essay is french for

Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

Have a clear thesis and structure
Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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Published on October 6th, 2023 | by Adrian Lomezzo

How to Write an Essay in French Without Giving Yourself Away as a Foreigner

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-quote-on-a-paper-5425603/

Bienvenue! Do you dream of unleashing your inner French literary genius, but worry that your writing might inadvertently reveal your foreign roots? Fret not, mes amis, as we have the ultimate guide to help you master the art of essay writing en Français!

Within these pages, we’ll navigate the intricate waters of linguistic nuances, cultural subtleties, and grammatical finesse, allowing you to exude the aura of a native French speaker effortlessly. Many students like you have embarked on this journey, seeking academic assistance from platforms like https://paperwritten.com/ to conquer their writing pursuits.

From crafting a compelling introduction to fashioning impeccable conclusions, we’ll unveil the secrets that will leave your professors applauding your newfound linguistic prowess. So, bid adieu to those awkward linguistic giveaways and embrace the sheer elegance of French expression – all while keeping your foreign identity beautifully concealed! Let’s embark on this adventure together and unlock the true essence of writing like a native French virtuoso.

1. Mastering French Grammar and Vocabulary: Building a Strong Foundation

To create a compelling French essay, it’s essential to lay a solid groundwork. Ensure that your French grammar is accurate and that you possess a rich vocabulary. Avoid relying on online translators, as they may yield awkward or incorrect sentences. Instead, embrace reputable dictionaries and language resources to enhance your language skills effectively.

2. Mimic Sentence Structures: The Art of Authentic Expression

To truly immerse yourself in the French language, observe and mimic the sentence structures used by native speakers. Analyzing essays written by experienced writers can prove invaluable in grasping the authentic style required to compose a captivating essay.

3. Use Transition Words: Crafting a Smooth Flow of Ideas

In French essays, the use of transition words and phrases plays a pivotal role in connecting ideas seamlessly. Incorporate expressions like “de plus,” “en outre,” “en conclusion,” “tout d’abord,” and “par conséquent” to add coherence and elegance to your writing.

4. Embrace French Idioms and Expressions: Unveiling Cultural Fluency

Demonstrate a deeper understanding of the French language and culture by incorporating idioms and expressions where appropriate. However, remember to use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming your essay.

5. Pay Attention to Formality: Striking the Right Tone

Tailor the formality of your writing to suit the context of your essay. Whether you are crafting an academic piece or a more personal creation, be mindful of your choice of vocabulary and sentence structures to match the required tone.

6. Research Cultural References: The Power of In-depth Knowledge

If your essay touches upon French culture, history, or literature, extensive research is key. Delve into your subjects to avoid mistakes and showcase your genuine interest in the matter at hand.

7. Avoid Direct Translations: Let French Be French

To avoid awkward phrasing, strive to think in French rather than translating directly from your native language. This will lead to a more natural and eloquent essay.

8. Practice Writing Regularly: The Path to Proficiency

Mastering the art of French writing requires regular practice. Embrace writing in French frequently to grow more comfortable with the language and refine your unique writing style.

9. Read French Literature: A Gateway to Inspiration

Explore the world of French literature to expose yourself to diverse writing styles. This practice will deepen your understanding of the language and immerse you further in French culture and history.

10. Connect with French Culture: Bridges of Cultural Resonance

Incorporate cultural references that resonate with French readers, such as art, cuisine, festivals, historical figures, or social customs. Authenticity is key, so avoid relying on stereotypes.

11. Use a French Thesaurus: Expanding Your Linguistic Palette

Discovering new contextually appropriate words can elevate your writing. Embrace a French thesaurus to find synonyms that may not be apparent through direct translations.

12. Master French Punctuation: The Finishing Touch

Take care to use correct French punctuation marks, such as guillemets (« ») for quotes and proper accent marks. These subtle details add a professional touch to your essay.

13. Practice French Rhetorical Devices: Crafting Eloquent Prose

Experiment with rhetorical devices like parallelism, repetition, and antithesis to lend depth and sophistication to your writing.

14. Pay Attention to Word Order: Unlocking French Sentence Structure

French boasts a unique sentence structure distinct from English. Dive into the intricacies of subject-verb-object order and grasp the art of organizing sentences to sidestep common foreign mistakes. Embracing this essential aspect will elevate your writing to a truly native level.

15. Use French Idiomatic Expressions: Infuse Cultural Flair

Enrich your prose with the colorful tapestry of French idioms, reflecting the vibrant essence of the culture. Yet, a word of caution – wield them with finesse, for the strategic placement of an idiom can imbue your essay with unparalleled flair and authenticity.

16. Master Pronouns and Agreement: The Dance of Language

The dance of pronouns, nouns, and adjectives requires your keen attention. Like a skilled performer, ensure their seamless alignment to avoid inadvertently revealing your non-native status. Mastering this harmony is key to writing like a true Francophone.

17. Understand Subtle Connotations: Unveiling Linguistic Shades

Delve into the labyrinth of French words, where subtle connotations diverge from their English counterparts. Familiarize yourself with these delicate nuances, for it is in their mastery that your writing shall find refinement.

18. Study Formal and Informal Registers: Tailoring Language to Purpose

Akin to selecting the perfect outfit for each occasion, comprehend the art of using formal and informal language. Consider your essay’s purpose and audience, and with this knowledge, enhance your authenticity, seamlessly aligning with the appropriate linguistic register.

19. Practice Dialogue Writing: Conversing with Eloquence

Embark on the journey of dialogue writing to enrich your linguistic repertoire. As you hone your conversational skills, watch as authenticity gracefully weaves itself into your written work, enchanting readers with its charm.

20. Seek Feedback: A Second Set of Eyes

To refine your essay further, seek the guidance of a native French speaker or language tutor from the best cheap essay writing services . Their valuable feedback can uncover any language or cultural mistakes you may have made, allowing you to make necessary improvements.

Equip yourself with these priceless tips and set forth on your quest to master the art of French writing. Embrace the language’s allure, immerse in its rich culture, and watch your words flow with grace and poise. À la plume! Let the pen become your ally in crafting captivating prose that echoes with authenticity and charm.

Header Photo Credit by George Milton: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-woman-in-eyeglasses-with-books-7034478/

About the Author

Adrian Lomezzo is a content writer and likes to write about technology and education. He understands the concern of parents due to the evolving technology and researches deeply in that area. When he is not researching, he buries himself in books along with his favorite cup of hot chocolate.

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How to Write The Perfect French Essay For Your Exam

November 16, 2014 by Jessica 3 Comments

Here are tips to help you write a great French essay with exam requirements in mind. Once you’re done, I strongly suggest you proofread your text using my checklis t.

Note: if you’re preparing for the French VCE, there is an updated version of these exam tips in my guide “How to Prepare for the French VCE & Reach your Maximum Score” .

While supervising exams or tutoring for exam preparation, I’ve seen too many students writing straight away on their exam copies. Stop! Resist the urge to jump on your pen and take a step back to make sure that you will be addressing all the exam requirements or you may be shooting yourself in the foot and lose precious points.

I recommend that you train with exam sample questions so that you set up good working habits and respect the required length of the essay, as well as the timing (allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading).

Crafting your French Essay

1. identify the situation: preparation work.

Read the topic carefully, slowly and at least twice to absorb every information/detail.
Underline/highlight/jot down any piece of information that you are expected to reuse:
What type of text do you need to write? (a journal entry? A formal letter? A speech? Etc). Note to VCE French exam students : refer to page 13 of the VCE French Study Design for more information about the different types of texts.
Who are you in the situation? (yourself? A journalist? etc)
Who are you addressing? (a friend? A large audience? Etc) à adjust the degree of formality to the situation (for example by using the “tu”/”vous” form, a casual or formal tone/register, etc)
What are the characteristic features of the type of text you need to write? (eg a journal entry will have the date, a formal letter will start and end with a formal greeting, etc)
What is your goal ? What are you expected to talk about / present / defend / convey?
What are the length requirements for your French essay ? Respect the word count (there’s usually a 5% or so tolerance. Check the requirements specific to your exam)

Tip : when you practice at home, count how many words in average you fit on a line. This will give you a good indication of how many lines your text should be.

Ex: You write an average of 15 words per line. If you are required to write a 300-word French essay, you should aim for:

300 words / 15 words per line = 20 lines total.

2. Draft the outline of your essay

An essay typically has an introduction, a body with 2 or 3 distinct parts and a conclusion . (See if that outline is relevant to the type of text you are expected to write and adjust accordingly.)
Use bullet points to organize your ideas.
Don’t remain too general. A good rule is to use one main idea for each part and to back it up/reinforce in/illustrate it with one concrete example (eg. data).
Brainstorming about things to say will also help you use a wider range of vocabulary , which will get noticed by the examiner. Are there some interesting/specific words or expressions that you can think of using in your text (example: if you are writing about global warming, brainstorm the vocab related to this topic. Brainstorm expressions to convince or disagree with something, etc)?
Make sure you have reused every point identified in part 1 .

3. Write your essay

It’s better if you have time to write or at least draft a few sentences on your draft paper rather than writing directly because:
You want to meet the word count requirements
You don’t want multiple words to be barred cross crossed-out and your page looking messy and great anything but neat!
you don’t want to have to rush so much that your handwriting is really unpleasant to read (or worse, impossible to read…)
So… monitor your time carefully!

Structuring your text

Visually, the eye should instantly be able to see the structure of your French essay: make paragraph and skip lines so that it doesn’t look like an unappealing large block of text.
Use connectors/link words to structure your text and make good transitions.

4. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

It’s important that you allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading because there most likely are a few mistakes that you can fix very easily. It would therefore be a shame not to give yourself your best chances of success! Check out my Proofreading Checklist.

Bonne chance!

If you need any help with your essay, you can submit it to me there.

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How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

🇫🇷 Looking for More French Resources?

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Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introducing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments

Listing arguments - start.

Listing arguments - middle

Listing arguments - end

Indicating the reason for something

Expressing contrast / concession

Introducing one's own point of view.

In conclusion

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Languages: English français (French)
Published: 21st September, 2013
Last Updated: 26th February, 2020
Rated: 5 out of 5 stars based on 9 ratings

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these are very helpful thank you

Simple et utile, j'aime.

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French Writing Practice

French writing exercises by level.

Practise your French writing skills with our ever-growing collection of interactive French writing exercises for every CEFR level from A0 to C1! If you're unsure about your current proficiency, try our test to get your French level before diving into the exercises.

All writing exercises are made by our qualified native French teachers to help you improve your writing skills and confidence.

Kwizbot will give you a series of prompts to translate to French. He’ll show you where you make mistakes as you go along and will suggest related lessons for you.

Boost your French writing skills by adding the lessons you find most interesting to your Notebook and practising them later.

Click on any exercise to get started.

A1: Beginner French writing exercises

A Christmas feast Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Sébastien is in charge of Christmas Eve Dinner this year.
A French lunch menu Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Here's the typical lunch menu of a French coffee shop.
A French woman Employment Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élodie tells us about her everyday life as a lawyer specialising in women's rights.
A day in my cat Max's life Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Article Article contracté Juliette tells about her cat's daily routine.
A day in the city of Le Mans Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Audrey had a nice time visiting Le Mans, in northwestern France.
A dream Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Geoffrey tells us about one of his dreams.
A love story Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Cécile and Andrew meet in a bar.
A rainy afternoon Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Soizic and Armelle meet up on a rainy day in Brest.
A romantic Valentine Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Henri tells us about his special plans for Valentine's Day.
A winter meal Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Bernard has his perfect comfort meal for cold nights.
Actress Anne Dorval Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her favourite actress, French-Canadian Anne Dorval.
Anne's Easter loot Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Anne lists all the treats she found during her Easter egg hunt.
Annoying Things Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Philippe and Julien share some of the things that really annoy them.
Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Arnaud and Ophélie describe themselves physically.
At midnight Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Sébastien's family celebrates Christmas on the evening of the 24th.
At the beach Free Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Article Article défini Conversation at the beach between an ice cream vendor and a customer.
At the beach Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Tom is telling us about his day at the beach.
At the bookshop Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François needs help choosing a book.
At the gift shop Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Mike and Linda pick some souvenirs in a Montmartre gift shop.
At the newsagent's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adverbe Article Sophie is buying a few items at a French newsagent's.
At the sporting goods store Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alain is buying tennis equipment for his son.
Baby at the beach Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Baby enjoys being at the beach with his family.
Back to School Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Mathieu tells us about going back to school tomorrow.
Ball Sports Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Vincent and Leila discuss their favourite ball sports.
Beyoncé Family & Relationships Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe The famous singer introduces herself.
Board games Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Jonathan is playing board games with his family.
Booking a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Pierre wants to book a room in a hotel.
Can I come? Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Marie chats with her roommate's friend Damien.
Cleaning with my family Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jonathan and his family are cleaning the house today!
Corsica is beautiful! Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julien explains why he thinks Corsica is so beautiful.
Do you like the French language? Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Noémie and Léo have opposite opinions on the French language!
Do you like theme parks? Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Louis and Zoé give their opposite opinions on theme parks.
Driving in the city Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adverbe Forme négative Sophie and Christophe talk about driving in city centres [US: downtown].
Easter decorations Free Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Alice and her sister Zoé are decorating their house for Easter.
Easter preparations Celebrations & Important Dates Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Today, Daniel and his pupils are getting ready for Easter.
Exchanging a scarf Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Christine is returning a scarf to the shop
Father of two Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Léon talks about his two beloved children.
Filling in a form Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Olivier answers questions from a form.
Food shopping for a picnic Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Daniel and Aline are buying food for a picnic.
Gardening with Jacqueline Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Julia always loves to take care of her aunt's garden with her.
Going on a diet Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie has a plan to lose weight this year.
Going shopping Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Annie and Nicolas discuss her upcoming trip to the shop.
Hanukkah with my family Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Rachelle celebrates Hanukkah with her family every year.
Hello! I'm Mario! Famous People Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The famous plumber introduces himself.
Hello, my name is France! Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif The country France introduces itself.
Helping my neighbourhood Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Noémie likes helping her neighbours after school.
Helping the planet Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François does his best to help the planet in his everyday life.
How to stay healthy Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Matthieu tells us about his healthy habits.
How to vote at a polling station in France? Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn how to vote in a French election.
I hate the rain! Sports & Leisure Adverbe Article défini Article indéfini Annie stays in on rainy days
Load more …

A2: Lower Intermediate French writing exercises

A Creole picnic Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif During a visit to La Réunion, Julie and Léo went for a typical Creole meal.
A family of dog lovers Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had many dogs growing up, but Pip was special.
A few days in Dordogne Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Monique tells Patrick about her coming holiday [US: vacation].
A football accident Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anthony had his friend Bruno over to play...
A great party for Mum [US:Mom]! Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Manon and her sister Aline treated their mother for Mother's Day.
A nice train journey Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Lucie and her boyfriend Marc went to the countryside by train this weekend.
A noisy hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bertrand complains to the hotel reception about noises during the night.
A romantic trip to Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Anna took her boyfriend on a romantic trip to Paris.
A romantic weekend away Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline and her boyfriend went away for a relaxing weekend.
Afternoon ice cream Free Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucie and Greg feel like an ice cream this afternoon.
An Easter egg hunt Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Discover where Julien and his siblings found their Easter eggs!
Arriving at the hotel Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Aline checks into her Parisian hotel.
At my best friend's wedding Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives a toast at Stéphane's wedding.
At rapper Soprano's concert Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Romain was thrilled to finally see his idol Soprano live!
At the Chinese restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article James is ordering food in a Chinese restaurant.
At the New Year's Eve House Party Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Mathieu welcomes his guest at his New Year's Eve house party.
At the allergist's Employment Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Pierre went to the allergist to get a diagnosis.
At the bar Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Au bar Patricia and Samuel discuss what drinks they want to order.
At the bureau de change Employment Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Patrick needs to change some dollars upon arriving in Paris.
At the dermatologist's Employment Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Manon needs help with her eczema.
At the farmers' market Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Stéphane enjoys a visit to his local farmers' market.
At the grocery store Employment Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Julie and Frank need some things from the grocery store.
At the medieval market in Orléans Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Flora and Sami enjoy Orléans's medieval market.
At the mountain restaurant Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Gérard and Sylvie stop for lunch after their mountain hike.
At the post office Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Christophe has a few errands to run at the post office.
At the shoe store Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Christine is looking for a pair of shoes with the help of a nice sales assistant.
Bastille Day in the South of France Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Bernard tells us about celebrating Bastille Day last summer.
Bedtime stories Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florian remembers the bedtime ritual he had with his daughter.
Breakfast in the sun Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina surprised Thomas with a nice breakfast on the balcony.
Calling the hotel's room service Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Valérie calls room service from her hotel room.
Chocolate mousse cooking tips! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe André gives us some tips to make the perfect chocolate mousse.
Conversation on the plane Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Pascal and Julie get acquainted on a flight to Montpellier.
Cooking as a family Family & Relationships Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Yesterday, Antoine and his family made tartiflette together.
Dividing the restaurant bill Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Isabelle and her friends are splitting the bill at the restaurant.
Do you have a favourite male singer? Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Simone and Amélie are talking about their favourite French-speaking male singers.
Do you have any dirty clothes? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Bastien and his mother debate the need for a dirty laundry basket.
Driving in France Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Here are a few things to be aware of when driving in France!
Fireworks Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Juliette went to watch New Year's fireworks yesterday.
Fishing with Dad Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Benjamin went fishing with his father last Sunday.
Getting to know each other Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe New colleagues Julien and Olivier get to know each other over a coffee.
Giving up tobacco Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Amélie has stopped smoking and she's so happy about it!
Holiday [US: Vacation] by the sea Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Édouard remembers his childhood seaside holidays [US: vacations] in the south of France.
I love autumn! Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jacqueline tells us what she loves to do in the fall.
I love my grandmother! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lucas tells us about his lovely grandmother.
I prefer going skiing Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Pierre tells us why he prefers going skiing rather than beach holidays.
In a taxi Family & Relationships Article Article contracté Article partitif Magalie needs her taxi to take her for a few errands.
In the changing rooms Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Mélanie is trying on a dress... and testing Pierre's patience!
Instagram love Family & Relationships Technology & Science Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien and Sandra became famous thanks to their Instagram account.
Instructions for a test Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Teacher Marc read out the instructions for today's French test.
Jojo is such a joker! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas talks about his school friend Jojo, who loves a joke.

B1: Intermediate French writing exercises

A French April Fool's Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Cécile and her sons are making the traditional French fish for April Fool's day.
A Horror Story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe On a dark October night, Emma received a disturbing call...
A childhood passion Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Vincent and his brother loved video games growing up.
A clichéd break-up Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif François uses all the clichéd breakup lines to leave his girlfriend Sophie.
A family day at the park Family & Relationships Food & Drink Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Benoît will spend this Saturday at the park with his daughter Mia.
A game of hide and seek Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Article Linda and Christian are watching from afar a game of hide and seek between the children.
A good work routine Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marc plans to improve his work routine.
A greener future Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Julien is seeing a future where people are more eco-conscious.
A special Monday Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Anna is looking forward to a lazy Easter Monday!
A strange encounter Family & Relationships Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yoann had the strangest encounter in the Broceliande forest!
A trip to the cinema Film & TV Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Antoine and his daughter Emma are planning a trip to the movies.
A weather forecast Technology & Science Adjectif Adverbe Article Find out what tomorrow's weather will be like.
A weekend in Montpellier Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Élise and Lucas plan their weekend in the southern French city.
An amazing New Year's Eve meal Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Henriette is planning a dazzling meal for New Year!
An annoying cat allergy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Éloïse suffers from an annoying cat allergy.
An incredibly caring boy Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lydia's son, Olivier, is such a caring person.
An old scary tradition Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Yoann recalls celebrating the old Celtic tradition of Samhain with his Gran.
Animal emergency Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Julien's cat is stuck in the tree!
Around the world by motorcycle Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Joël would love to travel the world on his motorcycle.
Artist Chéri Chérin Art & Design Famous People Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn about the amazing Congolese artist Chéri Chérin.
Asking about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Catherine has a few questions about the hotel room she's booked.
At the amusement park Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Thomas will go to the amusement park with his friend Samia for their birthday this year.
At the doctor's Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Robert goes to the doctor for a consultation.
At the till Employment Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Peter is at the till [US: cash register] of a French supermarket.
Becoming a model Art & Design Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Enjoy some useful tips on becoming a model.
Birthday makeover Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini "New year, new me" Julia thought on her 20th birthday.
Busy Schedule Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle recaps what everyone will have to do on Saturday!
Camping at home Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Gabriel and Rose are making plans for the weekend.
Cathy's future holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about Cathy's plan to spend her holiday [US: vacation] in Montpellier.
Christmas in the mountains Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Antoine will spend Christmas at his dad's house in the Alps, if he can get there!
Christmas specialities Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul tells us about some traditional French Christmas dishes.
Conversation between the election's two rounds Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marc explains the French presidential election process to his friend Alice.
Corsican polyphonic singing Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Do you know about this bewitchingly melodic tradition from Corsica?
Cycling in Nantes Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Isabelle agrees with Nantes's status as France's "cycling capital".
Dalida Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Learn about Dalida, an iconic French-speaking singer.
Dealing with your emotions Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Here's a guide to keeping calm.
Discussing a ski weekend Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Laurent and his friend Matt are planning their ski weekend.
Dreaming of Paris Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Grégory imagines his ideal Valentine's Day's proposal.
Easter baking class Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Accord Adjectif Adjectif possessif Flora and Yvan enjoy decorating their Easter chocolate bunnies.
Family holiday car trip Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif possessif Adverbe Concordance des Temps Let the squabbles begin!
Flying anxiety Family & Relationships Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Luc has a plan to deal with his fear of flying.
Following the GPS Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Technology & Science Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Follow this GPS's instructions to reach your destination.
Getting ready for autumn Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Article Rosalie won't get caught out by the arrival of autumn this year.
Giving up smoking Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe François tells us how he managed to stop smoking.
Going back in time Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Marine asks Amanda, Bruno and Sébastien what they would do if they could go back in time.
Going to the bank Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Flora and her father need to go to the bank.
How to share household chores equally Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Follow Céline's tips to share household chores more equally.
I love swimming! Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Thomas tells us about his love for swimming and his hope to one day dive from up high!
I miss French food! Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Hélène tells Betty how she's coping with missing French food abroad.
I want to help! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Suzanne wishes she had more time to help others.

B2: Upper Intermediate French writing exercises

"Amélie": my favourite film! Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Lisa explains why "Amélie" is her favourite film.
A History of French TV Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Learn some interesting facts about the beginnings of French TV.
A busy weekend ahead Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Olivier sums up his busy schedule for the weekend.
A day in the countryside Free Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Marie spent last weekend in the countryside with her daughters.
A great Advent calendar Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Find out how to make a unique Advent calendar.
A great passion for reading Literature, Poetry, Theatre Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Florence talks about her grandmother's passion for books.
A nice morning surprise Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Lucie will serve a delicious breakfast in bed to her fiancée on their anniversary.
A nice table "à la française" Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jacqueline explains the intricacies of setting the table the French way.
A nightmare journey Free Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Josiane and Robert explain why they're an hour late to their friends' place.
A perfect interview Employment Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Léo's just had the best job interview of his life!
A slippery drive Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Richard struggled to get to work this morning: everything was frozen!
At the football [US: soccer] game Celebrations & Important Dates Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Henri took his dad to a football [US:soccer] game for Father's Day.
At the neighbours' house Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Véronique and Bruno are at their neighbours' house for an aperitif.
Bad Movie Review Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Bernadette delivers a scathing movie review.
Barbara Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laëtitia talks about her passion for fascinating French singer Barbara.
Bayonne, France's chocolate capital Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn why Bayonne is considered the French capital of chocolate.
Brasserie La Coupole Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Vincent always eats here when he's in Paris.
British National Museums Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini National museums are free in the UK, as Paul happily found out.
Building a snowman Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Martine and Bastien enjoyed building a snowman.
Camping with your dog Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Patrick gives us some advice on taking your dog camping with you.
Catherine Ségurane: a local heroine Famous People Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Toni, a tourist guide from Nice talks about local legend Catherine Ségurane.
City vs dog poop Family & Relationships Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alain and Pauline discuss the city's measures to fight against dog waste.
Composting is awesome! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Elsa explains composting to her friend Pierre.
Congratulations on your degree! Family & Relationships Language & Education Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Thomas's aunt and uncle send him an email to congratulate him on getting his Master degree.
Conversation between friends Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Friends Simon and Isabelle are catching up.
Couples' annoying habits Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adverbe Article Olivier gets so annoyed by the way couples behave sometimes!
Easter, a family celebration Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini François and his family celebrate the religious holiday of Easter.
Family Reunion Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini At a family reunion, Lea sees her aunt Patricia for the first time in years.
Finding the perfect anniversary gift Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Jean-Paul is listing his gift ideas for his wife on their anniversary.
Food shopping in farm shops Food & Drink Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Find out the advantages and disadvantages of food shopping in a farm shop.
French Easter specialties Celebrations & Important Dates Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Discover some of France's regional Easter specialties.
French-style lemon tart recipe Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Follow the recipe to make a delicious lemon tart.
Garip Ay's amazing paintings Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre tells us about the work of this fascinating Turkish artist.
Getting ready for the holiday [US: vacation] Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Article Article contracté Bastien and Alicia are getting ready for tomorrow's departure.
Giving back Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Especially during the holiday season, it's good to give back to those less fortunate than us...
Going lily-of-the-valley picking Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Jean-Pierre's family goes to pick lily-of-the-valley every year.
Heatwave Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini A weather forecast on one of the hottest days of the year.
High cost of cigarette packaging change Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Learn about the cost of the new policy on cigarette packaging in France.
I can't find my shirt! Family & Relationships Adjectif possessif Adverbe Article Claire and Julien are almost ready to go out...except for Julien's missing shirt!
In a clothes store Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrick complains to the sales assistant about a defective item.
In the return taxi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Aline talks about her trip with the taxi driver on her way back to the airport.
Long time no see! Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Marina and her cousin Tom catch up after quite a while.
Louise Bourgeois Art & Design Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marie-Claire tells us about her favourite French artist.
Mice invasion Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Lisa and Paul are discussing options to get rid of Lisa's mice.
Moving house chores Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sophie had so many chores to do before moving into her new apartment.
My car is a real beater! Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Yann's car has so many problems!
My chosen family Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Magalie found her own loving family.
My dream invention Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sonia asks Sylvie what invention she'd dream to see becoming a reality.
My exotic Christmas Celebrations & Important Dates Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Aline is remembering spending last Christmas in Marrakech, Morocco.
My first Easter memory Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre remembers the first time he went egg hunting.

C1: Advanced French writing exercises

3 Culinary delights from French-speaking countries Food & Drink Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Find out about three dishes from French-speaking countries.
A bad matchmaker Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Sophie tells us about her failed attempt at matchmaking.
A couple's ups and downs Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Hélène explains how she and her partner managed to navigate out of a rough patch.
A difficult sibling relationship Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Yvan has always had a fraught relationship with his sister.
A dreadful teenager Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Philippe recalls his bad behaviour as a teenage boy.
A ghost story Celebrations & Important Dates Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Hugo is visiting his mother on All Saints' Day.
A hard time at work Employment Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Érica went through a rough time at work.
A horrible storm! Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Julien remembers spending a horrible night due to a violent storm.
A last minute request Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Isabelle's colleague keeps making her miserable...
A long-standing friendship Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Carole tells us about her long-standing relationship with her friend Aline.
A lovely car Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Find out about Michel's beloved 2CV car.
A lovely encounter Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif On her daily walk, Audrey met a furry little friend in need of help...
A special Christmas in Switzerland Celebrations & Important Dates Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Damien recalls a wonderful family Christmas holiday in Switzerland.
A sudden reappearance Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif After years of disappearance, Olivia's friend is back.
Advice for new pet owners Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Laurent asks people for their advice on welcoming a new pet at home.
Alice and the Caterpillar (Alice in Wonderland) Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alice meets the mysterious Caterpillar in this adapted excerpt from "Alice in Wonderland"
An animal tale Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini By a lovely winter morning, Henri the hare meets poorly Lili the rabbit.
An incredible trip on the Canal du Midi Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Patrice recalls his trip along the Canal du Midi.
An upcycling tutorial Art & Design Sports & Leisure Technology & Science Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Find out a few ideas for your upcycling projets.
Anna's birthday party Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Clément discusses the organisation of his daughter's birthday party with his friend Charlotte.
At Uncle Robert's 70th birthday Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe Laura catches up with her cousin Charlotte at a family event.
At the psychiatrist's Employment Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Mme Dupont is talking to her psychiatrist.
At the ski resort Sports & Leisure Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Paul needs to get ski gear for himself and his family.
Back to School shopping Family & Relationships Language & Education Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Viviane and Christian try and get everything on their children's school supply list.
Bathroom chat Family & Relationships Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Bruno and Sonia are having a chat in the bathroom.
Brest during World War II Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Alex is talking about WWII in Brest with his granddad.
Californian dream Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adverbe Olivia finally followed her dream to move to California.
Camping in the woods Free Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathalie enjoys camping in the middle of the woods.
Coco Chanel Famous People Politics, History & Economics Adjectif Adjectif possessif Article Learn about this extraordinary woman who became a fashion icon.
Complaining about a hotel room Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Gérard complains to the receptionist about the state of his hotel room.
Coping with the heatwave Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif possessif Adverbe Emma asks how Simon and his pregnant girlfriend Christelle coped with the extreme heat.
Drôme provençale, a little piece of heaven Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Politics, History & Economics Accord Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Vincent tells us about this beautiful region in the South of France.
Engagement dinner's speech Family & Relationships Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Adverbe The bride's father thanks the guests for attending and announces the evening programme.
Engagement surprise Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Louise enjoys an unexpected visit at her engagement party.
Finding love at a yoga retreat Family & Relationships Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Seniors Germaine and Pierrot didn't expect to fall in love at a yoga retreat.
Fireside memories Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Manuelle has warm memories of family times by the fireside.
First day back to school Family & Relationships Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Sabrina tells us what she'll do on her children's first day back to school.
French Mobile Phone Habits Politics, History & Economics Technology & Science Accord Adjectif Adjectif indéfini We're taking a look at the importance of mobile phones in French people's lives.
Gardening weekend Sports & Leisure Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Jean-Pierre had a busy weekend taking care of his garden.
Gastronomical review Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Discover a mouthwatering review of a French restaurant.
Gluten-free living Food & Drink Adjectif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif Alexandre tells us how he dealt with his newly discovered gluten allergy.
Gustave Moreau Museum Art & Design Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Claire tells us about her fascination for 19th-century symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.
Holidaying in July Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini July is a hard time to organise holiday [US: vacation] for, as Martine and Sam found out!
How to show your love? Family & Relationships Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Marianne and her partner Adèle are making some changes to show their appreciation for each other more.
In the lives of the writers of French romance novels Employment Literature, Poetry, Theatre Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif possessif Discover what the life of a French writer of romance novels looks like.
Jean-Marc Vallée Famous People Film & TV Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Nathan and Florence discuss the late Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallée.
Johnny Hallyday, a French icon Famous People Music Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Paul and his mum talk about her favourite French singer, Johnny Hallyday.
La Petite France in Strasbourg Art & Design Monuments, Tourism & Vacations Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Discover this unique area of Strasbourg, a UNESCO site and tourists' favourite.
Last-minute hesitations Family & Relationships Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Adjectif possessif François is torn between his love for Marianne and his duty to the Duchess who he's about to marry.
Letter to Santa Celebrations & Important Dates Adjectif Adjectif démonstratif Adjectif indéfini Timothée writes to Santa, hoping he's been good enough this year...

In this section

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Tips and ideas to improve your French writing skills
French Glossary and Jargon Buster

Writing an essay- guidance

As and a level french, essay writing.

As a rough guide you should spend about 10 minutes planning your essay, 45 minutes writing it and 5 minutes checking it.

I. Planning your essay:

It is important to plan your essay well. Make points clearly and logically so that the examiner can follow your argument. Take time to devise a plan before you start writing. This avoids rambling account and allow a structure which is easy to follow. You might find that the following points help you to plan your essay well:

· Read the question carefully. Make sure you have understood what you are being asked to do (the question may be in two parts)

· If you are completing an AS examination, the question will also have a list of bullet points to help you focus on the question. Make sure you engage with this guidance points BUT be aware that they do not in themselves give you the structure of the essay!

· It is sensible to plan your essay in French. This will prevent you writing ideas you are not able to express in the target language.

· Focus on the key words. For example, you may be asked to analyse, evaluate, explore or explain.

· Select the main point you want to make in your essay and then break this down into 3 or 4 sub-sections. They will become your paragraphs.

· Choose relevant information only!

· Decide on the order of your paragraphs. It might be a good idea to keep your strongest idea for your last paragraph. Note down linking words or phrases you can use between paragraphs to make your essay flow as a coherent and logical argument.

· Select one or two relevant and concise quotations which you can use to illustrate some of the points you make.

· Think about the suggested word count for the essay. It should always be possible to write a meaningful essay within the allocated number of words. So try to answer concisely.

· Think about how to introduce and conclude your essay, ensuring that you have answered the question set.

You might find the following template helpful to plan your essay:

II. Writing the essay:

· Remember that you are writing for a person who is reading your essay: the content should be interesting and should communicate your meaning with clarity and coherence.

· Stick to your plan and do not get side tracked into developing an argument or a point that is not relevant to the question set.

Introduction:

· It should be a single paragraph (approx. 5 lines)

· You can use a short sentence to introduce the film or the text you have studied.

· Show your understanding of the question: you should explain to your reader what you understand the question to mean, identify the issue it raises and how you are going to tackle them.

Question: Examinez le personnage de Saïd dans le film La Haine.

Introduction :

Development :

· This part will be divided into a number of interconnected paragraphs, each of which will pick up and develop the points raised in your introduction.

· Each paragraph should be introduced with a sentence stating what the paragraph is about.

· Make sure you are following a clear pathway through your paragraphs leading to your conclusion. You should move from one facet of your argument to the next, linking them conceptually by, for example, contrast, addition or comparison.

· Each paragraph must have an internal logic whereby you examine a separate point, making your argument, supporting it with evidence and possibly quotations and drawing conclusions.

· Try to have balanced paragraphs (with about the same amount of content).

Example (last paragraph):

Conclusion :

· Read through what you have written again and THEN write your conclusion.

· It should summarise your arguments succinctly

· Be careful not to simply lift passages from your development!

III. Check your work :

· Review your essay carefully and check for errors of: grammar, punctuation, accents and spelling.

· Check especially: verb endings, tenses and moods, and adjectival agreements.

· You should employ a good range of vocabulary and include terminology related to film and literature.

Learn How to Write in French Easily

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Improve Your Written French Today

Whether you want to pen a love letter or submit an essay in France, you need to know how to write in French. Luckily, learning how to write in French is fairly straightforward. Since French uses the Latin Alphabet, you’re already ahead of the game. Improve your writing in French fast with these easy steps.

The Basics of French Writing for Beginners

When it comes to French writing, it’s a little different than speaking French. But, if you know how to read French well, you shouldn’t have a lot of problems.

Before you read the 8 easy steps of learning to write in French, there’s one important factor in mastering French writing: practice. The only way you can truly improve your French writing skills is with a lot of practice . Make sure you write a little bit in French every day. Soon, you’ll find that writing in French is like second nature.

1. Watch Out for French Spelling

One of the biggest obstacles that throws French learners off is spelling. Unfortunately, those silent letters that you don’t pronounce are very much there in writing. Be careful how you spell certain complicated words. You need to master all parts of French grammar to write French correctly.

2. Genders Influence Grammar in French

You may already know that nouns have genders in French. They can either be masculine or feminine. And depending on the gender, different parts of a French sentence need to be conjugated.

articles : French articles need to be conjugated to reflect the gender and the number of the noun. These can be ‘le’, ‘la’, ‘l”, and ‘les’ for definite articles, and ‘un’ and ‘une’ for indefinite articles.
pronouns : Pronouns in French are the words that replace the name of the subject in a sentence. ‘He’, ‘she’, and ‘them’ are some examples of pronouns in English. In French, you need to use different forms of pronouns depending on the gender of the subject.
adjectives : When you’re describing a noun, you use an adjective. And since the noun is the only reason the adjective’s there in the sentence, you need to make the adjective fit the noun in French. There are various ways to conjugate French adjectives depending on the gender and the number of the noun, so make sure you brush up on that knowledge before you write in French.

French writing has a lot of conjugations from genders

3. Careful with French Accent Marks

French accent marks also don’t do us any favors. While they’re extremely useful when it comes to French pronunciation, their writing isn’t as straightforward. Try to associate the sound with the written French word. There are only 5 accent marks in French. One is the cedilla (ç), which only works with the letter “c”, and another is the acute accent (é), which only sits on top of the letter “e”. So in practice, there are only 3 different kinds of accents you should look out for in French.

4. Follow the French Sentence Structures

English and French sentence structures are similar in many ways. Both follow the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure, which makes writing in French much easier. And just like in English, the French sentence structure is also flexible. You can switch the words around to emphasize a part of a sentence, but still have the same meaning.

Tomorrow , I’m going to work. Demain je vais travailler. I’m going to work tomorrow . Je vais travailler demain .

The most important part of the first sentence is the time the speaker goes to work. The second sentence focuses on the subject, the speaker instead. Still, both sentences convey the same meaning of going to work.

If you want to ask a question in French, you can do so by putting a question word at the beginning of the sentence. Common question words are:

How Comment
What Que / Qu’est-ce que queue
What kind Quel genre
When Quand
Why Pourquoi

You can also ask a question by switching the order of the verb and the pronoun around, and connecting them with a hyphen:

Do you speak English? Parlez-vous anglais ?

It’s important to remember these basic rules of French sentence structure before you start writing in French. If you want to learn how to write in French effectively, practice these 4 steps a lot.

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How to Write in French for Intermediate Students

If you’re an intermediate French learner you’re familiar with basic French grammar, and you’re confident in writing in French. But, there’s always room to improve. Once you know the basic steps of how to write in French, it’s time to make your writing even better. You can start paying attention to style, flow, and structure. The tips below will benefit your French writing practice.

5. Try Nominalization

This useful technique will make your sentences better. Nominalization means that you make nouns in the sentence more dominant. While in English, the dominant words are verbs, in French, you can write with the focus of the noun instead, making them more meaningful. Here’s an example to demonstrate.

Normal sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace est froide.
Nominalized sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace, c’est droid.

6. Use French Conjunctions

Conjunctions are the tools to write complex French sentences. Without them, you’re limited to simple and boring sentence structures. As an intermediate student, you can start connecting two equal or unequal sentences to make an even more interesting phrase. Here are the different kinds of French conjunctions you can use to write better in French:

Coordinating Conjunctions:

You use these kinds of conjunctions to connect two equal sentences. The most common coordinating conjunctions in French are:

Subordinating Conjunctions:

If one of the sentences in unequal or dependent on the other, you need to use subordinating conjunctions. These connectors often show causality. The most common conjunctions in French for this category are:

7. Style and Flow

Now that you wield the power of conjunctions, you have to be careful with it. As fun as it is to write long and complicated sentences in French, it doesn’t sound good. Make sure you use appropriate sentence lengths as you’re writing in French.

Aim for shorter sentences. Make them explain your point well. But, feel free to mix the flow up with the occasional longer sentences. That’s how you write in French with a nice and smooth flow. And that’s how you perfect your French writing too. It will be a pleasure to read your work.

Writing in French for Advanced Learners

Once you mastered all of the French writing rules, you’re officially an advanced French learner. But, there may still be room to improve your French writing. If you’re looking to kick your projects up a notch, you can learn how to write essays and dissertations in French. These pointers will be useful if you ever attend school or university in France, or you want to take a language exam.

8. Get Familiar with French Essay Structure

When you’re writing an essay, you have to structure it for readability. If you want to learn how French high schoolers are taught to write their essays, this is the structure they follow: thèse-antithèse-synthèse (thesis-antithesis-synthesis). Learn how to write French essays using a traditional French essay structure.

Introduction : You begin your essay by having an introduction, which is a context for argument.
Thesis : In this section, you present and defend the statement of your thesis. You need to write everything that supports the topic of your essay.
Antithesis : The antithesis follows the thesis. This is where you state conflicting evidence and explain other potential substitutes for your essay. Including an antithesis doesn’t mean that you disagree with your original thesis. You just need to show that you thought of all possibilities before arriving to your conclusion.
Synthesis : This is your conclusion. This is where you summarize your arguments, and explain why you still stand by your original thesis despite the antithesis.

Advanced French learners can always improve their writing skills

9. Use Introduction and Conclusion Vocabulary

Certain words can encourage sentence flow by introducing or concluding some parts of your work.

tout d’abord (firstly)
premièrement (firstly)
deuxièmement (secondly)
ensuite (then)
enfin (finally)
finalement (finally)
pour conclure (to conclude)

You can use these words when introducing a new idea to your dissertation or essay. These words will signal the readers that they are encountering a new part or thought of your writing process.

10. Writing a Dissertation in French

This is the form of writing you encounter in French higher education. It’s a very complex form of French writing, only the most advanced and fluent French learners should attempt it. It’s also a longer piece of academic writing. It may take you weeks to complete research and write your French dissertation.

The French dissertation is similar to essay structure. But, there’s one main difference: your thesis isn’t a statement, but rather a question. It’s your job in the dissertation to take the reader through your thought process and research to answer your question. This logic is known as “ Cartesian logic .” It comes from Descartes , who was a well known French philosopher.

History of Written French

French was used in Strasbourg Oaths, and it first appeared in writing in 842 AD. Before then, Latin was the only language used for literature in Europe. However, in the 10th and 11th centuries, French appeared in some religious writings and documents but was not used up to the late 12th century or early 13th century. The first greatest French Literature work, the Song of Roland (Chanson de Roland), was published around the year 1200.

Writing in French Alone Won’t Make You Fluent

You need to learn how to write in French to be proficient in the language. But, it won’t make you fluent. The only way to become fluent is to practice speaking French. While it’s crucial to develop every area of your French knowledge, if you want to be fluent in French, you need a reliable language learning method like OptiLingo.

OptiLingo is an app that gets you speaking, not typing a language. It gives you the most common French words and phrases, so you’re guaranteed to learn the most useful vocabulary. Don’t waste time trying to learn French you’ll never use. Complement your French writing practice with fun speaking exercises when you download OptiLingo !

Funny French phrases are a great way to learn French

30 Funny French Phrases, Idioms, and Sayings

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How to Learn French Fast

French Sentence Structure

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Make Your French Fluent with These Transition Words

Learn the most common transition words in the French language and make sure your speech is always fluid.

Intermediate

Different Types of Transition Words

D’abord – first of all, ensuite – next, ainsi que – as well as, après que – after/when, avant que – before, puis – then, comme or puisque – since, en outre/en plus – besides/also, à mon avis – in my opinion, bien que – although, parce que/car – because, tant que – as long as, cependant – however/nonetheless, lorsque/quand – when, par conséquent – therefore, au contraire – on the contrary, enfin – finally, some final notes on french connecting words.

When learning a foreign language, one of the most important things to understand is how to connect clauses together in order to create longer and more complex sentences. This is especially true for French, a language that relies heavily on transition words in order to create fluid speech.

In many languages, connecting words are also necessary for connecting different sentences in a paragraph, or paragraphs in larger pieces of writing like essays or other academic papers.

In this article, let’s discuss the various types of transition words available in the French language, and how they can be used to make your French – both oral and written – sound more fluent. We'll also provide some examples so you can see how these words work in practice and take your vocabulary to the next level. Read on!

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Learn French with Langster

There are a variety of transition words that can be used in French, each with its own unique purpose. Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of transition phrases used in French. Don’t worry about the translations, we'll get to those in the next section. Let’s dive in:

1. Introducing a topic

"D'abord, je voudrais parler de... "

This is perhaps the most common type of transition phrase in French. Use it to introduce a new topic or idea. It is a great way to start off a sentence if you’re writing a scientific paper or presenting at a conference, as well as starting an informal conversation you want to keep organized.

2. Adding information

"De plus, il est important de... "

The type of transitional phrase is used to add additional information to what has already been said. They exist to provide extra detail in your sentences and can be really helpful if you want to add additional thoughts to an argument.

3. Showing cause and effect

"Par conséquent, en outre…"

You can use phrases like this to show that one event is the result of another. They are a great way to connect two ideas together.

4. Concluding a topic

"Enfin, Finalement... "

These kinds of phrases wrap up a topic, smooth over the ending, and show ways of opening new topics related to the subject. You can use them both in formal as well as informal speech: for example, to conclude an essay or to wrap up the conversation or argument you had with your friends.

Of course, these are not the only groups of connecting words in French: there are also the ones used to generalize a conversation, contrast or oppose a topic, or express an opinion, among others. Let’s take a look at them as well as some other basic transition words in more detail and see how they are used in practice.

Character's essay that includes transitions words

D’abord is one of the most common French transition words, it introduces a new point or idea. It can be translated as “first of all”, writers often use it to start off a sentence or paragraph, as well as to emphasize the first key point of your speech. For example:

D’abord, je voudrais remercier tout le monde.

First of all, I would like to thank everyone.

Ensuite is another common transition word in French, and the English equivalents are “next”, “after that” or “then”. The French use this phrase to introduce a new point or idea, and can be used at the beginning of a sentence or paragraph. Here’s what it can look like:

Ensuite, nous allons discuter de nos options.

Next, we will discuss our options.

Ainsi que is a French transition word that translates to “as well as”. This phrase can introduce a new point or idea, and can be inserted at various points within a sentence. For example:

Je parle anglais et espagnol, ainsi que le français.

I speak English and Spanish, as well as French.

Après que is a French transition word and a compound conjunction that translates to “after” or “when”. It is usually followed by a verb, and connects with another clause via que . Here’s a sample sentence:

Nous allons faire une promenade après que nous avons mangé.

We will go for a walk after we have eaten.

You may already be familiar with the après (after) you can use that on its own in a sentence. In that case, it will usually start a sentence or a new clause:

Après, nous ferons une promenade.

After, we will go for a walk.

Avant que is a French transition word that means “before”. Much like many of the other phrases, you use it to bring up a new point or idea, and the phrase is generally followed by a verb. It is quite similar to the grammar construction après que , so the sentence with it usually looks something like:

The first clause + avant que + the second clause which starts with a verb

Here’s that in a sentence:

Je vais préparer le repas avant que tu arrives.

I will prepare the meal before you arrive.

Just like with the après que , we can use the preposition avant (before) on its own in a sentence:

Réfléchissez avant de faire quelque chose.

Think before you do something.

Puis is a common French transition word which the French use the way English speakers use “then” – it appears in various literary and scientific works. Look out for it: it can appear in many French conversations with native speakers and is a necessary French word to know for French learners.

Usually we use it to connect two clauses together in a sentence, or make a smoother, more specific transition between two sentences. For instance:

Puis, il a rompu avec moi.

Then, he broke up with me.

Comme and puisque both function the same way “since” or “as” do in English There’s a difference between them, though: if you want to show the cause and result in one sentence, use comme ; and if you need to just give an explanation, use puisque .

Another difference is that comme usually comes at the beginning of the sentence, while puisque can go in the middle of the sentence if necessary.

S'il te plaît, lave la vaisselle puisque tu as déjà fini de manger.

Please wash the dishes since you finished lunch already.

Comme tu ne peux pas boire de lait, j'ai acheté du jus de fruit pour le petit-déjeuner.

Since you can't drink milk, I bought some juice for breakfast.

Besides being a great way to start off a sentence or paragraph, en outre is also one of the more common transition words in French – you can encounter it in many written French sentences. **Its alternative, en plus , is more common in spoken French conversations.

Both en outre and en plus translate to “besides”, “also,” “in addition” or “furthermore”, and are used to add something to the sentence – for example, a new argument you forgot about.

En outre, je n'aime pas trop les gens qui sont toujours en retard.

Besides, I don't really like people who are always late.

Donc is a French transition word that means “therefore” or “so”. Use it to introduce a new point or idea, and is usually followed by a subject and a verb.

It is also one of the most common transition words in the French language, so you will hear it everywhere – from advanced French speakers, intermediate students, native speakers, and basically everyone who knows French at a conversational level.

Il pleuvait, donc je suis resté à la maison.

It was raining, so I stayed home.

A great way to state your own point of view, à mon avis is the French equivalent of “in my opinion”. You can use it at the beginning of a sentence followed by your own idea or suggestion, or you can insert it in the middle of a conversation to show that you strongly believe in what you’re saying.

You can also say pour moi tif you want to avoid formality and express an opinion in a simpler way. Selon moi / Pour ma part / Pour moi are another less formal alternatives.

À mon avis, il est temps de partir.

In my opinion, it's time to leave.

We use the conjunction “although” to connect two contrasting ideas or phrases. In French, the conjunction “although” is bien que , which is often followed by a new clause.

Bien que je te voie souvent, je te manque.

Even though I see you often, I miss you.

The words parce que and car both mean “because” in French, and can be used interchangeably. Parce que is a little bit more formal than car , but both are correct. They are usually followed by a clause, and can stand at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.

Parce que je n'aime pas les légumes, je ne mange jamais de salades.

Because I don't like vegetables, I never eat salads.

French people use the conjunction tant que to express the idea of “as long as”, and is often followed by a new clause, just like other transition phrases ending in que . It can show up at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, and is a great way to connect two ideas that are related to each other.

Tant que tu es heureux, c'est tout ce qui compte.

As long as you are happy, that's all that matters.

Cependant is a French adverb that functions as a transition word and means “however”, “nevertheless” or “nonetheless”. You can use it at the beginning of the sentence to show a contradiction or opposition. For example:

Cependant, je dois étudier aujourd'hui.

However, I have to study today.

You might already be familiar with the word quand in French, which means “when” – with lorsque being its formal alternative. When talking about time, they are interchangeable.However, these two words have their own different translations: quand can also mean “whenever,” and lorsque can mean “whereas.”

Both these transition words are usually followed by a clause, and can stand at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.

J'étudiais quand tu m'as appelé.

I was studying when you called me.

Par conséquent is another great transition word that can translate to “therefore”, “consequently” or “as a result.” Use it to show a logical consequence of what has been said before, and is usually followed by a new clause or a new sentence.

J'ai eu une mauvaise note, par conséquent je dois étudier plus.

I got a bad grade, therefore I have to study more.

Au contraire is the French translation of “on the contrary,” and expresses the opposite of what has been said or what is generally accepted. It might show up at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, or on its own as an answer to the question.

Tu n'as pas étudié? Au contraire, j'ai étudié toute la journée!

You didn't study? On the contrary, I studied all day long!

Enfin is a French adverb that can be translated as “finally” or “after all.” You can use it to conclude your argument, or to show that you have finished talking about a certain subject. Just like other transition words, you can use it at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle.

Enfin, je suis désolé.

Finally, I'm sorry.

You can also use another transition word à la fin as an alternative to this one: the meaning is the same.

By using these connecting phrases, you'll be able to create more complex sentences with ease – and sound like a true francophone during any French conversation.

Of course, there are so many other important transition words worth knowing in French that we haven’t mentioned above, so don’t stop learning. Keep practicing and improving your vocabulary, and before you know it, you'll be able to speak and write French fluently. Bonne chance !

Beata Hardzei

Beata Hardzei loves languages and shares this passion through her writing. Speaking English, Polish, Russian, and French, she explores the nuances of foreign languages, aiming to make learning feel more like a journey than a task. Beata's background as a teacher and translator enriches her insights, helping you see language learning as an accessible, enriching experience.

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Common connectors and transitions phrases in French

In French, connectors and transition phrases are important tools for linking ideas and creating a coherent narrative in both written and spoken communication.

In this lesson, we’ll go over some common connectors and transition phrases in French that you can use to improve your communication skills.

Premièrement, deuxièmement, enfin. (First, secondly, finally.) These connectors are used to order and sequence ideas in a narrative.

De plus, en outre, par ailleurs. (Moreover, furthermore, besides.) These connectors are used to add more information to an idea or argument.

Néanmoins, cependant, pourtant. (Nevertheless, however, yet.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or argument.

En effet, effectivement, en réalité. (Indeed, in fact, actually.) These connectors are used to introduce a statement or fact that supports a previous idea or argument.

Ainsi, par conséquent, donc. (Thus, consequently, therefore.) These connectors are used to indicate a conclusion or result based on previous ideas or arguments.

D’un côté, de l’autre côté. (On one hand, on the other hand.) These connectors are used to present two contrasting sides of an argument.

En somme, finalement, pour conclure. (In summary, finally, to conclude.) These connectors are used to signal the end of a narrative or argument and provide a summary or conclusion.

À mon avis, selon moi, je pense que. (In my opinion, in my view, I think that.) These connectors are used to introduce a personal opinion or belief.

Bien que, malgré, quoique. (Although, despite, even though.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

En revanche, par contre, au contraire. (On the other hand, however, conversely.) These connectors are used to introduce a contrasting idea or situation.

Learning and using these common connectors and transition phrases in French will help you to create a more structured, coherent and persuasive communication style.

It is important to also learn other advanced expressions and connectives to express more complex thoughts and ideas.

With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to speak and write more fluently in French.

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A Vos Plumes! - The French Writing Center

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Write Better

These pages explain how to write certain kinds of essays in French, as well as how some ways that professors grade writing assignments.

Writing college French essays , by Alison Levine.

How to write an essay for an upper-level French literature, culture, or film class.

Writing college response/reaction papers , by Cheryl Krueger.

How to write a response paper or reaction paper at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level.

Writing business letters in French , by Alison Levine.

How to lay out and formulate job application letters, requests for information, and other professional correspondence.

How professors grade upper-level French essays , by Alison Levine.

Descriptions of what makes an A paper, a B paper, etc. for the argumentative essay in French at UVA.

How professors grade intermediate French essays , by Alison Levine.

Descriptions of an A, B, paper, etc. for the intermediate level at UVA.

How to improve your grammar , by Alison Levine.

In this carnet de corrections , you can keep track of the grammar errors you make and how to correct them, as your professor goes over your work through the semester. A useful tool to help you avoid repeating errors.

Erreurs à éviter , by Mary McKinley.

A short list of common errors at the intermediate level. We are working on a more advanced list.

Handouts on French essay writing, explanations of how many instructors grade writing

Build Vocabulary

Theme-specific vocabulary (beginners); poetry, prose, theater, cinema terms (intermediates)

Grammar videos

Video grammar lessons and handouts, to prepare for the exercises.

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40+ French Transition Words to Boost Your Vocabulary

For anyone learning a language, transition words usually aren’t first on the list. But after you’ve mastered nouns and common French phrases , transition words are key for stringing your sentences together. In fact, transition words are what transform your broken French into the smooth, swoon-worthy language you’ve always dreamed of speaking. So what are you waiting for? Master this list of French transition words and take your vocabulary to the next level.

Comme has a variety of definitions depending on the context, making it an important transition word to learn. First off, comme can be used to mean like or as when you’re comparing or contrasting two things or ideas. It can also mean since when used at the beginning of a sentence.

Puisque has a similar meaning to comme , meaning because or since . It’s a great tool for offering an explanation in the middle of a sentence, or justifying a thought or action in response to a question.

Translating directly to then , puis makes its way into many conversations and stories. The best part about puis is that its simple and easy to remember when you’re searching for a transition word in conversation.

Also is one of the most commonly used words in modern English, popping up across written and verbal language. En outre is its French equivalent.

This is a handy term that you’re bound to use in everyday conversation. It means because and it can be used to respond to questions or transition between phrases.

This can mostly be interchanged with parce que for a shortened version of because . However, more advanced French speakers use this word as something slightly more like since or for in conversation.

Similarly to puis and car , this go-to transition term is great for moving between multiple thoughts in a sentence. Pour que means so that when explaining why you did or thought something. It can also be used to support a proposition or plan.

Quand is an additional word that works well at the beginning of sentences. It means when . This word can also be combined with other words for a slightly more complex definition. For example, quand meme means even so, and n’importe quand (literally meaning it’s not important when ) means whenever.

Lorsque is a more formal version of one of the most common French transition words: quand. G enerally, it has the same meaning.

The word que is a multidimensional tool that can change a word’s meaning and transform it into a transition word. This is seen with alors que . Here’s how that works: alors means so , but adding que changes the meaning to whereas – an important transition word.

If you’re a fan of the word so , you’re going to love its French translation. Donc can be used as a filler word, a question, or to explain things, among many other uses.

Je soutiens donc que

After you’ve mastered the art of donc , see how it can be added to other phrases to mix things up. With je soutiens donc que , you can express something like I maintain that . It’s a more polite way to share your strong beliefs with someone, especially around strangers or colleagues where the conversation is more formal.

Similarly to donc , you might enjoy using the word bref . It means in short when summarizing an event or occurrence. Since bref looks similar to the English word brief , this is an easy one to pull out in a bind.

Considérons

Another helpful transition word for polite conversations is considérons . This means let’s consider and is used at the beginning of a phrase that expresses an alternate point of view. It is an important word for engaging in deeper dialogue that proposes multiple points of view.

Important French transition words to learn

Enfin is a multi-purpose word with many meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. On a basic level, it means end . Beyond that, enfin can be sort of a filler word (albeit more sophisticated than um ). Think of it more like the way we say well or I mean before we express an opinion in English.

à la fin is also used to express the end of something. However, it is used in a more specific way to mean at the end , and can’t be used as a filler word like enfin . It is best used when recounting a story, or when describing the plot of a book or movie.

Pour commencer

Now that you know how to express the concept of ending something, how about touting the start of something? Pour commencer means to start with or for starters and is best used at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Not to be confused with enfin , en fait is easy to remember because it has quite a literal translation in English. En means in and fait means fact . En fait = In fact . Easy, right?

This word looks a little like depending or dependent in English, but it instead means however or nevertheless.

This transition word is easy to remember because it looks like in contrast , which is essentially what it means. This phrase is also used to say on the other hand .

Au contraire

Likewise, au contraire is one of those French transition words that looks like its English counterpart. It means on the contrary .

D’un part / d’autre part

D’un part is used when expressing two varying ideas or points of view. It means on one hand… and is best at the beginning of a sentence. Once an idea is introduced with d’un part , it should be followed up with d’autre part , which is a perfect way to interpret the phrase on the other hand.

Ainsi que means as well as and it can be used in two different contexts. For the first usage, use it to transition between two items that you’re ordering at a restaurant. Je voudrais le salad ainsi que le viande. (I would like the salad as well as the meat). Ainsi que can also mean just as or as well , like when you’re saying the film was just as sad as I thought it’d be.

Autrement dit

If you know that dit refers to something that was said in discussion, than autrement dit should stick well in your mind. It literally translates to another saying and means in other words.

This phrase means first of all and it works well when recounting a story or giving directions or instructions. When writing, it’s also helpful when starting a sentence.

This is also a helpful transition word for giving directions or telling a story. It translates directly to next.

You probably know that après means after. But après que differs from the word après because it is supposed to be used after a verb. It is also used to talk about something that definitely happened in the past, rather than when proposing uncertain future terms. You can also use après with the word cela, which means after that.

In the same vein, avant que should be used after a verb. Avant by itself simply means before, and it can be used to start a sentence or phrase.

Making plans for tonight? Want to set up a date for tomorrow? Learn plus tard . As one of the simplest French transition words, it means later. Y et it’s used ubiquitously throughout French conversation.

Although this seems like it would mean “good that” it actually has a different meaning. Use bien que to mean even though or although between thoughts or before a phrase.

When making goals or plans, say dès que to express as soon as … to set up a phrase. Another way to say as soon as , albeit longer, is aussitot que.

This fun and subjunctive-friendly phrase will certainly take your French to the next level. It means no matter what and is helpful for starting a well-intentioned belief.

Tant que falls into the same realm as quoi que, meaning as long as. Don’t forget to add the que onto this phrase, because tant by itself is used to express a general quantity, like many.

D’aprés moi

Expressing your ideas and beliefs? Then you should know how to start a sentence correctly. This phrase means according to me. You can also say à mon avis, which means in my opinion. For another idea on expressing your opinion, try saying selon moi – which has a tendency to roll off the tongue with ease.

Je suis contre

Je suis contre is a more direct way to express your opinion about something. It translates directly to I am against in English. It’s beneficial to know when someone asks you your beliefs on something. It’s also a good way to get yourself out of an uncomfortable situation when traveling or in unknown surroundings.

De toute façon

Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself in a conversation where you’ll want to change the subject. Keep this transition short and light with de toute façon , which means anyway… and provides space for a new topic.

Boosting Your Vocabulary with French Transition Words

Learning to speak and write French is a challenging endeavor with long lasting benefits. Amp up your knowledge and become an impressive smooth talker by keeping these French transition words in your back pocket.

Want to learn how to use these transition words in context? Check out Clozemaster – thousands of sentences to help you learn French faster.

3 thoughts on “40+ French Transition Words to Boost Your Vocabulary”

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I’ve been studying French for 2 months now, this content is great for beginers! Thanks for posting!

It’s really helpful to summarize these transition words! I feel I have learned some difficult words in an easier way than I expected! Though I cannot say I understand them well since I’m a beginner, I feel l’ll definitely be more concentrated whenever I meet with them in my future learning of French! Great thanks!

French Essay: Topics, Tips, and Examples [2024 Updated]

Nowadays, knowing several foreign languages is no longer surprising. For example, learning French is common for English-speaking countries. So, getting an assignment on this subject won’t be a surprise for a student.

Writing a French essay, you can dwell into:

the history of the French language;
various dialects;
its grammatical features;
similarities between French and English (or another language);
the distribution of the language around the globe.

One studying the language may penetrate the rich French culture and comprehend the nation itself. Besides, writing a French essay can develop the author’s writing skills and broaden their outlook. And even if you make mistakes doing so, it’s not the end of the world. The fact that you’re able to recognize them is already good enough, and you can fix complex errors using a free essay rewriter .

Our writers prepared French essay topics and tips for you to nail your task. See the examples below for better understanding.

📯 French Essay Topics

Are you one of those who are assigned to write French essays? Then we suggest you pick out some of the following problems to investigate:

History of the French language;
Dialects of the French language;
French phonology ;
French orthography;
French grammar ;
French alphabet.

The suggested topics are too vague and need narrowing. You may single out some aspects and analyze it in your paper. An excellent French essay topic should be:

Broad for you to have enough room to develop your arguments;
Narrow enough for you to be able to concentrate on one or several points;
It should also be creative and original. You want people to enjoy reading it, right?
Most importantly, the topic should be interesting for you.

If the essay topics seem too formal to you, study, for example, your progress in analyzing the French language. Alternatively, you can state what attracts you in the language and explain why. You may also do a comparative analysis of French and some other languages. Comparing French with English may turn out to be a fascinating task to cope with. Both languages will benefit from your French essay writing.

Here are some topics and French essay examples you can consider writing about:

Your progress in learning the French language . Here you can write about your personal experience learning the French language. What techniques do you apply, and what motivates you personally? You can explain why you have to learn how to speak French.
How are the French language and culture in Southern France different from Parisian? In this essay, you can compare the Southern French dialect and culture with the one in Paris. What are some of the critical phonetic, grammar, and linguistic characteristics of Southern French?
Parisian dialect as a standard of French. When people think about the French language, the Parisian variant immediately comes to mind. In this essay, you can analyze why Parisian French became the standard version.
Why do you enjoy learning French? This essay focuses on your personal preferences and likes in the process of learning.
What makes it fun and enjoyable? Is it French movies, French literature, or understanding French written work documents?
French influence on English . Although English is a Germanic language, it looks and sounds a lot like French. The influence which French had on English is significant. Look at some historical reasons (the Norman invasion in particular) and why English benefited from it.
French language in 19th century Russia. Not everyone knows that French was the official language of the Russian elite in the 19th century. Discuss the reasons why and what influence French culture had on Russian literature, music, and language.
The effect of the French language on the development of English writing . More than 10,000 French words came into the English language. Not only did the vocabulary of English get more prosperous, but the French way of spelling and letter convention influenced English orthography.
What caused French to become an aristocratic language in Europe? The reasons why the French language became so dominant throughout Europe are broad. In this essay, you can focus on economic grounds, cultural or political reasons.
An analysis of Canadian French. This essay can be a comparative analysis of Canadian and European French. What are the main differences? What are some similarities between the two variants?
Is there any similarity between French and German ? All of the languages in the Indo-European language family have some similarities. Therefore, French and German are not exceptions. You can focus on sentence structure, word order, pronunciation, or phonetics.
The popular strategies in English-French translation .
Describe the challenges of French language acquisition.
Analyze the peculiarities of French vowel pronunciation.
Cultural events and their traditions in French-speaking countries .
Discuss the advantages of learning French.
Examine the semantic peculiarities of the French language.
Explore the role of watching movies in the French language learning process.
Comparison of language education theories.
Analyze the impact of French language learning on your personality.
Describe the methods you’ve used to improve your French language fluency and which turned out to be the most effective.
Similarities and differences between realism and naturalism in Spanish and French literature .
What is the role of the French language in the modern world?
Advantages and disadvantages of knowledge of multiple languages .
Discuss the role of the French language in the United States.
The specifics of learning French in early childhood.
Compare the grammar peculiarities of English and French languages.
How is the concept of friendship interpreted in American and French cultures?
Analyze the correlation between the history of France and French language development.
Explore the origin of the French language.
Verbal and non-verbal communication in French culture.
Examine the crucial role of French literature in learning French.
Describe the relationship between French culture and language.
Is it a good idea to integrate bilingual programs in early childhood education?
Discuss the best ways to prepare for the speaking exam in French.
The role of audiovisual materials in learning French.
What difficulties did you face when learning to write in French?
The essential role of sociocultural context when translating from French.
Compare the customs of French, Chinese, and Hispanic cultures.
The best methods of learning the second language .
Describe the best ways of promoting language development for French language learners.
Analyze the methods of French word formation .
Would you like to become a French language teacher?
Analysis of the food words in English and other European languages.
Examine the specifics of the French language in former French colonies.

Do not treat your French essay as an ordinary task to undertake. Make it as creative as possible!

🖋️ How to Write a French Essay

Note that writing on some language problems requires more than your knowledge of the subject matter. It also tests your abilities to present them in terms of academic writing.

Special care should be taken concerning the following:

The structural organization of your French essay.

Mostly, it is similar to any other academic essay :

It should start with a hook . In simple terms, it is the opening sentence or two of your writing. It can be a quote, a short story, or a catchy statement that grabs the reader’s attention.

Here’s an example of from the sample essay:

Every language is a mirror of society, a living organism that exists and changes under the influence of historical, political, and social conditions.

The next part of your essay is a thesis statement . Typically, it should be placed at the end of the first paragraph. The thesis statement’s purpose is to state the central idea in one or two phrases.

Here is a thesis statement from our French essay example:

Today, it is common to study English as a foreign language, as an international means of communication. However, this does not diminish the importance of learning other foreign language like French.

After that, the body of the essay should start. This part of the composition usually has three separate paragraphs. These paragraphs can include research, supporting evidence, and arguments that prove the point of view.
The conclusion brings together all the points of the essay. It goes back to the thesis statement and explains the broader importance of the topic. It is the last chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Here is an example form our French essay sample:

To conclude, the above discussion provides evidence and arguments that maintain the position according to which learning French is a necessity nowadays. The crucial points are as follows; first, French has a long tradition of international language; second, French is spoken around the globe; third, it is a language of international relationships. The opposing position that English is sufficient for appropriate global communication was claimed unreasonable – an emphasis in this regard was on the essence of cultural and language diversity.

The logical organization of your French essay .

There are some ways in which you can coherently write your essay. The following three aspects can guide you when organizing your French essay:

Topic sentence : you should mind linking elements within the paragraphs and between them. First of all, each section should include a topic sentence. It aims to identify the central idea and express an overall direction in which the writer will develop the paragraph.

The demand for knowledge of a language has changed in recent years.

Concluding sentence: each paragraph should also include a concluding sentence. It asserts the main idea of the section and sums up all the information said in it.

It may be claimed that in a period of rather an aggressive introduction of the Anglo-American language in the world, the French need to persistently and resolutely defend their language, their national interests, and calls on other nations to preserve linguistic diversity.

Linking words: it is crucial to use linking words in your essay. Linking words show relationships between ideas. It can be used to build sentences together to develop a cohesive paragraph.

To see the full essay sample, check the link below:

Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

The last step in writing an A+ French essay is proofreading and editing. Before submitting your academic paper, make sure to pay attention to grammar, spelling, and vocabulary mistakes . Without proofreading, your writing can contain typos and errors that will not leave a good impression.

Good luck with your French essay writing! We hope the article was helpful. If so, share it with your peers and leave a comment below to let us know what you think.

This might be interesting for you:

How to Write an Expository Essay in Simple Steps
Nursing Reflective Essay Example and Guidelines for Students
Essay on Dengue Fever: How to Write + Free Examples
Objective Essay Writing: How to Write, Topics and Examples
Organizing an Essay: Jerry Plotnick, College Writing Centre, University of Toronto
Organizing an Essay: Study Guide Zone
Paragraphs & Topic Sentences: Writing Guides, Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University Bloomington
Thesis Generator: Ashford Writing Center
Proofreading: The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Basic Essay and Paragraph Format: Utah Valley University
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It is not helpful to me.

Thanks for the help with out this i wouldn’t even know what to do on my essay

Hi, do you also do French powerpoint presentation?

Good advice. Thanks.

This was a very great help. I’m writing a French essay, and I know, thanks to your post and the provided tips on French essay writing, I will pass!

Hi! I just want to thank you for your ideas and tips for writing French essays! Write a French paper in English or write an essay for the French by an American) Funny.

Thanks a lot for the help.

No problem, Sash:) Good luck!

The Ultimate List of AP® French Language Tips

The Albert Team
Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

If you’re like many foreign language students, the AP® French Language exam has been a worrisome figure on the horizon for quite some time. As you finally begin this AP® course and prepare for the exam next spring, remember that there are many different resources out there to help you along the way. This Ultimate List of the AP® French Language tips will give you a head start over all of the other French students preparing for the exam. Use this list, combined with some hard work and assistance from your AP® teacher, and you’ll ace this exam in no time.

So you want to pass the AP® French Language exam? Well here’s the breakdown. Every year:

– More than 20,000 students take the AP® French Language exam

– About 75% receive a score of 3 or higher

– Only about 38% receive a crucial score of a 4 or 5

– Only 12% score a 5, which can really blow away college admissions staff

Want to be in the top 10% of exam takers? Want to receive even more scholarship money and acceptance letters from top universities? Want to awe and impress your AP® teacher and fellow students? Follow this indispensable list for some tips that will set you on your way. Also, if you’re looking for the best AP® French Language review books, this resource may help .

How to Study for AP® French Language Tips

1. It’s simple – use French! Easier said than done. Unlike Spanish, French doesn’t have a huge presence in the U.S. today. There aren’t French news channels or (many) French radio stations. So how can you start using the language? We’ll offer several ideas in the tips below.

2. Find the culture in your every day . What do you think of when you think Francophone culture? Well, we think of food first and foremost! A fantastic way to incorporate more French into your daily routine – and learn some great new recipes – is to cook French food. Used bookstores typically have foreign language cookbooks on the cheap. Pick one up and highlight some recipes that you’d like to try out. They don’t have to be complicated for you to benefit from the language. Some of the best dishes are simple and require few ingredients – fondue au fromage , anyone?

3. Find a language buddy. This applies to all foreign language students: most high schools have foreign exchange students and teachers. Lucky for you, as a French language student, tons of countries have French as a national language – not just France! French is an official language in all of these places:

France, Canada: Quebec and Ontario, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Monaco, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Haiti, Réunion, Martinique, Switzerland, and many more!

Use this to your advantage! Find a language buddy to practice your French. Often times, other students and exchange teachers are willing to do 15 minutes in French for 15 minutes of English practice with you!

4. Find a language exchange. These are more common than you think! Many French speakers in the U.S. are looking to improve their English and are beyond happy to participate in conversational language exchanges with native English speakers. Typically you spend 15-20 minutes speaking in one language and then switch to the other. Where can you find these exchanges? Check out the public library, civic center, or ask around at your school.

5. Get your vocabulary up to par! So you’ve reached AP® French Language. By this time in your foreign language career, you’ve most likely mastered the grammar of the language – at least in written form. You’ve seen all the verb tenses and know your irregular adjective conjugations. Still, you’ll be at a loss communicating in French if you don’t have an extensive vocabulary to express yourself. Get ready, here’s how to start expanding your vocabulary in French today.

6. A new word every day. The easiest way to start studying for AP® French is to introduce a new word into your French vocabulary every day. The Instagram account French Words has a new word (as well as its phonetic pronunciation and grammatical gender) every day! Flip calendars are also great for getting a new word every day. Then, try to use it during class.

7. Bring out your vocabulary cards. Or don’t! We recommend using vocabulary cards – they are a language learner’s best friend. Put a word in French on one side and a description of the word on the other side. Don’t like carrying around a ton of paper? There are so many apps available to make flashcards. Run through the words while you’re on the treadmill. Or every time commercials come on during your favorite show. Or every day before you begin French class to really get your mind churning.

Insider tip : There are good ways to make a vocab card and there are better ways. Which of these looks better for the word la craie ?

Yup, you guessed it – the one on the right. Why? Because you didn’t need to use English to get to the meaning of the word. This will make you a faster speaker and writer in French. You also included all the relevant information such as the article and the word’s pronunciation.

8. Keep track of unknown words. Successful language learners swear by this technique. Keep a small notepad with you throughout the day. Then, every time you hear or see a word that you don’t know, write it down. Even if you don’t get the spelling right, jotting down these unknown words and looking them up later is one of the best techniques for acquiring new vocabulary items. Why? Because there are so many words that you encounter that you don’t know, even in your AP® class, that you cannot possibly keep track of them all. Write them down. Look them up. Repeat.

9. But don’t forget the important parts. Learning vocabulary is nothing if you don’t know how to use it. This means learning:

1) The pronunciation

How do you say it?

2) If it’s a noun, gender of the word

Is it le or la?

3) If it’s a verb, the conjugation

Is it a regular or irregular verb?

4) Put it in context

How do you use the word in a sentence ?

10. Whip out old practice exams. Reviewing old AP® exams is a technique known to help students prepare for the test. Year after year, AP® teachers say the one thing that sets apart those students who pass from those who don’t, was who completed the practice exams in class. Start getting yourself ready now by reviewing the old exams that your teacher may have available for you.

Insider tip: Know the structure of the exam

There are three main components to the AP® French Language exam: multiple choice, speaking, and writing. In order of appearance on the test they are:

multiple choice

interpersonal writing (e-mail)

presentational writing (persuasive essay)

interpersonal speaking(conversation)

presentational speaking (cultural comparison)

Don’t forget some of the AP® exam basics. Once you complete one section, you can’t go back and change your answers. Instead, simply move on and focus on the section at hand. You also can’t work ahead on the exam. So even if you’re especially nervous for the speaking section, don’t be. There’s nothing you can do during the multiple choice section to ready yourself for it so breathe and focus on the questions in front of you. In a way, it’s relieving. You can’t work ahead anyways, so don’t be anxious about the upcoming sections.

11. Get together to study . Studying can become very tedious. And most AP® French Language students aren’t taking just one AP® test – they’re taking 3, 4, or 5. To get over the boredom of studying alone, form a group that meets once or twice a week. This is a great way to socialize while reviewing but also get fresh ideas and insights on the course material. Split up the culture section and have one person report a new country for every meeting. Already sounds better than reviewing alone, doesn’t it?

12. Look up the guidelines . We’ve talked about a couple other online resources but one you should be especially familiar with is the CollegeBoard itself. The scoring guidelines that AP® French Language exam graders have right in front of them as they grade exams are available on this site. Curious about what graders are looking for? The CollegeBoard is very open with this, so take advantage of it.

13. Incorporate the language into your everyday routine . There are so many ways to incorporate French into your daily life – you’re probably not even thinking of them! Change your social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter to French – even your ads will start to appear in French. Set your browser homepage to Le Monde or Le Journal de Québec and read a news article every morning. Set your cell phone to French to learn new vocabulary. French will be all around you in no time.

14. Utilize your best resource: your teacher . You probably don’t know anyone who is a better resource for you when taking the AP® French Language exam than your AP® French teacher. He/she has seen hundreds of students take the exam and knows what has worked and what hasn’t. This is even more relevant if they are one of the teachers who grades the AP® exam in the summertime. So ask your teacher questions. Be an active learner in class. Learn from previous students’ mistakes. Your teacher will be more than happy to help you in your preparation for the test.

Start your AP® French Language Prep today

Ap® french language multiple choice tips.

1. Ignore instructions. This goes along with practicing for the test like we mentioned earlier. By the time you get to test day, you should be so comfortable with the material and overall structure of the test that you don’t need to read the instructions. While other students waste precious minutes reviewing the directions, you can skip ahead and get cracking on the hefty number of multiple-choice questions you have coming your way.

2. Answer every single question. Remember on the ACT® and SAT® when your teacher constantly stressed not answering questions you didn’t know? You were punished for incorrect answers. Well, not on the AP® French Language exam! In fact, the grading machines just ignore incorrect answers. Can’t figure out a question? Running out of time? Mark an answer anyways – it might be correct.

3. Calculate your time . How many questions do you have on the multiple choice section? 65. How many minutes are you allotted? 95. That means about a minute and half for every question. Don’t go beyond that, even if a question is tripping you up. Mark something down as an answer. Then, circle the question to come back to it later if you have time.

4. Move on from words you don’t know . You will inevitably encounter words that you don’t know in the multiple-choice section. Don’t stress about this or convince yourself that you weren’t sufficiently prepared. Instead, skim past those words and focus on those that you do know. You will be able to figure out the question despite not knowing a word or two. Even looking at the answers can sometimes help. So don’t stress when approached with an unfamiliar word.

5. Read the entire question . AP® tests are notorious for their tough multiple-choice sections. And the College Board thinks they can trip you up by giving a lot of background information and not stating the actual objective until the end of the question. So be one step ahead. Read the entire question, all the way through. Then, select an answer. They anticipate many students not reading the entire question and give wrong answers that correspond appropriately so don’t fall into this trap.

AP® French Language Free Response Tips

1. Sound natural and conversational. This isn’t always so easy for someone who speaks French as a second language. But listening to French radio (try RadioFrance ) or watching television shows ( Fais pas çi, fais pas ça is available on French Netflix and is very popular) can really help you with these elements of your language. What do you hear when you listen to native speakers? Lots of uh , and bon , right? Good. Use this to your advantage. Dot your speech with these native-sounding interjections and give yourself more time to think of the right words.

2. Slow down . For many students, the free response section of the AP® French Language exam is the most anxiety inducing of the test. As a result, too many students speak quickly, stumble over their words, or provide an incoherent argument. Don’t let this be you! Firstly, speak slowly. You have so much time – two whole minutes for the cultural comparison. There is no need to rush through your words. In fact, you’ll make more mistakes and will be less likely to find the words you’re looking if you speak too quickly.

3. Use your transition words . This actually also applies for the written portion. But, French is known to differ a lot stylistically between its written and spoken forms, so we’ll mention it here. There are lots of colloquial words that are used in spoken French to change topic or connect your thoughts. Here are some of them:

Je veux dire…

Comme je disais avant…

Par contre…

D’autre part…

Par exemple…

En même temps…

Insider tip : Sounding native

Par contre and en revanche are often cited in dictionaries as being synonyms in French. And to a certain extent, they are. However, they differ in their context of usage. Whereas you would rarely hear someone say en revanche out loud, you hardly even see par contre written in formal, academic prose. Know when to use which term for your transitions.

4. Use the correct pronouns . You know the difference between vous and tu – or do you? Vous is used for formal contexts, when you’re speaking with a teacher or addressing a grader as you record yourself in the speaking section of the test. Tu , however, is used when speaking with classmates or people you have known for a while. Vous is also used when addressing multiple people. Be very mindful of this distinction when speaking. Register is one thing that AP® graders look for since it’s mentioned explicitly on the scoring guidelines . So you know it’s very important.

5. Try recording yourself and classmates . Still worried about the speaking section of the AP® French Language exam? Not to worry, most students are nervous for this part. An excellent way to prepare is by recording yourself and others. Then, play back what you said. Do you sound rushed? How is your /R/ pronunciation (that guttural sound)? Be sure to get classmates’ help with this. They’d love to exchange tips on this tough section of the test.

AP® French Language Essay Tips & Advice

1. Penmanship matters, so use your best. Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn’t, but penmanship matters. And don’t you want your AP® French Language exam grader to be in a good mood when they’re scoring your exam? Make reading essays simpler for your grader by writing very clearly and unambiguously on the test. Take your time. As we’ll point out below, it isn’t the length of the essay that matters, but the content.

2. No need to fill all the pages! You are given so many pages in the essay booklet on the AP® French Language exam. This is actually an unfortunate part of the test and one that many students fall victim to. Remember: you don’t need to use all the pages! They are there for students who write larger or who made a large mistake and need to start over. Instead, stick to three, maximum four, pages on the presentational writing section. Graders read the essays quickly. And the questions are geared towards shorter essays, not longer. Less is more! (And you have less opportunity to make mistakes.)

Insider tip : French and its punctuation

Did you know that French uses different punctuation than English? Have you ever noticed, for example, that your teacher writes grades not as 92.3% but rather 92,3? Have you ever seen that question marks and exclamation points in French stories always come after a space? Check out the sentence below for some of the common punctuation differences between French and English:

– Le prof t’a donné quelle note sur le partiel ?

– J’ai reçu 13,3 sur 20. Et toi ?

– Moi, j’ai reçu 12,4. Il m’a commenté, « analyse pas suffisante ». Ca veut dire quoi, ça ?

What’s different in the phrases above?

1) space between question mark and end of sentence: partiel?

2) « » Arrows for quotes instead of English high quotes “ ”

3) No accents necessary on uppercase letters, only lowercase: Ca but ça

4) Comma instead of decimal point and vice versa: 1.000.000 instead of 1,000,000 for one million

Does this matter? Absolutely! Impress AP® French Language readers with the depth of your knowledge and detail in French writing. Get all the points that you can!

3. Have an outline and a thesis – before beginning . Before you ever flip the page from the sources to the actual essay, you should have an outline and thesis written. ‘Why?’ you ask. ‘It’s in my mind.’ Not good enough. Stakes are too high and the essay writing time passes by too fast. You must know what you’re writing about from the beginning or you risk wasting precious writing time. By writing down a thesis and having an idea of your structure, you’ll have something to refer back to you if you get lost in the prose of your essay.

4. Use ink on the essays . Pencil is great for writing notes and that all-important outline that we’ve already talked about. But when it comes to the essay itself, stick to ink. Why? Because pencil smudges easily and could render parts of your essay unreadable to the grader – yikes! Also, it simply isn’t as clear as blue or black ink. So stick to pens for the essay itself. Unsure of an idea while you’re writing? Write in pencil first. Then, go back over it in pen once you’ve finished.

5. Proofread. You must, must, must proofread your essay. Even if you’re on the last paragraph and you only have three minutes left, take the time to proofread. You would be amazed how many errors you can make while you’re writing and thinking quickly. When you first construct your essay, you’re likely to be so involved in the material itself and incorporating your sources (we’ll get to those below) that you forget about all-important accents or a consistent verb tense throughout. Proofreading will catch most of those errors. Keep an eye out for the following while you do one last read-through:

1) No passive voice – when in doubt, use on :

This: On peut voir dans la ligne deux que … Not this: La ligne deux est vue par le lecteur comme…

2) A consistent verb tense throughout – don’t switch between past and present

3) Watch out for accents.

There’s a big difference between accent aigu ´ and accent grave ` so don’t get sloppy.

4) Don’t forget subjunctive.

Did the subject change within the clause? Are you expressing doubt or uncertainty? You probably need subjunctive.

6. Use the sources. Hopefully you know this one already! The sources provided for the persuasive essay are not just there for your amusement – you must incorporate them into your essay. In fact, graders are looking to make sure that you include not just one or two of the sources – but all of them. So read the sources carefully and think about how you will incorporate them into the outline before you even begin writing – that way you won’t forget to include one.

7. Weave the sources into the essay . Speaking of sources, if graders are looking to see if you included all three sources – don’t you want to make it very obvious to them that you did? So go ahead and use direct citations from the sources (with quotes and a citation marker). This is better than simply summing up information from the sources because 1) the graders will spot that you used a source right away and 2) you’re less likely to get the information from the sources wrong – a very common mistake that test takers make!

Tips by AP® French Language Teachers

Did you know that teachers grade the AP® French Language exams? And not just any teachers – your teachers. That’s right. Every summer, hundreds of AP® French Language teachers and university professors who teach equivalent courses get together to grade the writing and speaking components of the exam. So who do you think knows best what graders are and aren’t looking for? Teachers themselves, of course!

1. Write neatly. This teacher reinforces one of our writing tips mentioned above! “Just write clearly. We can always tell when you don’t know how to spell a word and you try to fudge your way out of it but writing illegibly. You’d be surprised how few points students lose for orthographic errors so write clearly. If you make a couple of minor mistakes, you won’t lose points for it.”

2. Do full practice exams. On the subject of practice exams , which we have also encouraged, this teacher says, “Unfortunately, we do not have enough time in class to do a full exam run-through of multiple choice, speaking, and writing. Great students will take the initiative and do this on their own or in groups. This is a long exam. It takes stamina. The only way to build that up is to do full run-throughs of the exam. All sections in one sitting – just as it will be on the day of the test.”

3. Re-energizing during the exam . It’s a long exam. How can you prepare yourself to make it all the way through until the writing section? This teacher has some tips: “I hate how the writing comes at the end! I think it’s the hardest part of the exam and takes the most energy out of my students. So I tell them, in addition to eating a large breakfast or lunch on the day of the AP® French Language exam, bring a snack or two with you! Every year my students come back saying how happy they were that I recommended this. The exam will take a lot out of you – get some energy back in return!”

4. Must use sources! Didn’t we tell you that incorporating your sources was important? Here it is again: “Please, please, please use all of your sources! Every year when I’m grading the AP® French Language exams, I feel terrible that I have to dock students points because they forgot a source or forgot to incorporate sources altogether!” How can you remember to do this? Write the sources into your outline from the very beginning. That way, you won’t forget to include them.

Insider tip : What if I forget a source?

Every year, so many students forget a source that the CollegeBoard finally decided that students can still receive a score of a 4 or 5 even without mentioning one of the sources. But the essay has to be exceptionally good to still receive such a high score. So rather than take the chance, follow the directions and use your sources.

5. Be a consistent studier. Studying for the AP® exam doesn’t just happen the few weeks before exam day in May. In fact, many AP® French Language teachers say the best study habits are established from the first week of class. “I try to encourage my students to form study groups outside of class and good learning habits such as learning new vocabulary and exposing themselves to different dialects of French. They should be doing this really from the start of their first semester in AP® French. This is the highest level of French taught at our school and offers them the invaluable opportunity to gain college credit. So students should treat the course as they would a college-level class.”

6. Master the present, including the subjunctive, the past and the future tenses! Thanks for the tip from Debbie M.

7. Challenge yourself daily to do more than you could yesterday. Listen to challenging French news broadcasts. If you don’t understand the background of the topics being discussed, do some further research online. You will enhance your knowledge of current events–a key element of success on the exam–very quickly this way. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

8. Practice dictation regularly –It may seem old fashioned, but dictation (la dictée) is a great way to hone spelling and grammar and to increase vocabulary. Find a 30-second snip-it online and write out everything you hear. Ask a teacher or native to check it for you. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

9. Expose yourself to French every day. An easy way to get in 15 minutes is by either listening to the French news (Journal Télévisé) on TF1.fr while getting ready for school in the morning or while getting ready for bed at night. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

10. During my study abroad in college, I would listen to the French radio news every morning with my host family or alone. It helped me get used to the pacing of real French while, at the same time, having a general idea of the topic before the report started. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

11. I tell my students to watch a French video clip (news or otherwise) daily to get used to hearing different accents and to get their ears used to hearing spoken French. Thanks for the tip from Linda W. at Haddon Township.

12. DON’T PANIC … Breathe and think, what did we talk about. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

13. Help the Reader: Assume the reader is tired….it is the end of the day…they have been grading since 8:00am….Help the reader find the answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

Label your sections

Underline important terms and key parts of your answer

–i.e. if it asks for the definition of nation, underline the word nation…

14. Do Not Dump: You should try to avoid writing “dump” essays where you “dump” or empty your brain of everything you can think of onto the paper. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

15. Outline : OUTLINING the questions will help you tremendously! As soon as you get the CRQ’s, spend a couple of minutes outlining the main points for your answer right on the question sheet. This way, when you go to write your full response, you will have a baseline of information and important points to send you on your way. Those who have done this in the past have told me it has really helped them be successful on the exam. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

16. Pick On The Weaker Ones First: Answer the question you think is the easiest first; then go onto the next easiest, etc… This way, you leave the hardest one for the end when you have more time to answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

17. Take your flashcards to another level: When your writing out your flashcards/vocabulary make sure you are not just writing it in your own words… but be able to connect the term/concept to another term/concept. This way when your writing your FRQ you will be able to show the reader that you not only know the information, but can critically connect the material to other units/topics. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

18. AP® French Language is vocabulary driven. Study your list of vocabulary terms listed on the CollegeBoard site labeled Martha Sharma’s vocabulary terms. I have my own version as well. Let me know if you want me to send them. Thanks for the tip from David E.

19. READ as many multiple sources as possible to prepare. Thanks for the tip from Anne C.

20. If students make a point to Listen to 10 min of French everyday in the form of news or podcasts – they can make great strides in their listening comprehension which is the most difficult part. Thanks for the tip from Harpreet M.

21. Trouvez un roman qui vous intéresse et lisez-le chaque jour hors de la classe. Thanks for the tip from Rachel D.

22. Try to listen to as much French programming as possible. And talk back to the audio, just to break through the speaking barrier; no one can hear you but you, it will loosen you up! Thanks for the tip from Madame Jean M.

23. To build a good ear for the language, read a script first. Use the CD to listen to what you just read; multiple times. Try to understand it. Then check the script again. Thanks for the tip from Angela W.

24. Listen to AS MUCH FRENCH as possible from authentic sources : videos, vimeos, movies, film trailers, especially clips of films or shows you are already familiar with. Use material which is updated and meaningful to students to keep their interest! Thanks for the tip from Jennifer B.

25. Know real world examples of Vocabulary . Example: What does gerrymandering look like? Thanks for the tip from Sharon R.

26. Read every day about lots of different topics from sources all over the world. News articles, blogs, anything! Thanks for the tip from Danelle C.

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

Just how tough is the AP® French Language exam? Well we said before that more than 75% of students score a 3 or higher – so this exam is definitely beatable! And this list of the Ultimate Tips will get you started in your preparation for the exam. Here are some of the key points summed up again:

– Start reviewing now – old tests, new vocabulary words, study groups

– Find a language exchange to buff up speaking skills

– On test day, establish an outline and thesis before even approaching your essay

– You can’t work ahead – focus on what’s at hand during the test

– Proofread all written material

But remember that our list of the Ultimate Tips is by no means the last stop on your journey to a great score on this AP® test. Go ahead and check out other sources such as (insert other articles on AP® French prep here) to get even more insider tips and advice from previous test takers and AP® French Language teachers. With these resources in hand, there’s no way you can’t succeed!

– These stats concern “typical” French language learners – those who have not spent considerable time in a country of the target language or do not speak French in the home.

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Kickstart your AP® French Language prep with Albert. Start your AP® exam prep today .

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Jacques Cartier: Chronicles of an Intrepid French Navigator and the Laying of New World Foundations

This essay about Jacques Cartier explores the significant voyages of the French explorer who played a pivotal role in mapping the Canadian landscape and establishing French claims in North America. Born in 1491 in Saint-Malo France Cartier led three major expeditions across the Atlantic. The first in 1534 focused on the Gulf of St. Lawrence and included a symbolic claim of land on the Gaspé Peninsula. His second voyage in 1535 took him up the St. Lawrence River to the site of modern Quebec City and Montreal where he first encountered the rapids he named La Chine. The third voyage in 1541 aimed to establish a permanent settlement but was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite not finding a passage to Asia or great riches Cartier’s detailed mappings significantly enhanced European geographical knowledge and facilitated future French expeditions. His interactions with indigenous populations began the complex exchange between European explorers and Native Americans. The essay underscores Cartier’s legacy as a crucial figure in the Age of Discovery and the impacts of his explorations on the history and development of North America.

How it works

Jacques Cartier a venerated figure from the European Age of Discovery carved his name deeply into the annals of history with three groundbreaking voyages across the Atlantic. His contributions went beyond mere exploration; they were instrumental in establishing French footholds in the landscapes of what would become Canada. This essay traces the pivotal timelines and crucial developments of Cartier’s adventures shedding light on the indelible marks he left on the world map and the French colonial aspirations.

Born on the brink of the sixteenth century on December 31 1491 in the port city of Saint-Malo France Cartier was destined to embrace the sea.

His upbringing in a maritime community predestined his future endeavors on oceanic voyages that would expand the known world.

First Foray Across the Atlantic (1534)

Cartier’s inaugural voyage unfurled its sails on April 20 1534 under the auspices of King François I who envisioned discovering a western passage to the lucrative markets of Asia. With two ships and a crew of 61 Cartier instead charted the coastal waters of Newfoundland and ventured into the Gulf of St. Lawrence marking his initial encounter with the lands and peoples of the New World.

During this expedition one of the most symbolic acts performed by Cartier was on the shores of the Gaspé Peninsula. Here on July 24 1534 he planted a cross claiming the territory in the name of the French crown a gesture that foreshadowed the competitive imperial contests that would soon unfold between European powers.

Navigational Triumphs and Trials (1535-1536)

Cartier embarked on a more ambitious second voyage on May 19 1535 with three ships and 110 men. His journey up the St. Lawrence River brought him to the Iroquois village of Stadacona the future site of Quebec City. The highlight of this voyage was his reach to Hochelaga present-day Montreal on October 2 1535. It was here he first witnessed the sweeping rapids west of the island optimistically named La Chine under the mistaken belief they might offer a route to Asia. The grueling winter introduced his crew to the ravages of scurvy only mitigated by the indigenous remedy of a tea made from local tree bark which showcased the early instances of knowledge exchange between Europeans and Native Americans.

The Final Expedition (1541-1542)

Determined to plant a permanent French presence in the New World Cartier launched his third and final voyage on May 23 1541. Despite navigating back to the St. Lawrence with five ships this mission was plagued by severe challenges including harsh weather conditions strained relations with local tribes and a fruitless search for precious metals. Cartier attempted to establish a colony at Cap-Rouge near Quebec City but the settlement was short-lived abandoned amidst adversity and disillusionment.

Cartier’s Enduring Contributions

Jacques Cartier passed away on September 1 1557. While he never succeeded in finding a passage to Asia nor the riches he had sought his meticulous mapping and chronicling of the North American northeast were invaluable. These explorations laid the groundwork for subsequent French expeditions and territorial claims. Cartier’s detailed accounts enriched the European understanding of these vast new territories and the diverse peoples inhabiting them.

In essence Jacques Cartier’s voyages did far more than chart unknown territories; they initiated the complex processes of cultural interaction and colonization that would eventually shape the modern history of North America. His legacy is not merely in the maps he helped to draw but in the broader story of European expansion that he helped to author illustrating a narrative rich with adventure discovery and enduring impact on the continents’ futures.

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Jacques Cartier: Chronicles of an Intrepid French Navigator and the Laying of New World Foundations. (2024, Jul 06). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/jacques-cartier-chronicles-of-an-intrepid-french-navigator-and-the-laying-of-new-world-foundations/

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David French

Clarence Thomas and John Roberts Are at a Fork in the Road

By David French

Opinion Columnist

Two years ago, when the Supreme Court decided New York State Rifle and Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen , it created a jurisprudential mess that scrambled American gun laws. On Friday not only did the cleanup begin, but the Supreme Court also cleared the way for one of the most promising legal innovations for preventing gun violence: red flag laws.

The Bruen ruling did two things. First, it rendered a sensible and, in my view, correct decision that the “right of the people to keep and bear arms,” as articulated in the Second Amendment, includes a right to bear arms outside the home for self-defense. But the right isn’t unlimited. As Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in his concurrence in Bruen, the court did not “prohibit states from imposing licensing requirements for carrying a handgun for self-defense” and that “properly interpreted, the Second Amendment allows a ‘variety’ of gun regulations.”

At the same time, the court articulated a “text, history and tradition” test for evaluating gun restrictions in future federal cases. Under this test, gun control measures were constitutional only if the government could demonstrate those restrictions were “consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.” That was the most significant element of the Bruen case. Before Bruen, lower courts had struggled to establish a uniform legal test for evaluating gun restrictions, and the Supreme Court hadn’t provided any clarity.

Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion in a 6-to-3 decision split along ideological lines. He applied the text, history and tradition test by walking through the very complex, often contradictory, history of American gun laws to determine whether New York’s restrictions had analogies with the colonial period or the periods after ratification of the Second Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment, which applied the Second Amendment to the states. Under a fair reading of Thomas’s opinion, lower courts would be hard pressed to uphold any gun restriction unless they could point to an obvious historical match.

Not only was the history messy, but judicial reliance on founding-era legislation suffers from an additional conceptual flaw: State legislatures are hardly stuffed with constitutional scholars. Then and now, our state legislatures are prone to enact wildly unconstitutional legislation.

Our courts exist in part to check legislatures when they go astray. The courts do not rely on legislatures to establish constitutional doctrine. In our divided system of government, legislators are not tasked with interpreting constitutional law. Yes, they should take the Constitution into account when they draft laws, but the laws they draft aren’t precedent. They do not and should not bind the courts.

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Spoken vs. Written French: What Are the Main Differences?

You’re sitting in a café in Paris, pencil in hand to write the next great French novel.

But where do you start? How do you build your French writing skills to become proficient at written French?

I’m here to tell you about the different aspects of written French and share some valuable pointers to get you writing with confidence in no time.

Main Differences Between Spoken and Written French

1. in spoken french the “ne” is removed, 2. the “e” is often left behind in spoken french, 3. contractions are more common in spoken french, 4. with written french you don’t have to worry about listening, 5. written french isn’t phonetic at all, 6. written french includes “literary” tenses, 7. grammar is far more important in written french, tips and strategies for improving written french, look for a french-speaking language exchange partner, join french-language forums, practice written translations, read, read, read, do a daily writing prompt, essential tools for your written french toolbox, wordreference, google search, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Mastering written French is necessary for those who want to become fluent in French. It’s really a skill of its own—many people say that written French is practically its own language . As such, with written French, you have to focus on a different skill set.

Here are some of the major differences you’ll encounter with written French versus spoken French:

One way in which written and spoken French differ is in terms of negation . Generally speaking, the structure ne… pas is used in French to form negative sentences. For example:

Je ne sais pas quelle heure il est. (I don’t know what time it is.)

However, while this is the correct grammatical structure and should be used in written French, in informal spoken French, native speakers commonly leave out the ne, and would instead say:

Je sais pas quelle heure il est.

Note that this sentence maintains exactly the same meaning as the previous sentence, however, it’s far more informal in tone.

Simplifying phrases is a key part of informal spoken French. In spoken French, as well as removing the ne in negation phrases, it’s also common to leave out the e .

For example, in spoken French, the previous sentence listed above would become:

J’sais pas quelle heure il est.

Here, you can see that the subject pronoun je (I) has lost the e and is instead pronounced as j’.

Again, this is only permitted in informal spoken French. When writing in French, this should generally be avoided.

As you have seen above, contractions are more common in spoken French than in written French. As well as shortening je to j’, there are also a number of other common contractions that you’ll hear:

		English
		You are
		You have
		There is

It’s worth noting that these contractions are very informal, so you would only use them in spoken French. Unless you’re writing an informal message to a friend or family member, you should avoid using these contractions in normal written French.

Students often find written French easier than spoken French. This is because there are lots of French-English cognates —or, words that look similar in both French and English.


	Interesting
	Telephone
	Comedy
	Perfect

Even beginner students can look at a text in French and guess the meaning of many words. It’s the tricky French pronunciation that trips up English-speaking learners! So, when learning written French you can focus on grammar without stressing too much about listening comprehension.

There’s a slight caveat to what I just said. Reading French may be a breeze for English speakers, but writing in French is not at all intuitive. French is one of those languages that isn’t spoken as it’s written.

Sometimes long words will only have one or two syllables when pronounced. Sometimes a word will end in a consonant that you can’t possibly hear!


	Bank
	A lot
	Cat
	Mountain/mount

So, if you’ve been mostly learning French through video and audio immersion , be prepared: you’ll have to put some effort into learning French spelling .

Generally, in class you’ll be exposed to the verb tenses that are used when speaking: the passé composé , the imparfait and so forth. So you may be surprised to find tenses such as the passé simple when you read, especially in older or more advanced texts.

These tenses may not be covered in class, but you’ll find plenty of online resources to practice them on your own.

You might be asking: “Isn’t grammar important for spoken French as well?” Well, yes. But the difference is that if you make a mistake while speaking, it’ll quickly be forgotten. If you make a mistake in your writing , say in a report for work or a term paper for class, it’ll be there forever. This is why you should make comprehensive grammar practice part of your project to learn written French.

A major flaw of many French classes is the lack of long-form writing . Students do lots of sentence-long exercises, for sure, but in reality, that’s not how people tend to write in their native language. Fortunately, with a wealth of internet resources available at your fingertips, practicing written French is a breeze. But where should you begin?

You may have heard this tip before. Your teacher may have even made you find a penpal as a homework assignment. This is because actually writing with another person is a great way to get used to writing in real-world scenarios. What’s more, native speakers can correct your mistakes, and you can make a great friend in the process.

Some of the best sites for finding a penpal include InterPals , arguably the largest site dedicated to finding penpals in other countries, and MyLanguageExchange.com , which is like InterPals but focused on language learning. On both of these sites, when making your profile, you can specify your native language and the language you’re learning.

If you’d rather use an app to find a language exchange partner, there are also plenty of language exchange apps available to download. For example, two of the most popular apps are Tandem and HelloTalk .

Forums are a great resource for learning written French. They offer some very unique advantages, which are different from what you’ll get from classroom exercises or a penpal relationship.

If you find a forum for a particular hobby or interest that you enjoy, you can learn lots of vocabulary specific to that subject. For example, if you like gardening, you can check out AuJardin.org .

In these forums, you’ll learn lots of French slang , which is a double win! Like with a penpal relationship, forums train you to make your French understandable to other French speakers, which is fantastic practice.

If you’re looking for a general chat group where you can talk about anything and everything, check out /r/france , Reddit’s largest French-speaking forum. From there, you’ll find links to smaller French-speaking subreddits (forums) for every interest imaginable.

Yes, the idea of written translations sounds very… 19th century. But hear me out. Translation is coming back into favor as a language acquisition technique, and it has real benefits for beginning and advanced learners.

There are some great translation exercises out there where you can translate to French and check your work. Another method is to translate Wikipedia articles and check how you did by comparing your translation to the official French article.

Once you’re an advanced speaker you can even volunteer as a translator or find work as one. Translation is one of the best methods to practice your written French because to complete a good translation you’ll need to research both grammar and vocabulary. Translation helps you learn the nuance of the French language, such as when you have to decide how to translate a specific word based on context.

Surely you’ve read French before, either in classroom exercises or in homework. But now’s the time to go above and beyond what’s required. If you want to write French well, you need to know how it’s written. And that means you have to read.

Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day reading something that interests you. That could be a French newspaper or some French short stories . Take the time to look up words you don’t understand, but don’t worry if there are lots you don’t know. That’s how you learn more vocabulary.

Writing prompts are a great way to get your creative juices flowing. For example, you could start with the question: “If you could’ve been born in any decade, which would you choose?” Set a timer, sit down and just write whatever comes to mind in French. After, you can go back and check for grammar and spelling.

Writing prompts help you practice writing essays, so they’re great practice for standardized French exams. They also allow you to learn vocabulary about diverse topics. Some of the best sites for finding free writing prompts are A Vos Plumes! and The Daily Post .

None of us are experts, and we all need resources to check our grammar and look up words. These are some of the best online support resources available for writing in French.

The first tool you need for your written French is a comprehensive dictionary .

Although there are some great classic dictionaries out there, I honestly don’t remember the last time I looked up a word in a physical dictionary, and my guess is you don’t either. WordReference is hands-down the best online dictionary available. Every French word comes with its translation to English, its gender and some example sentences.

You can even look up expressions and slang terms. One of the best features of WordReference is its active forum . At the bottom of each dictionary definition page, you can find user questions pertaining to the word you looked up. This is great for learning how a word can be used differently depending on the country.

With FluentU, for example, you can see language in context in real French media with the help of interactive subtitles , which you can use to find the meaning of vocabulary and examples of the term used in other videos and example sentences.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

Try FluentU for FREE!

BonPatron can be an absolute life-saver for French writers. With BonPatron, you can copy and paste entire passages of written French and see all the grammatical mistakes you made. Not only does BonPatron highlight the mistakes you made, it also explains why each one is a mistake and even suggests alternatives. It’s surprisingly detailed and can even correct accents and conjugation mistakes.

Speaking of context, Linguee is a great resource for looking up entire sentences or passages in French. If you know the definition of a word but you don’t understand its context , type it into Linguee’s translation dictionary.

Linguee then scours the internet to find all references of that word within sources that have already been translated between English and French. That way, you can see the French word within the context of a sentence, side-by-side with the same sentence translated into English.

What? I’m recommending Google?! That’s right. Google search is an amazing tool for checking your grammar .

You can search any French phrase in quotes, which will return only websites where that exact phrase is used. Then, look at the number of results to gauge if the phrase is written correctly. If you get lots of results, that means native speakers write the phrase in that way.

This is especially good for hammering out the nitty-gritty details of language learning, such as article usage .

For example, imagine you want to say “learn to …” but you don’t know if it’s correct to say apprendre à or apprendre de . Just go to Google and type “apprendre à programmer” (learn to program), which gives over a million results. You’ll see that “ apprendre de programmer” only returns only about 12,000 results. Knowing nothing else, you can reasonably conclude that it’s correct to say apprendre à programmer (learn to program).

If you’re a writer at heart , learning written French will be the most enjoyable part of learning the language.

With the right tools and strategies in hand, you too can join the ranks of Proust and Sartre—or just finish your term paper on time.

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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Let the Paris Olympic Games begin, but keep an eye on public health

People film the Olympic rings displayed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris on June 4. Credit: AP/Aurelien Morissard

This guest essay reflects the views of Arthur Caplan and Lisa Kearns, head and senior research associate, respectively, of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Lee Igel, professor at the NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport.

The multicolored, interlocking rings mounted on the Eiffel Tower signal that the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games will soon be underway. Along with tens of thousands of athletes, officials, staff, media, and contractors from more than 200 nations, organizers expect 15 million tourists in Paris during the Games. Throngs of people from diverse communities coming together for sport and culture is something to cheer. The breeding ground for illness and disease transmission that it can create is not.

When the Olympics begin July 26, followed by the Paralympic Games a month later, attention will be paid to medal counts, doping violations, and competitions. Yet there are significant public health issues that merit serious attention, too. Fortunately, measures still can be taken to mitigate some of them.

France’s Le Monde newspaper recently reported that more than 2,500 cases of dengue have been detected in the country this year. Although often causing no symptoms, the mosquito-borne virus can induce high fever, nausea, severe headaches, and muscle pain. Severe cases can be fatal. Insect repellent will be helpful.

The dengue cases echo Zika concerns at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, and the COVID-19 pandemic that led to the one-year postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games. People are tired of paying attention to COVID, but danger still lurks: Tight travel conditions and crowded venues could create a COVID superspreader event. Ventilation, masking, and vaccination can still help.

Nor should anyone ignore an upcoming protest of the use of the River Seine for some events, despite swimming being banned for a century because of pollution. Some Parisians intend to express their displeasure by contributing their own bodily waste to the river. Originally timed to precede Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s since-postponed June 23 swim to demonstrate the safety of the water, her dip, and presumably the protest, will take place after the French elections — but still before the Olympics. If the people do “speak,” water monitors could find shigella, yersinia, campylobacter, aeromonas, candida, klebsiella, cryptosporidium, entamoeba histolytica, norovirus, and hepatitis A alongside still unsafe levels of E. coli. Competing for a medal by swimming in filth ought not to be an option.

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The most immediate health concern, though, is heat-related illness. July is historically the hottest month in Paris, and with rising global temperatures, heat stroke is a real threat, especially for athletes. Although an environmentally friendly system of pipes will cool rooms in the athletes village, at least six major national delegations — including the U.S. — are supplying air conditioning units to ensure comfort and safety. Of course, these measures don’t apply to outdoor training and competition. Shifting events to cooler times of day, increasing vehicular transportation, and adding more air conditioning should be in store if temperatures climb.

Olympic and French health officials should promote prevention, including vaccines for those who can take them. Another measure — no matter how impressive images of events on the River Seine could be — is moving competitions to clean bodies of water. Also, organizers need to ensure that an abundance of health care workers trained in heat-related illnesses are standing by and that shade and water are widely available.

The Paris Olympics will go on. Amid the excitement, attendees should think through where and how they will move about. Personal and public health must be prioritized. Let the Games begin.

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30 Useful French Essay Phrases and Transition Words in French
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