#dottelm

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steady mulchBOT
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Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

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Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

rose talon
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The "ont utilisé pas" just makes 0 sense, not even grammatically correct on its own

copper forum
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Numbers (1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8) are wrong.
The imparfait is often used to describe background information while the passé composé describes an action that happens in the middle of that background.
Take number (1). What was the action there and what was the background information? We know that the action was the phone ringing because it’s in passé composé, it’s an action that happened instantly. So, which is the background event which should be the imparfait? That’ll help you with numbers (1) and (5).
The imparfait also describes events that you used to do but no longer does – meaning that it’s not relevant to the present – while the passé composé describes something that you did once in the past that stayed with you until the present; there’s a distinct before/after state.
Take a look at number (3), especially that adverb « avant (before) ». Do you think that this was something they used to do but now no longer does, or do you think that this was something they did and it stayed with them? The answer will help you answer numbers (3), (4), and (6).
The imparfait also describes actions that have a duration, yes, but without a distinct start/end time like we just knew it was a long time but not exactly when. The passé composé describes actions that have entirely finished with a distinct period in time.
Take number (7). There is a period of time there explicitly mentioned, « toute la nuit ». Which one does it belong to, then? That’ll help you with numbers (7) and (8).

rose talon
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Also, for 8, it cannot use être as an auxiliary as there is a direct object. Être verbs are intransitive - they don't have direct objects

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And no, none are "both" (though technically in some sentences the other option could be grammatically fine, they make little sense or are incredibly unlikely)

smoky jacinth
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Être verbs are intransitive - they don't have direct objects
Oh that is interesting, are all intransitive verbs être verbs?

copper forum
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Basically all non-pronominal être verbs are intransitive but not all intransitive verbs use être as an auxiliary

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the DR MRS VANDERTRAMP acronym was meant to list intransitive verbs of movement but not all intransitive verbs of movement take être like « bouger »

smoky jacinth
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Alright, gotcha

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thanks