The agent complement in French
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Lesson outline
HideWhat is the complement agent in French ?
The agent complement (French: le complément d'agent) is abbreviated CA and refers to the verb. It is used only in a sentence to the passive voice. Introduced by the preposition "par" or "de", it designates the person or the thing that is the author of the action expressed by the verb.
The agent complement is the subject of the verb to the active voice. The subject of the verb to the passive voice is the object complement of the verb to the active voice.
Examples:
| CA to the active voice | CA to the passive voice | Translations |
|---|---|---|
| Léa fait ses devoirs | Ses devoirs sont fait par Léa | (Lea is doing her homework) |
| Pierre ferme la fenêtre | La fenêtre est fermée par Pierre | (Peter is closing the window) |
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The prepositions in the CA in French
The agent complement is usually introduced by the preposition par
Examples
| Active Voice | Passive voice | Transations |
|---|---|---|
| Le chat chasse la souris | La souris est chassé par le chat | (The cat chases the mouse) |
| Le mécanicien a réparé la voiture de maman | La voiture de maman a été réparé par le mécanicien | (The mechanic repaired mom's car) |
| La nouvelle amie de ta soeur aurait eu une mauvaise note | Une mauvaise note aurait été eu par la nouvelle amie de ta soeur | (Your sister's new friend would've not had a good grade) |
The CA uses the preposition de with:
- verbs of feelings
- verbs used figuratively
- description verbs when the agent is inanimate
Examples
| Use of de | Active voice | Passive voice | Translations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbs of feelings | Tout le monde aime mère Thérésa | Mère Thérésa est aimé de tous | (Everyone loves mother Thérésa) |
| Verbs used figuratively | Un élan de joie a pris ta soeur | Ta soeur fut prise d'élan de joie | (A bunch of joy took your sister) |
| Inanime agent | Les tableaux décorent les murs | Les murs sont décoré de tableaux | (canvas embellish the walls) |
The use of par requires a determinant, if the complement of agent has no determinant we will put de
The grammatical category of the CA in French
The grammatical nature of the agent complement can be
- a noun
- a pronoun
| Nature | Examples | Translations |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | le roi de France a été Henri II | (The king of France has been Henry II) |
| Pronoun | Une tarte a été faite par nous | (A pie has been made by us) |
Exercises
- Drag and drop exercise about the agent complement in French
- Fill in the blank exercise about the agent complement in French
Drag and drop exercise about the agent complement in French
Fill in the blank exercise about the agent complement in French
Write the preposition "par" or "de" in the following sentences to introduce the CA in the passive voice.
Bonne Chance !
Example: Mon père a été reçu par le président de la république.
1. L'histoire est racontée l'auteur. (The author tells the story)
2. Les amateurs ont été reconnus tous. (Everyone recognized the amateurs)
3. Ma maison a été construite un architecte. (An architect built my house)
4. Le fiancé a été vénéré tous. (Everyone worshipped the fiancee)
5. Ma robe a été décoré fleurs. (My dress has been embellished with flowers)
6. Le petit Luc a été lavé Jacqueline. (Jacqueline washed up le petit Luc)
7. La maison est remplie moustiques. (There are many mosquitos around the house)
8. Cloé fut attaquée une guêpe. (A wasp attacked Cloe)
9. Le château est entourée remparts. (There are many battlements surrounding the castle)
10. La séance sera suivi un débat. (A debate follows the movie session)
Exercises
- Drag and drop exercise about the agent complement in French
- Fill in the blank exercise about the agent complement in French
Drag and drop exercise about the agent complement in French
Fill in the blank exercise about the agent complement in French
Write the preposition "par" or "de" in the following sentences to introduce the CA in the passive voice.
Bonne Chance !
Example: Mon père a été reçu par le président de la république.
1. L'histoire est racontée l'auteur. (The author tells the story)
2. Les amateurs ont été reconnus tous. (Everyone recognized the amateurs)
3. Ma maison a été construite un architecte. (An architect built my house)
4. Le fiancé a été vénéré tous. (Everyone worshipped the fiancee)
5. Ma robe a été décoré fleurs. (My dress has been embellished with flowers)
6. Le petit Luc a été lavé Jacqueline. (Jacqueline washed up le petit Luc)
7. La maison est remplie moustiques. (There are many mosquitos around the house)
8. Cloé fut attaquée une guêpe. (A wasp attacked Cloe)
9. Le château est entourée remparts. (There are many battlements surrounding the castle)
10. La séance sera suivi un débat. (A debate follows the movie session)
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My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
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My name is Ilaria, I am 30 years old, I have a post-graduate Master in Linguistic Education at the Ca'Foscari University of Venice. I currently teach Italian to foreigners online.
I gained numerous experiences abroad, I volunteered for one year in Romania, then I worked for two years in Bucharest and two in Ireland in the field of customer service for international companies.
I am a native speaker of Italian but I speak fluent English, Romanian and French.
I currently live in Bologna.
I also love fitness, sitcoms, social media (memes are my passion) and, when the crown allows it, travel.
Can't wait to hear from you! Do not hesitate to send me a message if you would like to be guided in your process of learning my beautiful language.
I have a CEDILS certification.
In the first lesson I try to get an impression of the students, their attitude, cognitive style, needs, level of exposure to the language, motivation etc. I try an inductive - conversational approach first, I plan every lesson and I provide the student with a Google Drive file, anticipating contents and activities.Mostly I tend to work on what it's best for the students (ex. some of them prefer learning tables with grammar rules, verbs etc by heart, I make them understand that this is not considered the fastest nor most efficient way generally, but if it works for them I encourage it). I always try to make them capable of learn by their own and I want them to see me as a facilitator, a guide, not "the person who owns the knowledge". I keep my students focused by constantly stimulating them, asking questions, asking them to share thoughts and formulate hypotheses. Also I always provide explanations for what I do, why I do it in a certain way and at a certain time. I also use a manual.
I often propose topics related to intercultural themes, news, environment, LGBT+ but also tv series, movies and so on, I discuss with students what they'd like to work on and I find or create from scratch activities for them.
G. P.
Ilaria is a young and motivated teacher. He personally writes the exercises to be done and uses a very innovative method for learning. It uses Google to share documents to use during the lesson, making it more fluid and effective, with the aim of facilitating the learning of its students. Learning with her is a great choice.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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Thanks Giacomo!
1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
E. W.
Francois is very patient with my learning, especially as I am an absolute beginner. The lessons contain of a check of the homework, a review of the last lessons, and lastly new vocabulary. Francois tries to stay in French as much as possible and helps me out when I cannot find the meaning of a word or sentence on my own. This helps me learn quicker. In my opinion the homework helps a lot aswell. It helps me focus on what I have learned in the lessons so far, and also to memorize more rapidly.
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Also, standard French lessons
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Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
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Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
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Christin E.
Hello,
My name is Tiska. I am a French Teacher with experiences with adults and teenagers in Public Education (USA) and Language Schools. I am holding a Master Degree in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language).
Join a small group of learners of 2 or 3 for conversation lessons with me. An article or video to watch before the lesson and a conversation with personalized corrections during the lesson. This option saves you at least 10 euros per lesson on Colanguage.
Group opening:
Monday and/or Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:30 (French time).
Level: intermediate (B1)
Also, standard French lessons
- level A2 (low intermediate)
- 2 hours a week
- ask for schedule
Don’t know your level? Ask for a free level test.
I give Skype lessons to people who need or want to improve their French language. I like to use material from the internet (videos, article etc.) to introduce a theme which leads to a lesson and a conversation.
I like to create engaging learning with my students. I will give as homework a document to watch or to read with comprehension exercises so the time we have on skype is only speaking practice and explanation if needed.
I can help you prepare DELF-DALF Exams or work on specific needs (as professional French).
Really like to speak about all the subjects with the student especially those the student like so it gives the motivation to speak in the foreign language.
The free first lesson is organize to know your tastes, your level and your needs so we can plan the next lessons about the objectives you fixed.
F. S.
Tiska has patience and is a very friendly and nice teacher. She always has a structure for each lesson and certainly accommodates when there is something specific I’d like to focus on. I definitely recommend her.
Tiska G.
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Thanks a lot, Alina!
Hello, my name is Claus !For many years I teach students from all over the world as a professional teacher of the German language. With a lot of experience and patience I lead my students to their to teach successfully and with fun. I offer you general language courses of B1- C2 with test preparations, as well as courses in Business German (prerequisites are language proficiency in German from level B1 +!).
S. G.
Thanks for your support. I learned a lot from you and my last German test went very well. I will be happy to contact you again if I need your help again. With kind regards
Claus B.
Hello,
I am a multilingual teacher with experience in teaching French to German, Japanese, English, Bulgarian and Italian-speaking students, etc. (levels A1 to C1).
I have been teaching French for 8 years in Luxemburg and now in Bulgaria for 4 years, to teenagers, housewives, businessmen, employees, doctors, etc. I can also help you with DELF and DALF preparation. I give lessons via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in several countries.
My teaching method for each class : a grammar point together with listening, a lot of speaking with conversation questions or games. While you speak, I write all the new words you need to express yourself, illustrated by pictures or translated in your language.
I do my best to make you feel comfortable to speak and for you to have a pleasant time. According to me, using humour will help you learn more easily.
Whether you need to learn French for business, integration in a French-speaking country or studying, I will be happy to help you. Do not hesitate to contact me for a free trial lesson.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Katia
Great teacher who makes learning language fun. Also good at making you comfortable to speak the language already in the very beginning.
Katia H.
Hello everyone,
My name is Ilaria, I am 30 years old, I have a post-graduate Master in Linguistic Education at the Ca'Foscari University of Venice. I currently teach Italian to foreigners online.
I gained numerous experiences abroad, I volunteered for one year in Romania, then I worked for two years in Bucharest and two in Ireland in the field of customer service for international companies.
I am a native speaker of Italian but I speak fluent English, Romanian and French.
I currently live in Bologna.
I also love fitness, sitcoms, social media (memes are my passion) and, when the crown allows it, travel.
Can't wait to hear from you! Do not hesitate to send me a message if you would like to be guided in your process of learning my beautiful language.
I have a CEDILS certification.
In the first lesson I try to get an impression of the students, their attitude, cognitive style, needs, level of exposure to the language, motivation etc. I try an inductive - conversational approach first, I plan every lesson and I provide the student with a Google Drive file, anticipating contents and activities.Mostly I tend to work on what it's best for the students (ex. some of them prefer learning tables with grammar rules, verbs etc by heart, I make them understand that this is not considered the fastest nor most efficient way generally, but if it works for them I encourage it). I always try to make them capable of learn by their own and I want them to see me as a facilitator, a guide, not "the person who owns the knowledge". I keep my students focused by constantly stimulating them, asking questions, asking them to share thoughts and formulate hypotheses. Also I always provide explanations for what I do, why I do it in a certain way and at a certain time. I also use a manual.
I often propose topics related to intercultural themes, news, environment, LGBT+ but also tv series, movies and so on, I discuss with students what they'd like to work on and I find or create from scratch activities for them.
G. P.
Ilaria is a young and motivated teacher. He personally writes the exercises to be done and uses a very innovative method for learning. It uses Google to share documents to use during the lesson, making it more fluid and effective, with the aim of facilitating the learning of its students. Learning with her is a great choice.
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Thanks Giacomo!
1 - If you are looking for a well-structured French program to take you from a beginner level to advanced level to be able to travel to France, i have developed with success my own program which includes 70 worksheets from basic to advance level.
2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
E. W.
Francois is very patient with my learning, especially as I am an absolute beginner. The lessons contain of a check of the homework, a review of the last lessons, and lastly new vocabulary. Francois tries to stay in French as much as possible and helps me out when I cannot find the meaning of a word or sentence on my own. This helps me learn quicker. In my opinion the homework helps a lot aswell. It helps me focus on what I have learned in the lessons so far, and also to memorize more rapidly.
Francois D.