Participe passé avec collectif + complément

This rule applies when you have a collective noun followed by a complement. The complement is usually introduced by de. For example: une foule de gens (a crowd of people). When you use the past tense, the past participle needs to agree with something. You have two options. You can make it agree with the collective noun (the container). Or, you can make it agree with the complement (the content). If you focus on the collective noun, the verb stays singular. If you focus on the plural complement, the verb becomes plural. It is all about your personal intent as a speaker. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Both directions are often legal! You just need to decide which path to take.

1. 1To master this, follow these four simple steps:
2. 2Identify your collective noun. This is the word representing the group, like une majorité or une bande.
3. 3Add the word de (or d') followed by your plural complement, like d'étudiants or de fleurs.
4. 4Choose your focus. Do you want to emphasize the single unit or the many individuals?
5. 5Match the past participle. If you chose the group, use the gender/number of the collective noun. If you chose the individuals, use the plural form of the complement.
6. 6Example: Une foule de touristes est arrivée (The crowd arrived - focus on the crowd).
7. 7Example: Une foule de touristes sont arrivés (A crowd of tourists arrived - focus on the tourists).

You use this flexibility when the collective noun is followed by a plural noun. It happens often in storytelling or reporting. Use the singular agreement when the action applies to the group as a whole. For example, if a committee makes a single decision, use the singular. Use the plural agreement when you want to highlight the diversity of the members. If a dozen students all start talking at once, the plural feels more natural. It highlights the noise and the many voices. In everyday life, like ordering food, you might say: Une douzaine d'huîtres a été servie (A dozen oysters was served). This treats the dozen as one single order.

There are a few times when the choice is taken away from you.

• With the phrase la plupart (most), the verb is always plural. You cannot choose singular here.
• With une infinité (an infinity), the plural is almost always preferred because the number is so large.
• If the collective noun does not have a complement (like just saying Le groupe est parti), you must stay singular.
• If the complement is singular (like la moitié du gâteau), the verb must be singular. You can't have a plural verb for half of one cake! That would be a very messy kitchen.

The biggest mistake is mixing up the genders. If the collective noun is feminine (une foule) but the complement is masculine (des hommes), you must be careful.

✗ Une foule d'hommes est arrivés (This mixes singular and plural logic).

✓ Une foule d'hommes est arrivée (Agrees with 'foule').

✓ Une foule d'hommes sont arrivés (Agrees with 'hommes').

Another mistake is forgetting that la plupart is a rebel. It always wants to be plural. Even if it sounds weird to your ears at first, stick with the plural for la plupart. Also, watch out for the word de. Don't forget it! It is the bridge between the group and the members.

Compare this to words like beaucoup or trop. These are adverbs of quantity, not collective nouns. With beaucoup de gens, the verb is always plural. There is no choice. Collective nouns are different because they are actual nouns with their own gender.

• Beaucoup d'amis sont venus (Always plural).
• Une bande d'amis est venue (Singular focus on the 'bande').
• Une bande d'amis sont venus (Plural focus on the 'amis').

Think of collective nouns as "containers" and adverbs as "labels." Containers can be looked at as one object or as a box full of things.