How come ? + conjugated verb

Question

In the exercise, I completed the sentence "How come you speak French? with "Comment ça se fait que tu parles français?" The answer was marked incorrect - your corrected answer being "Comment se fait que tu parles français?" I didn't see "Comment se fait que" as a choice in the notebook explanation of How come? - although "Comment se fait-il que" was also an option when How come? is followed by a conjugated verb. Please explain. Merci!

Accepted Answer

Bonjour Barbara,
When you wish to discuss a test question / lesson / grammar point etc, you can do the following:
- from your Correction board: click 'discuss this lesson' which will take you to a screen where you can write your question and it should automatically add the lesson link in your question.
- through Q&A forum page, then you will need to add what we call a 'descriptive tag' (a word or lesson title etc) in the cell right under your main question.
 
My colleague's answer is correct. It seems that 'il' is missing from your answer (having looked at your test history). Although I can't seem to find the exact same test question that you are referring to. The only one I found was the following: ___ tu parles anglais ? (How come you speak English?) and it seems that 'il' is missing in your answer (Comment se fait que). ;-)
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Answer

Hi Barbara,On the face of it "Comment ça se fait que + subjunctive" seems correct to me.To write "Comment se fait que .... " How to become that ... " rather than "How did it become that ...."  Were you required to use cela rather than ça?You haven't given a link to the text of the exercise so I am unable to read the piece to comment in an informed way.Sorry can't add anything further without sight of the text.Jim

Answer

Hi Barbara, 
Could you pin the exercise you are referring to and we’ll take a look at this ?

Answer

I noticed in the following quizzes that “Comment ça se fait que” and “Comment se fait-il que” we’re accepted as correct answers. I think this one particular sentence just slipped through. I don’t know how to pin the quiz with this sentence. If I see it again I will try to let you know where it is. Thanks

Answer

Hi Barbara, 
Looking at what you wrote there is an 'il' missing .
You could say either :
Comment ça /cela se fait que tu  parles français?
Or

Comment se fait-il que tu parles français?

Could that have been the error ?
The name of the exercise would help too...

Answer

No, I don’t think I forgot the “il” because I used “Comment ça se fait que” not the other expression (Comment se fait-il que). This sentence was in a B2 quiz - How come .....  tu parles français?   How do I pin the quiz if I see this sentence again?