adjective: épithète or attribut ?

17 oct. 2017 09:43 - language-swap

Niveau intermédiaire

The adjective in French can have two functions “épithète” or “attribut”, but what does that even mean? Let's check this out together:

1. The “épithète” adjective:
It is a part of the nominal group and is linked to the noun it precises.
Examples:
*La jeune fille est rousse.
*Le grand monsieur porte un manteau.
*Les enfants excités courrent partout.

2. The “attribut” adjective:
It is separated from the noun it precises. Most of the time, it is separated by a verb.
Examples:
*Ce chien semble fou.
*Mes parents sont espagnols.
*Les petits garçons restèrent muets devant le spectacle des clowns.