French Language and Expression
Core concepts
Candidates must master grammar (agreement of gender and number, verb tenses and moods, especially the passé composé vs imparfait distinction and the subjonctif after expressions of doubt or necessity), spelling (accents, homophones such as a/à, ou/où, ce/se, leur/leurs), vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Expression also covers register: knowing when a formal register is required and when a familiar one is acceptable.
Traps in questions
- Homophone traps: quel/quelle/qu'elle, si/s'y, peu/peux/peut. Read the sentence aloud and test substitution.
- Agreement traps: past participles with avoir agree only with a preceding direct object; with être they agree with the subject (or with the reflexive pronoun for pronominal verbs).
- False friends and misleading connectors: actuellement means "currently", not "actually".
- Comprehension traps: questions asking for the main idea versus a detail mentioned in the text; answers that are true but not central.
Rule of thumb
For any agreement question, identify the auxiliary first. With avoir, ask: "Is there a direct object before the verb?" If no, the participle stays invariable. Example: Les lettres que j'ai écrites (agrees with que = lettres), but J'ai écrit des lettres (no preceding object, no agreement).
Worked example
Il faut que tu (venir) demain. After il faut que, use the subjunctive: il faut que tu viennes. Recognizing the trigger expression solves the item without hesitation.