Because of the 'hint' that 'the action was completed' I changed my initial answer from 'Ce Noel etait' to 'Ce Noel a ete' - but I find it's 'etait' in the above version.
I also had used the word 'etincelantes' but this was scored out and replaced with 'brillantes'.
This is by no means the first time that similar things have happened and I'm a bit peeved that I've had to mark myself down needlessly.
Hi Margaret,
I have checked and both 'était' and 'a été' should be accepted.
The adjective 'étincellantes' is given as an alternative and should not be corrected.
Could you let the helpdesk know as there might be a glitch in the system?
Hi Margaret,
This is best flagged to the help desk and they will check it out for you.
These are self-marked - it is always our own choice whether to mark up or down. If you know you are right, or are only wrong because of a misleading or misunderstood clue, why be so hard on yourself ?
Both versions ("était" as well as "a été) are good answers. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the one-shot event or more the period. What I don't get, however, is the hint that the event is already over. The English clearly is in past tense, so the hint probably causes more confusion and it is helping.
By the way, Maarten is right. These exercises are self-scored. The crossed out portions are simply those that deviate from the given answer(s). But by no means are those given answers/alternatives the only ones possible. Even though crossing stuff out may remind you of your own school time when the teacher crossed stuff out and marked you down, it isn't that here.
Don't have an account yet? Join today
Test your French to the CEFR standard
Find your French level