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Tout intelligent qu’il est: French concessive clauses quiz

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Ten questions on tout… que concessions: interpret the contrast, agree the adjective and tout, and recognise indicative and subjunctive choices.

In short

Tout intelligent qu’il est means “clever though he is”: the main clause goes against an expectation raised by that quality. The indicative commonly presents the quality as an acknowledged fact; the subjunctive is also accepted, so tout… que does not impose one mood in every context.

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Two craftspeople discussing a large workshop project.
Even someone compétent may need help with a project. Illustration: Atelier

Tout compétent qu’il est, il ne peut pas mener ce projet seul.

Competent though he is, he cannot lead this project alone.

Two separate agreement checks
Subject and adjectiveOpeningWhat changes
il — compétentTout compétent qu’il est…Masculine singular adjective
ils — compétentsTout compétents qu’ils sont…Adjective plural; tout unchanged
elle — compétenteToute compétente qu’elle est…Feminine before a consonant: toute
elles — intelligentesTout intelligentes qu’elles sont…Feminine before a vowel: tout unchanged

In this pattern, the adjective agrees with its subject. Adverbial tout stays invariable before a masculine adjective and before a feminine adjective beginning with a vowel or silent h; it agrees before a feminine adjective beginning with a consonant or aspirated h. [Larousse’s entry for tout](https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais/tout/78772) covers these agreements and accepts both indicative and subjunctive constructions.

  1. Question 1No account needed
    Choose the meaning.Tout intelligent qu’il est, il s’est trompé.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    He is clever, yet he made a mistake.. The concession admits his intelligence and reports a result that contrasts with what one might expect.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Keep the masculine plural adjective.___ compétents qu’ils sont, ils ont besoin d’aide.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Tout. The adjective compétents agrees with ils. Adverbial tout remains invariable before a masculine adjective.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    Complete the feminine singular form before a consonant.___ prudente qu’elle est, elle a oublié de vérifier ce point.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Toute. Prudente is feminine and begins with a consonant, so adverbial tout takes the feminine singular form toute.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Complete the feminine plural form before a vowel.___ intelligentes qu’elles sont, elles peuvent hésiter.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Tout. Before the vowel at the start of intelligentes, adverbial tout stays invariable. The adjective itself remains feminine plural.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    The speaker states the quality as a fact and asks for the indicative.Tout sérieux qu’il ___, il lui arrive de plaisanter.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    est. The requested present indicative of être is est. A subjunctive version is possible in this construction, but it is not the mood requested.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Which completion uses the present subjunctive?Tout valable que ___ cet argument, il ne suffit pas à conclure.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    soit. Soit is present subjunctive. The inversion after que puts the subject cet argument after the verb.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Choose the general statement that matches modern usage.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    The indicative is common; the subjunctive is also accepted.. The pattern often has the indicative, but the subjunctive is accepted too. Context and the way the concession is presented matter.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    Agree the adjective with its subject.Toute ___ qu’elle est, cette solution reste coûteuse.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    pertinente. Solution is feminine singular, so the adjective is pertinente. The opening toute also fits because pertinente begins with a consonant.

  9. Question 9No account needed
    Correct the opening before the vowel.___ efficace qu’elle est, cette solution reste coûteuse.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    Tout. The feminine adjective efficace begins with a vowel. Adverbial tout therefore remains invariable.

  10. Question 10No account needed
    Choose a main clause that creates a concession.Tout expérimenté qu’il est, …

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    il demande parfois conseil à ses collègues.. Asking for advice can contrast with an expectation of complete independence. The other endings repeat the quality or give an expected consequence.

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