error : expected unqualified-id before return in c++

Just for the sake of people who landed here for the same reason I did:

Don’t use reserved keywords

I named a function in my class definition delete(), which is a reserved keyword and should not be used as a function name. Renaming it to deletion() (which also made sense semantically in my case) resolved the issue.

For a list of reserved keywords:
http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/keyword

I quote:
“Since they are used by the language, these keywords are not available for re-definition or overloading. ”

if (chapeau) {

You forgot the ending brace to this if statement, so the subsequent else if is considered a syntax error. You need to add the brace when the if statement body is complete:

if (chapeau) {
    cout << "le Professeur Violet";
}
else if (moustaches) {
    cout << "le Colonel Moutarde";
}
// ...

Suggestions:

• use consistent 3-4 space indenting and you will find these problems much easier
• use a brace style that lines up {} vertically and you will see these problems quickly
• always indent control blocks another level
• use a syntax highlighting editor, it helps, you’ll thank me later

for example,

type
functionname( arguments )
{
    if (something)
    {
        do stuff
    }
    else
    {
        do other stuff
    }
    switch (value)
    {
        case 'a':
            astuff
            break;
        case 'b':
            bstuff
            //fallthrough //always comment fallthrough as intentional
        case 'c':
            break;
        default: //always consider default, and handle it explicitly
            break;
    }
    while ( the lights are on )
    {
        if ( something happened )
        {
            run around in circles
            if ( you are scared ) //yeah, much more than 3-4 levels of indent are too many!
            {
                scream and shout
            }
        }
    }
    return typevalue; //always return something, you'll thank me later
}

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