I am not sure that I have the correct answers to these questions, I have been looking at this for ages. I have typed the paragraph and will put the questions underneath (I have done some of the other questions myself but these two I am struggling with)

Question

Dans UNE ville Perse vivaient DEUX frères, don't l'un portait LE nom de Cassin et l'autre celui d'Ali Baba. LEUR père en mourant ne leur avait pas laissé UNE grosse fortune.

Questions: comment appelle-t-on les mots soulignés?
Où sont-ils placés par rapport aux noms?

I have written the underlined words in capitals as I can't underline on my iPad. I thought the answer was that they are 'articles' but leur is a pronom, so I am really confused. Then I though the answer is GN, but that would mean more than the word underlined (in caps)..
The second question I just don't understand what it means so I can't answer it until I know what it means! Can you translate for me and I can then answer it...hopefully!

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Answer 1

It is a good idea to have the complete context of the question which in this case concerns grammar.

I suppose you have learned about the different groups, of which groupe nominal (GN) is one.

The (GN) consists mainly of the noun (nom) and determinants.

Determinants can belong to one of the following categories:
les articles, les déterminants démonstratifs, les déterminants possessifs, les déterminants cardinaux, les déterminants indéfinis, les déterminants interrogatifs, et les déterminants exclamatifs.

So this would permit you to verify to which category each of the capitalized words belong.

However, the exact definitions may differ from one grammarian to another. This best route is to check with the definition of determinants given in your own class notes.

Hope that is enough to answer you first question. Here are two links that gives further reading on determinants, and, and also one of the links will provide the answer to the second question. These two links are in French, so they will help you practise your reading skills.

Happy reading.

http://grammaire.reverso.net/1_1_05_les_differentes_categories_de_determinants.shtml

http://www.synapse-fr.com/manuels/DETERM.htm

Answer 2

The second question is:
"Où sont-ils placés par rapport aux noms?"
It means where are they ("les mots soulignés", or what you identified in question 1) placed/located relative to the nouns (noms).