The Public School Elementary French Grammar, Adapted by P. H. E. Brette and G. Masson

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 edition. Excerpt: ...adjectives, follows the rules of agreement. The verbal adjective expresses a state: l'obscurite cstetfrayante (=the darkness is alarming); while the present participle expresses an action: l'orage, en effrayant les animaux, dispersa tout le troupeau (=the storm, in frightening the animals, dispersed the whole flock); we must, therefore, whilst examining a sentence, ascertain whether a state or an action is expressed. 414. There ia action, and, consequently, no agreement: --1. When the participle has a direct complement: on n'entend plus les marteaux frappant l'enclume ( = the hammers are no longer heard striking the anvil); 2. When the participle is preceded by the preposition en: lamer s'avance en mugissant (=the sea advances, roaring); 8. When the participle is followed by an adverb: une fille obeissant bien (=a girl obeying faithfully), des esprits agrissant toujours (=minds always busy). 415. State is expressed, and, therefore, agreement takes place: --1. When the verbal adjective is accompanied by the verb tjtre: cette flew est charmante ( = this flower is charming); 2. When the verbal adjective is preceded by an adverb: une fiUe Men obgissante ( = a very obedient girl). When the form in-ant is followed by an indirect or circumstantial complement, the sense alone can show whether there should be agreement or not. Thus we shall write: voyez-vous ces debris flottant vers la c$te T (= do you see those fragments drifting towards the shore?); but Calypso vit des cordages flottants sur la cdte (=Calypso saw on the shore floating cables). In the former example, flottant is invariable, because it is a participle and implies action; in the latter, flottants agrees with the noun, because it is an adjective, and shows the state of the cables...