lesson doesn't explain ce sont vs ces sont?

Liam H.A1Kwiziq community member

lesson doesn't explain ce sont vs ces sont?

I got it wrong for using ces sont instead of ce sont. Kwiz pointed me to this lesson but it doesn't explain why ces is wrong.

Asked 4 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Ce sont des tomates fraîches? -- These are fresh tomatoes?
Oui, ces tomatoes-ci sont fraîches. -- Yes, these tomatoes here are fresh.

In the second sentence, ces is a demonstrative pronoun for tomatoes: these tomatoes. In the first sentence it isn't. A good indicator would be if ces is immediatelly followed by the noun it refers to or not.

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

For those following here later, ‘ces’ is not a demonstrative pronoun, but a demonstrative adjective. As an adjective, it needs to be linked to a noun.

Liam H. asked:

lesson doesn't explain ce sont vs ces sont?

I got it wrong for using ces sont instead of ce sont. Kwiz pointed me to this lesson but it doesn't explain why ces is wrong.

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