Hi Aurélie
I was doing an exercise which has this question:
La valise qu'il ( est descendue, a descendue, a descendu) du grenier hier est neuve.
What will be the correct answer? As my understanding says intransitive verbs take être as auxillary but the answer given is a descendue ( why the accord?)
When someone takes down (descendre) an object, you use avoir as the auxilary verb (because the action is not done upon the subject/doer).
Il est descendu (He himself went down.)
Il a descendu la valise (He took down the suitcase.)
La valise qu'il a descendue (The suitcase that he took down.) This example has the feminine agreement/accord due to "la valise" (the direct object) preceding the verb.
Yes, Wendy is correct. I would just add that you have to look at a sentence that uses descendre and decide whether or not there is an object. If there is, the verb is now being used as a transitive verb and takes avoir.
This sentence is very difficult because the suitcase is the subject of the main sentence: "The suitcase ... is new." However, it is the direct object in the dependent clause, "... that he took down from the attic yesterday ..." As far as the verb in the dependent clause is concerned, la valise is the object, and not the subject, and that's why the verb becomes transitive.
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