The ne explétif is optional and its omiss | French Q & A

Itai B.C1Kwiziq community member

The ne explétif is optional and its omission should not be treated as an error by kwiziq

The ne explétif is always optional. In everyday speech it is a rarity, for sure, but even in writing it is optional. The omission of a ne explétif never results in incorrect grammar, and Le bon usage is replete with such examples taken from writers of the highest caliber, including a Nobel laureate in literature (Colette) and a member of the Académie française (Montherlant). Nevertheless kwiziq quizzes regard the omission of the ne explétif as an error. This is misleading.

This question relates to:French lesson "What is the ne explétif and when to use it in French"

Asked 4 years ago

Like3Answer1

Stephanie S.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I understand what you're saying and I agree. At the same time if the ne expletif is what is being tested, then you would have to mark it wrong, otherwise why bother testing it? Maybe they could offer both as answer choices, and to be correct we'd have to mark them both.

Like03 years ago

Itai B. asked:

The ne explétif is optional and its omission should not be treated as an error by kwiziq

The ne explétif is always optional. In everyday speech it is a rarity, for sure, but even in writing it is optional. The omission of a ne explétif never results in incorrect grammar, and Le bon usage is replete with such examples taken from writers of the highest caliber, including a Nobel laureate in literature (Colette) and a member of the Académie française (Montherlant). Nevertheless kwiziq quizzes regard the omission of the ne explétif as an error. This is misleading.

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