POSITION OF THE FRENCH ARTICLES AND ADJECTIVES

22. Articles* must be repeated before each noun, regardless of what the case may be in English, e.g.:

il a un frère et une sœur (he has a brother and sister); sur le premier et sur le deuxième rayon (on the first and second shelf).

23. Pronominal Adjectives, as well as Articles, must be repeated before each noun, e.g. :

notre père et notre mère (our f ather and mother) ; ces livres et ces crayons (those books and pencils).

24. Adjectives of quality either précède, or folio w the nouns they modify.

(a) Those that précède nouns must be repeated before each, just

as Articles and Pronominal Adjectives do, e.g. :

mon petit frère et ma petite sœur (my little brother and sister).

(b) Those that follow the nouns must not be repeated, e.g. :

un salon et une véranda confortables (a comfortable parlor and véranda).

(c) Most adjectives of quality follow the nouns; there are some, however, that usually précède.

(d) Adjectives of quality usually preceding the noun:

beau, beautiful gros, big mauvais, bad

bon, good jeune, young nouveau, new

court, short joli, pretty petit, small

grand, large long, long vieux, old

*prepositions as well.

REFERENCE GRAMMAR

(e) The meaning of some adjectives is différent according to whether they précède or f ollow the noun, e.g. :

un ancien palais de justice, a former court house; un palais de justice ancien, an ancient court house;