Tout Adjective Agreement: An Overview
Tout, meaning “all” or “whole,” is a French adjective that is commonly used to describe a group of objects or people as a single entity. It can also be used to emphasize the completeness or universality of a statement. However, the use of tout requires careful attention to adjective agreement, as it changes depending on the gender and number of the noun it modifies.
Gender Agreement
In French, all nouns are either masculine or feminine. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they modify. When tout precedes a masculine noun, it becomes tout. However, when it precedes a feminine noun, it becomes toute.
Examples:
– Le tout nouvel ordinateur / The brand new computer
– La toute nouvelle voiture / The brand new car
Number Agreement
French nouns are also either singular or plural. Adjectives must agree with the number of the noun they modify. When tout precedes a singular noun, it becomes tout. However, when it precedes a plural noun, it becomes tous for masculine nouns and toutes for feminine nouns.
Examples:
– Le tout petit chat / The very small cat
– Les tout petits chats / The very small cats
– La toute petite fleur / The very small flower
– Les toutes petites fleurs / The very small flowers
Exceptions
There are some exceptions to tout adjective agreement that are worth noting:
– When tout is used as an adverb before an adjective, it does not change its form. For example: Tout petit / Very small.
– When tout is used as an indefinite pronoun, it agrees with the gender and number of the noun it replaces. For example: Tout est bien qui finit bien / All`s well that ends well.
– When tout is used as a noun, it is always masculine. For example: Le tout de la question / The whole point of the matter.
Conclusion
Tout adjective agreement can be a bit tricky at first, but with practice, it becomes easier to master. Remember that tout changes its form depending on the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Keep these rules in mind and you`ll be well on your way to using tout correctly in your French writing!