Compare Il pleut. Je reste à la maison. Je regarde un film. with Puisqu'il pleut, je reste à la maison, donc je regarde un film. The second version shows how the ideas are related — cause and consequence — and it reads like Grade 10 writing. Complex sentences are built with two kinds of linking words: conjunctions of time and condition (si, quand, lorsque, dès que), which also decide the tense of the verb that follows, and connectors of cause, consequence and contrast (car, puisque, donc, par conséquent, cependant, alors que). The second half of good writing is editing. Rereading once and hoping to spot everything does not work; rereading several times, each time hunting for one kind of mistake, does. This lesson gives you both tools and three text forms to use them in.
Time and condition: si, quand, lorsque, dès que
| Word | Meaning | Tense when the time is future | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| si | if | présent after si, futur in the main clause | Si tu viens, nous irons au cinéma. (If you come, we'll go to the movies.) |
| quand | when | futur in both clauses | Quand j'arriverai à Paris, je t'appellerai. (When I arrive in Paris, I'll call you.) |
| lorsque | when (more formal) | futur in both clauses | Lorsque vous arriverez à l'école, vous recevrez votre horaire. (When you arrive at school, you'll receive your timetable.) |
| dès que | as soon as | futur in both clauses | Dès que tu arriveras, nous mangerons. (As soon as you arrive, we'll eat.) |
Linking ideas: cause, consequence, contrast
| Connector | Meaning | Job | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| car | because, for | gives a reason; always after the main idea | Je reste à la maison, car il fait trop froid. |
| parce que | because | gives a reason; answers pourquoi? | Je reste à la maison parce qu'il fait trop froid. |
| puisque | since, given that | a reason the reader already knows or accepts | Puisque tu parles français, tu pourrais m'aider. |
| donc | so, therefore | a consequence | Il pleut, donc je reste à la maison. |
| par conséquent | consequently, as a result | a consequence (more formal) | L'autobus est en retard; par conséquent, nous manquerons le début du film. |
| cependant | however | contrast with the previous idea | Le cours est difficile; cependant, il est très utile. |
| alors que | whereas, while | contrasts two facts in one sentence | Ma sœur adore les maths, alors que moi, je préfère l'histoire. |
An editing checklist, one pass at a time
- Accords (agreement). Adjectives match their noun. Past participles agree with the subject after être (Mes amies sont arrivées) and with a direct object placed before avoir (Les photos que j'ai prises), but never with the subject of avoir (Elles ont mangé).
- Temps des verbes (tenses). Keep tenses consistent within a paragraph. Use the futur after quand, lorsque, dès que for a future time, and the présent after si.
- Pronoms (pronouns). Replace a repeated noun with a pronoun before the verb or the auxiliary: J'ai lu le livre → Je l'ai lu.
- Accents et orthographe (spelling). Check every é, è, ê, à, ç. Some accents change the meaning: a (has) / à (to), ou (or) / où (where), la (the) / là (there).
- Connecteurs (linking words). Join short sentences, and vary your connectors instead of repeating et and mais.
- Majuscules et ponctuation (capitals and punctuation). Days, months and languages take no capital; nationality nouns do. Every sentence ends with a punctuation point.
Three text forms you will write
| Form | Purpose | Features | Useful language |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAQ (foire aux questions) for newcomers | to inform and reassure | each question as a subheading; short, direct answers; vous | futur for what will happen (vous recevrez), si + présent, impératif for advice (consultez) |
| Opinion piece (texte d'opinion) on learning languages | to persuade | your position in the first sentence; two or three arguments with examples; an answer to the other side; a conclusion | à mon avis, je pense que + indicatif, il est important de + infinitif, d'abord, ensuite, cependant, par conséquent |
| Report (rapport) with subheadings | to inform | a title, an introduction, sections with intertitres (subheadings) such as Méthode, Résultats, Recommandations, a conclusion | neutral tone, facts and numbers, selon les résultats, par conséquent |
- Foire aux questions — Bienvenue aux nouveaux élèves!
- Quand est-ce que je recevrai mon horaire? — Vous le recevrez dès que vous arriverez au secrétariat, le premier jour.
- Comment est-ce que je trouverai mes salles de classe? — Lorsque vous arriverez, un élève-mentor vous fera visiter l'école.
- Est-ce que je dois parler français à l'école? — Oui, puisque notre école est une école de langue française. Cependant, si vous avez besoin d'aide, nos élèves-mentors vous aideront.
- Que faire s'il neige beaucoup? — S'il neige beaucoup, les autobus seront peut-être annulés; par conséquent, consultez le site Web de l'école avant de partir.
- Où est-ce que je peux manger? — À la cafétéria, car il est interdit de manger dans les salles de classe.
Translation: Frequently asked questions — Welcome, new students! When will I receive my timetable? You will receive it as soon as you arrive at the office on the first day. How will I find my classrooms? When you arrive, a student mentor will give you a tour of the school. Do I have to speak French at school? Yes, since ours is a French-language school. However, if you need help, our student mentors will help you. What should I do if it snows a lot? If it snows a lot, the buses may be cancelled; consequently, check the school website before leaving. Where can I eat? In the cafeteria, because eating in the classrooms is not allowed. Notice the tense pattern: dès que and lorsque + futur (arriverez), but si + présent (avez, neige) with the futur in the main clause (aideront, seront).
Translation: In my opinion, all students should learn at least two languages. First, since Canada has two official languages, speaking French opens doors in the job market. Next, learning a language helps us understand other cultures. Some people think it is too hard; however, when you start to understand songs or films, you will see that the effort is worth it. My brother stopped French in Grade 9, whereas I kept going: today I can chat with my Acadian neighbours, because I understand their accent! Consequently, it is important to continue French until Grade 12. The structure is the one in the table: position, two arguments, an answer to the other side, a personal example and a conclusion — held together by connectors.