French language Q&A Forum

See the first example of même as an adverb, I think that it's modifying "my mother" and thus is an adjective not an adverb.  Now if it had said, "...my mother even went..." then it's modifying "went" and is an adverb.

Is my thinking right here? If devoir is used in the imparfait in the main clause it means suppose to, and if it's used in the imparfait in the subordinate clause it means had to, all be it with less certainty than using devoir in the passé composé?  In the text taken from one of your "fill in the gaps" on chosing the imperfect or the compound past :

 "Le père était âgé et sortait rarement de son lit, alors sa fille devait s'occuper du jardin et des animaux."

 the translation is given that she had to take care of the garden which means in english anyway, that she carried out the obligation. In french does the repeated action overule the subtlety of the fulfilled obligation?

I hope that's clear!

Why is "C'est le plus grand arbre dans le parc" marked incorrect?

It is generally the way one would say it naturally, informally as opposed to the more formal/literary "C'est l'arbre le plus grand du parc".

It doesn't mean it is wrong.

A small niggle.  Prior to the sentence, "I am not sure", I believe there is no indication as to whether the customer is male or female.  The exercise corrects the response, sûr, to sûre.  How were we to know that the customer is a woman without being told ?