13 This is a pronoun, standing alone as the subject of the verb. The adjective, quelques, would need to
be accompanied by a noun in this context.Certains(line 4) functions here as a pronoun; it has the
same form when used as an adjective, e.g. à certains moments.
14 Used as a number, milleis invariable. It takes a plural –s only when used as a noun meaning ‘miles’.
The adverb, même (even), is invariable, unlike the adjective, même (same, very), e.g. les arbres
mêmes(the very trees).
15 To translate in or to + place, use à+ town; au+ masculine country/ state beginning with a
consonant (but en Alaska); en+ feminine country/ province/ state/. To denote origin with a
masculine place, use de + definite article + place name, but de+ fem place name (with no article).
16 Use of stressed pronoun, either immediately after the subject (lines 41–2), or in the initial position
(line 48) to highlight a noun subject. Repriseconstruction in line 54; the direct object, sa femme
(line 54), is placed in initial position for emphasis, and then repeated in the form of the object
pronoun, l’.●Text 3: Les aventuriers sous la mer Key to analysis
1 Depuis+ present is used to express an action which began in the past, but which is continuing in the
present: ‘Since men have been going to sea’, ‘Mediterranean fishermen have been bringing up’. See
Chapter 1. By contrast, the passé composé is used with depuis as in lines 20–2, when the event
narrated is completed and not envisaged as ongoing. The imperfect tense is used in line 10 for a
description of a state of affairs which went on for some time. Neither the beginning nor the end of
this state of affairs is relevant. The preposition pendant is used to express ‘for’ + past time. If depuis
+ imperfect had been used, the meaning would have been ‘had been having access’. See Chapter 3.
The preposition pour translates ‘for’ + time only when reference is made to intentions, e.g. je vais
à Paris pour 3 jours. See Chapter 28.
2 The first two events are more remote in time. They occurred in 1943. The ‘fouilles archéologiques’
which have taken place since have occurred over the intervening years since and connect more
closely with the present. The event narrated in the final paragraph occurred recently, in 1993.
3 In sentences where a condition is expressed with si+ imperfect, as here in s’ils pouvaient fouiller
(lines 12–13), the main verb sauraientis in the present conditional. See Chapter 7. The conditional is
NEVER used in the siclause of a conditional sentence. See Chapter 3.
4 Verbs with the final vowel of their stem in ‘e’, e.g. ramenerchange ‘e’ to ‘è’ in all the singular forms
and in the third-person plural form of the present tense.
Verbs with the final vowel of their stem in ‘é’, e.g. repérer, change ‘é’ to ‘è’ in the same
circumstances. A verb stem ending in ‘g’ becomes ‘ge’ in the imperfect. See Chapter 3.
5 In careful written French, desbecomes dewhen the adjective precedes its noun. See Chapter 13.
6 The adjective seulsagrees forward with les plongeursto which it refers. The past participle
mulitipliéesof the pronominal verb se multiplieragrees with its feminine plural subject, les fouilles
archéologiques sous-marines. See Chapter 20.● Text 4: Napoléon: le testament que l’on croyait perdu
Key to analysis1 Passé composé. For list of other verbs conjugated with être, see Chapter 2. Pronominal verbs (see
Chapter 20) and the passive (see Chapter 21) are conjugated with être.
2 Qui is a relative pronoun referring to the subject of the following verb (cette pièce) whereas que
refers to the object of the following verb (le testament) (see Chapter 11).256 Keys