French language Q&A Forum

Firstly - thanks to the creators of this lesson!

Secondly - I am having trouble understanding the distinction between the usage of "Manquer de..." and the impersonal "Il manque...à..."

The lesson describes how the two structures are formed (and gives translations that seem to overlap - e.g. "to lack [something]" VS. [someone/something] is missing (i.e. lacking) something), but doesn't seem to describe how exactly they are used differently from each other.

Thus, I'm wondering if someone can explain in what scenarios "Manquer de" must be used and not "Il manque...à..." (and vice versa), and describe if there are any situations in which both can be used.

(For an example of what I mean, can one say both "Il manque un bouton à ta chemise" (given in the lesson) and "Ta chemise manque d'un bouton" ? Why or why not? Etc.)

Thanks in advance!

My Barron's French Verbs defines s'amuser as:  to have a good time, to amuse oneself, to enjoy oneself.  Although I know  "Amélie s'amuser au cirque" implies she is having fun, you gave as a possible answer also "is amusing herself".  Since you guys a normally very exact in what you allow as correct in your tests, why do you now not accept a technically more correct answer?

Qu'est-ce que tu penses?

but,

Qui est-ce qui vient ce soir?

Just wondering why 'Qui', which ends in a vowel, wouldn't contract when the following word begins with a vowel, as does the example with 'Que'?

Bonjour.  Can someone explain the difference?  For example, there is a Kwiziq dictée entitled (En Terrasse) but in the dictée "sur la terrasse" is used.  Merci!