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French complex sentence structures

Hi there,

What exactly are 'complex sentence structures'? Could you give me some examples I could use in my A2 French oral exam please?

Thanks all!
Je m'apelle SausageTroll, don't feel pressured into using this though, you will need to work your way up first.
Reply 2
SausageTroll
Je m'apelle SausageTroll, don't feel pressured into using this though, you will need to work your way up first.


¬___¬
Reply 3
The most obvious ones that I can think of right now would be adding in subjunctive clauses, and using 'si' clauses.

E.g. Bien que ce soit illégal, beaucoup de gens le font. I don't know what you're going to be talking about, but anything with 'although ..., ...' (bien que + subjunctive ..., ...) would class as a complex sentence.

Si ce n'était pas illégal, les gens ne le feraient pas.
Si je pourrais changer la loi, je ferais/je changerais ...
Si la loi avait été différente, tant de gens ne seraient pas morts.

Si + present + future/present
Si + imperfect + conditional
Si + pluperfect + conditional perfect

I'm pretty sure just adding in a relative clause creates a complex sentence too, e.g le livre que j'aime. la jupe que j'ai achetée. Le probleme a causé beaucoup d'arguments, ce que je trouve bizarre.

Hope that helps :smile: if you've got any more questions feel free to ask.
Reply 4
Tasha-x
The most obvious ones that I can think of right now would be adding in subjunctive clauses, and using 'si' clauses.

E.g. Bien que ce soit illégal, beaucoup de gens le font. I don't know what you're going to be talking about, but anything with 'although ..., ...' (bien que + subjunctive ..., ...) would class as a complex sentence.

Si ce n'était pas illégal, les gens ne le feraient pas.
Si je pourrais changer la loi, je ferais/je changerais ...
Si la loi avait été différente, tant de gens ne seraient pas morts.

Si + present + future/present
Si + imperfect + conditional
Si + pluperfect + conditional perfect

I'm pretty sure just adding in a relative clause creates a complex sentence too, e.g le livre que j'aime. la jupe que j'ai achetée. Le probleme a causé beaucoup d'arguments, ce que je trouve bizarre.

Hope that helps :smile: if you've got any more questions feel free to ask.


Ahh! Thanks :smile:

What's a relative clause?
Reply 5
Use flashy phrases such as -

Il va de soi que [subj.] - it goes without saying that
Quoi qu'il en soit - whatever the case
Qu'on ne s'y trompe pas en pensant que/comme - Let's not trick ourselves in thinking that/like...
Il faut bien reconnaitre que - You/we should remember that

Or my favourite idiom - il y a plus qu'un ase dans la foire qui s'appelle Martin (you shouldn't jump to conclusions).

Failing that, subjunctive, si clauses and PDOPs (preceding direct object pronouns).
Reply 6
coolblergh
Ahh! Thanks :smile:

What's a relative clause?

The relative clause is the bit after 'que' or 'qui' or 'ce que' etc. So in the examples i've given the bits in bold are the relative clause .. le livre que j'aime. la jupe que j'ai achetée. Le probleme a causé beaucoup d'arguments, ce que je trouve bizarre. , il y a un garcon dans la salle, avec qui je suis allé a l'école. :smile:
Reply 7
Tasha-x
The relative clause is the bit after 'que' or 'qui' or 'ce que' etc. So in the examples i've given the bits in bold are the relative clause .. le livre que j'aime. la jupe que j'ai achetée. Le probleme a causé beaucoup d'arguments, ce que je trouve bizarre. , il y a un garcon dans la salle, avec qui je suis allé a l'école. :smile:


Oh righttt :smile: I know these. Thanks Tasha!
Reply 8
LGF92
Use flashy phrases such as -

Il va de soi que [subj.] - it goes without saying that
Quoi qu'il en soit - whatever the case
Qu'on ne s'y trompe pas en pensant que/comme - Let's not trick ourselves in thinking that/like...
Il faut bien reconnaitre que - You/we should remember that

Or my favourite idiom - il y a plus qu'un ase dans la foire qui s'appelle Martin (you shouldn't jump to conclusions).

Failing that, subjunctive, si clauses and PDOPs (preceding direct object pronouns).


I know the second and third of those :p: The others are helpful! Thank you :smile:
Reply 9
ce serait = it will be
si j'avais le choix = if I had the choice
je ne pense que ce soit = I don't think that
bien qu'il y ait = although there is
Reply 10
Original post by LGF92


Or my favourite idiom - il y a plus qu'un ase dans la foire qui s'appelle Martin (you shouldn't jump to conclusions).


It's "Il y a plus d'un âne qui s'appelle Martin", meaning that different things can have the same name. It's very colloquial though - and not often used nowadays - so you shouldn't write it in essays.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by Tasha-x
The most obvious ones that I can think of right now would be adding in subjunctive clauses, and using 'si' clauses.

E.g. Bien que ce soit illégal, beaucoup de gens le font. I don't know what you're going to be talking about, but anything with 'although ..., ...' (bien que + subjunctive ..., ...) would class as a complex sentence.

Si ce n'était pas illégal, les gens ne le feraient pas.
Si je pourrais changer la loi, je ferais/je changerais ...
Si la loi avait été différente, tant de gens ne seraient pas morts.

Si + present + future/present
Si + imperfect + conditional
Si + pluperfect + conditional perfect

I'm pretty sure just adding in a relative clause creates a complex sentence too, e.g le livre que j'aime. la jupe que j'ai achetée. Le probleme a causé beaucoup d'arguments, ce que je trouve bizarre.

Hope that helps :smile: if you've got any more questions feel free to ask.


:eek: This is a horrible mistake!
Si is NEVER followed by -rais. Use Si je pouvais instead (if I could), or si j'étais (if I were) in other contexts.
Reply 12
Original post by Alex2599
ce serait = it will be

Ce serait = It would be
Ce sera = it will be
Original post by Josb
:eek: This is a horrible mistake!
Si is NEVER followed by -rais. Use Si je pouvais instead (if I could), or si j'étais (if I were) in other contexts.


Ok, my bad, but calm down!! Simple mistake to make haha and if you see below I've actually stated the rule.
Reply 14
Original post by Tasha-x
Ok, my bad, but calm down!! Simple mistake to make haha and if you see below I've actually stated the rule.

Ok cool, I just meant this is the worst grammatical mistake you can make in French.
Reply 15
Original post by Josb
Ok cool, I just meant this is the worst grammatical mistake you can make in French.


minor exageration
try je suis un orange - complex with intrigue - also some comical banter if you just so happen to have a tan! hope this helps

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