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Complex french grammar? For A-Level

Hi well i know a couple but they always never seem to be enough

can you tell me some more; a variety such as complex subjunctive, idioms, words, synonyms etc etc

Merci

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Mot à Mot is a great book with all of this in. I bought it for about £5 from Amazon.

However, a few subj phrases I can think of off the top of my head: Bienque + subj. (although), Pourvu que + subj. (provided that), Il faut que je/tu/on etc. + subj (It's imortant that I/you/one etc.)

It will also look good to use as many tenses as you can. (Only use them where appropriate, obviously).

Use l'Imparfait to express something that used to happen, what something was like

Obv use le présent and you should be able to use le parfait to speak about something that happened or something that has happened. (i.e. J'ai mangé - I ate or I have eaten )

It's also good to use opening and linking phrases i.e. Il va de soi que + indicatif - It goes without saying that, De nos jours (nowadays), Nous vivons dans un monde (we live in a world where).

:smile:
(edited 9 years ago)
Speaking of grammar and essay writing. Content is worth 20/35 marks while grammar is only 5/35. So an essay can be very simple (past and present tense with minimal AS standard grammar), but of high content ie good points, arguments etc.
Original post by beyknowles
Mot à Mot is a great book with all of this in. I bought it for about £5 from Amazon.

However, a few subj phrases I can think of off the top of my head: Bienque + subj. (although), Pourvu que + subj. (provided that), Il faut que je/tu/on etc. + subj (It's imortant that I/you/one etc.)

It will also look good to use as many tenses as you can. (Only use them where appropriate, obviously).

Use l'Imparfait to express something that used to happen, what something was like

Obv use le présent and you should be able to use le parfait to speak about something that happened or something that has happened. (i.e. J'ai mangé - I ate or I have eaten )

:smile:
Original post by schindlers list
Hi well i know a couple but they always never seem to be enough

can you tell me some more; a variety such as complex subjunctive, idioms, words, synonyms etc etc

Merci

One of my favorite french words would be 'quoique' ! Because it sounds like quack lol. Anyways, it means whatever, like: Quoique j'essaie, il ne fonctionne pas . "no matter what i try, it doesn't work!".
Original post by schindlers list
Speaking of grammar and essay writing. Content is worth 20/35 marks while grammar is only 5/35. So an essay can be very simple (past and present tense with minimal AS standard grammar), but of high content ie good points, arguments etc.

Actually, there are 5 marks for accuracy, which is how well you use the grammar and syntax. There are another 10 marks for range and idiom which is how much complex structures etc. you use.
Oh you're using WJEC
Original post by beyknowles
Actually, there are 5 marks for accuracy, which is how well you use the grammar and syntax. There are another 10 marks for range and idiom which is how much complex structures etc. you use.
Original post by schindlers list
Oh you're using WJEC

Yeah, are you? Even if not, the exam board mark the same

EDIT: Also, if what you write isn't accurate, your points are likely not to make sense, and you will lose marks from the content box.
(edited 9 years ago)
AQA award 20 out of 35 marks for "content". What you actually write. So if it isnt accurate but you're have good content, etc etc
Original post by beyknowles
Yeah, are you? Even if not, the exam board mark the same

EDIT: Also, if what you write isn't accurate, your points are likely not to make sense, and you will lose marks from the content box.
Original post by schindlers list
AQA award 20 out of 35 marks for "content". What you actually write. So if it isnt accurate but you're have good content, etc etc

Yes, that's the same for WJEC.

The point I'm trying to make is.. if your accuracy is low, the points you make are likely not to make sense and thus you will have 'content' marks deducted. I can assure you that the less accurate your work is, the less marks you'll get for content (you don't lose 1 content per accuracy mark lost, it's not like that)

It sounds like what you're getting at is 'My accuracy mark doesn't matter, I can get 2/5 and still get 17+/20'

It would be nice if this were true, but malheureusement, it isn't :/
Original post by beyknowles
Yes, that's the same for WJEC.

The point I'm trying to make is.. if your accuracy is low, the points you make are likely not to make sense and thus you will have 'content' marks deducted. I can assure you that the less accurate your work is, the less marks you'll get for content (you don't lose 1 content per accuracy mark lost, it's not like that)

It sounds like what you're getting at is 'My accuracy mark doesn't matter, I can get 2/5 and still get 17+/20'

It would be nice if this were true, but malheureusement, it isn't :/


The reality is that you cannot, actually, separate content from structure. By which I mean that if you have the ability to use advanced structures (which includes grammar and idiom) your ideas will also be that much more sophisticated so your content mark will be higher.
Original post by schindlers list
Hi well i know a couple but they always never seem to be enough

can you tell me some more; a variety such as complex subjunctive, idioms, words, synonyms etc etc

Merci


Hello again :smile:

Like Beyknowles has said, the subjunctive is really important so I will give some alternative phrases:

Quoi que l'on fasse- Whatever you do
Pour/afin que (+subj)- In order that
Il est important que (+subj) - It's important that
Je crains que (+subj)- I fear that
Je ne crois pas que (+subj)- I don't believe that

Here are some opinion phrases:
J'estime que- I consider that
Je soutiens que- I maintain that
à mon sens- As I see it
Ce qui me préoccupe, c'est- What bothers me is
Je ne peux m'empêcher de penser que- I cannot help thinking that

Disagreement phrases:
Il est peu probable que (+subj)- It's unlikely that
Je remets en cause- I call into question
Personne n'imagine en effet que (+subj)- Nobody really imagines that

Alternatives for 'parce que':
Car- Because
Étant donné que- given that
En raison de- because of
Vu que- considering that
Par suite de- owing to

Here's a bit of useful grammar that you use to hypothesise:
The structure is si+pluperfect+conditional perfect
For example....
Si je n'avais pas fait mes devoirs, j'aurais échoué à mes examens
If I had not done my homework, I would have failed my exams.

Hope these are helpful to you :smile:
Original post by Anna Schoon
The reality is that you cannot, actually, separate content from structure. By which I mean that if you have the ability to use advanced structures (which includes grammar and idiom) your ideas will also be that much more sophisticated so your content mark will be higher.

Wé, je comprends ça - c'est ce que j'essayais de dire :smile:

Comment vont vos études (des langues)?
Original post by beyknowles
Wé, je comprends ça - c'est ce que j'essayais de dire :smile:

Comment vont vos études (des langues)?


Pour le français, ça va, puisque je suis prof de français depuis bientôt trente ans.

J'apprends le turc en ce moment et ça, c'est autre chose...
It wasnt actually what you were trying to say. Anna Schoon explained it better. :smile:
Original post by beyknowles
Wé, je comprends ça - c'est ce que j'essayais de dire :smile:

Comment vont vos études (des langues)?
Original post by Anna Schoon
Pour le français, ça va, puisque je suis prof de français depuis bientôt trente ans.

J'apprends le turc en ce moment et ça, c'est autre chose...

Je sais ça :wink:

Et je m'en doute bien ! Bon courage :^_^:

Je souhaite bonne chance à l'OP aussi :grin:
Original post by schindlers list
It wasnt actually what you were trying to say. Anna Schoon explained it better. :smile:

Well, having taught a subject for almost 30 years, you are generally more capable of helping with/explaining it than a 16-year-old AS student... I'm sure you can understand this.
Merci pour votre explication
J'ai parcouru de mon dissertation et en effet j'ai crée pas mal des erreurs.
Est ce que vous pouvez me donner l'aider sur la question svp?
Original post by Anna Schoon
The reality is that you cannot, actually, separate content from structure. By which I mean that if you have the ability to use advanced structures (which includes grammar and idiom) your ideas will also be that much more sophisticated so your content mark will be higher.
Yes soz
Original post by beyknowles
Well, having taught a subject for almost 30 years, you are generally more capable of helping with/explaining it than a 16-year-old AS student... I'm sure you can understand this.
Original post by beyknowles
Well, having taught a subject for almost 30 years, you are generally more capable of helping with/explaining it than a 16-year-old AS student... I'm sure you can understand this.


Absolutely right - unfair competition! Your explanation was fine as well, actually; all I did was tackle the same question from the other end. Have you noticed that most teachers are incredibly repetitive? The trick is to say the same thing in different ways so that everyone has a chance of understanding.

I'm married to a teacher and our poor children have a devil of a time.:colondollar:
Original post by schindlers list
Yes soz

T'en fais pas

Bon weekend.

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