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French final t quiz: chat, sept, petite and petit enfant

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Eight questions on French final t: silent words, pronounced endings, feminine forms and liaison. Compare chat, sept, petit enfant and et ensuite.

In short

The final t is silent in chat /ʃa/ and petit /pəti/, pronounced in sept /sɛt/, and heard in the liaison petit enfant /pəti tɑ̃fɑ̃/. The quiz asks you to choose the sound or the reason in each phrase.

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Study first: three different routes to /t/
TargetPronunciationWhat happens
un chat/œ̃ ʃa/The noun ends in a vowel.
sept/sɛt/The number keeps /t/ when said alone.
petite/pətit/The feminine adjective has /t/.
petit enfant/pəti tɑ̃fɑ̃/The adjective links to its noun with /t/.

Use the whole phrase. Le chat attend keeps a silent t, even though attend starts with a vowel. Un petit enfant links because petit is an adjective before its noun. In sept amis, the /t/ is already present in the word sept. The sound crosses into the next syllable; the starting point differs from petit.

Silent t: say each object name

  1. Question 1No account needed
    You say the word chat alone. Which ending do you use?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    /ʃa/. The final t in chat is silent. The word ends with /a/.

  2. Question 2No account needed
    Does chat gain /t/ in this sentence?Le chat attend.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    No, the noun keeps its silent t.. The singular noun chat does not make liaison with attend.

  3. Question 3No account needed
    How does sept end when you answer “seven”?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    With /t/.. Sept is /sɛt/ when used on its own. Its written p is silent.

  4. Question 4No account needed
    Which adjective contains /t/ when said alone?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    petite. Petite /pətit/ has a pronounced /t/. Petit and petits are /pəti/ in isolation.

  5. Question 5No account needed
    Why is /t/ heard between petit and enfant?Un petit enfant joue ici.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    The adjective makes liaison before its noun.. The adjective before a vowel-initial noun supplies liaison: petit enfant.

  6. Question 6No account needed
    Which phrase has a linking /t/?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    un petit ami. Petit ami has adjective–noun liaison. Et blocks liaison; chat is a singular noun.

  7. Question 7No account needed
    Should you add /t/ after enfant here?C’est un enfant adorable.

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    No.. There is no liaison after the singular noun in un enfant adorable.

  8. Question 8No account needed
    What is different about /t/ in sept amis and petit enfant?

    Choose one answer.

    Answer and explanation

    The number already ends in /t/; the adjective gains it through liaison.. Sept is /sɛt/ alone, whereas petit is /pəti/ alone. Both phrases contain /t/.

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