French language Q&A Forum

Bonjour,

There was a sentence I was working on 

Do not call them after eight P.M! For this sentence the answer was

Ne Les appelle pas après  huit du soir. Are they using Les here as the direct object because their is no preposition for it to be indirect?

Also why is the pronoun y in this sentence after the conjugated verb?

Tu devrais y prêter attention?

Thank you

Nicole

I think I have seen both la douane and les douanes used for the French customs police.  Is there a rule for which to use and when?

I think in English, especially in the UK, it is an evolving language and many grammatical rules are being overwritten by common usage.  On that basis, I think it is becoming harder and harder to prescribe firm rules, and more often the answer is "either may be acceptable".  Unfortunately, bad/lazy/incorrect/slang grammar, used repeatedly, becomes acceptable/normal grammar.  I struggle to teach my children proper grammar, but they hear incorrect grammar all around them, even from teachers, and they use what the hear more than what I tell them is good grammar.  e.g. "James and me went to the cinema."