate?
Rendrait is the conditional form of the verb rendre. It expresses a hypothetical outcome—namely, that if the event were canceled, it would make Marie sad. This conditional mood shows that the result is contingent on the action described.
What role does the reflexive pronoun se play in the phrase ils se montrent prudents?
The pronoun se is part of the pronominal construction se montrer, which means "to show oneself" or "to behave." It indicates that they are displaying a characteristic—in this case, being cautious.
Why is the adjective prudents in its plural form, and what does it modify?
Prudents is in the plural form to agree with the plural subject ils. It modifies the subject by describing how they behave, meaning they act cautiously or carefully.
What function does the word alors serve in the sentence?
Alors serves as a linking word similar to "so" or "therefore." It connects the consequence of canceling the event—which would make Marie sad—with the resulting action of the group behaving cautiously.
Is the comma before alors used correctly, and what does it signify?
Yes, the comma is correctly used to separate two independent clauses. It signifies a pause between the cause (canceling the event would upset Marie) and the effect (therefore, they act cautiously), enhancing the clarity and flow of the sentence.
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“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

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