French language Q&A Forum

"and little by little, I became very small"--Why is passe' compose' used here?  It seems an event with absolutely no clear beginning or end.

The lesson implies that "vieux" and "ancien" follow the same usage rules as "neuf" and "nouveau", i.e. objective and subjective, respectively. But according to the lesson on Movable Adjectives, in the case of "ancien" at least, it is the placement of the adjective before or after the noun that determines whether it is translated subjectively or objectively.

Which lesson is correct?

Am I correct that this can have two slightly different meanings in English: I like that you take your time and I like you to take your time? In the first instance, it is a fact that the person spoken to takes their time; in the second, the speaker is expressing a desire for continuing situation - taking time. (The second instance is different again from I would like you to take your time, which, I suppose, would be translated as J'aimerais que tu prennes ton temps).

Is this yet another example of how English is often better for expressing nuances, or is there an alternative way to clarify the difference in French?

I am guessing that the verb "mettre" was chosen over "porter" because the latter had already been used twice; otherwise "porter" would have been an acceptable choice in "...toutes mes tenues de soirée en même temps. "  Am I right?