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Questions & Answers about Ton sac noir est élégant.
Why is ton used instead of ta, tes, or votre?
In French, possessive adjectives agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify. Sac is masculine singular, so you use ton (informal singular “your”). Ta would be for feminine singular nouns, tes for any plural nouns, and votre is the formal or plural “your.”
Why is there no article like le, la, or les before ton?
Possessive adjectives (mon, ton, son, etc.) replace the definite article in French. You never say le ton sac—the possessive already marks the noun, so you simply say ton sac.
Why are the adjectives noir and élégant not written as noire or élégants?
French adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Sac is masculine singular, so both adjectives take the masculine singular form: noir (m.sg.) and élégant (m.sg.). If the noun were feminine singular, you’d say noire, élégante; if plural, noirs, élégants.
Why does noir come directly after sac, while élégant comes after the verb est?
Noir is an attributive adjective—part of the noun phrase ton sac noir—and most French adjectives (except a few common ones) follow the noun. Élégant is a predicate adjective linked to the subject by être; it describes the subject (“your black bag”) through the verb est.
Could I also say ton sac est noir et élégant?
Yes. In ton sac est noir et élégant, both adjectives are predicate adjectives joined by et (“and”). The nuance is minor: ton sac noir est élégant integrates noir into the noun phrase, whereas ton sac est noir et élégant treats both qualities equally in the predicate.
Are there exceptions to the rule that adjectives follow the noun in French?
Yes. A small group of common adjectives—often remembered by the acronym BAGS (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size), e.g., beau, vieux, bon, grand—typically precede the noun. Most other adjectives (like noir, élégant) come after.
Is there a liaison between est and élégant when speaking?
Yes. You pronounce the final –t of est and link it to élégant, resulting in [ɛ-t‿e-le-gɑ̃]. Liaisons connect a normally silent consonant to the following vowel sound.