French language Q&A Forum

Why does sortis have an "s" - I understand that être verbs will agree with subject but this is "on" - I did not think that this was treated at plural "nous"

My understanding is that you use dans when referring to a specific place (which is preceded by an article) while en is used to refer to a more general, abstract or symbolic place (no article). 

Je suis dans la classe. vs Il est en classe.

I’m in the classroom. vs He is in class.

But then the following example is given that confuses me:

Je vais en ville - I’m going TO town. Why is it not written using “à?”

Thank you for any help!

Pensée et Structure, copyright 1969 by John/Jean Darbelnet, a French textbook that has haunted me since 1971, distinguishes between using prétendre in the affirmative with the indicative and with the subjunctive - a distinction blessedly no longer "felt" by the modern Frenchman, or so I am told....

So, per this evidently out-of-date usage:

Il prétend qu'il a tout compris, c'est-a-dire, il affirme que.....

Il prétend qu'on ne fasse rien sans le consulter, c'est-a-dire, il exige que......

The text makes further such distinctions for comprendre, supposer, dire, et il me semble que. This can be found in numbered paragraph 215. My original copy was so marked up, I bought a second copy on Amazon. 

I would love input from native French speakers....