Question

Conjuguez le verbe : Aussitôt que le scientifique (finir) le discours, tout le monde a applaudi.

Hint:

To select the correct temporal tense, match the pairs:
• Quand/Dès que + Futur Antérieur $\rightarrow$ Futur Simple
• Quand/Dès que + Plus-que-parfait Passé Antérieur $\rightarrow$ Passé Composé Passé Simple

Answer 1

Step 1: Identifying Temporal Conjunctions and Action Order:
The sentence contains the temporal conjunction Aussitôt que (as soon as), which indicates a temporal relationship of anteriority (one action completed immediately before another).
• Main clause: tout le monde a applaudi (expressed in the Passé Composé).
• Subordinate clause: Must express the action that occurred first (finir le discours) immediately preceding the applause.

Step 2: Selecting the Grammatical Past Tense:
In standard French, when the main clause is in a past tense (such as passé composé or passé simple), the subordinate clause introduced by aussitôt que, dès que, or quand must be conjugated in a past tense representing anteriority:
• Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior): Used primarily in formal/literary styles alongside the passé simple or passé composé to show immediate anteriority. Formula: auxiliary in passé simple + past participle $\rightarrow$ eut fini.
• Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect): Frequently used in standard and educational registers to represent past actions completed prior to other past events. Formula: auxiliary in imparfait + past participle $\rightarrow$ avait fini. Both structures are academically acceptable in CBSE examinations depending on the stylistic register. Let us provide both, prioritizing the highly precise Passé Antérieur and standard Plus-que-parfait.

Step 3: Applying Verb Conjugation:
The verb finir is a regular second-conjugation (-ir) verb. Its past participle is fini.
• Passé Antérieur: le scientifique (il) $\rightarrow$ avoir in passé simple is eut + fini = eut fini.
• Plus-que-parfait: le scientifique (il) $\rightarrow$ avoir in imparfait is avait + fini = avait fini. Final Answer: Aussitôt que le scientifique eut fini (or avait fini) le discours, tout le monde a applaudi.