MATSEC AM French flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Skimming

Reading quickly to grasp the main idea, typically by focusing on titles, first sentences, and conclusions rather than every word.

Scanning

Searching a text rapidly for specific information such as names, dates, or figures without reading the whole passage.

Inference

A conclusion drawn from evidence in the text rather than stated directly; it must be supported by clues in the passage.

Register

The level of formality in language, ranging from formal (vous, full sentences) to informal (tu, slang, contractions).

Logical connectors

Words such as mais, donc, cependant, and par conséquent that signal contrast, cause, consequence, or concession between ideas.

Pronoun reference

Identifying the noun or clause that a pronoun (il, elle, celui-ci, dont) refers to, usually found earlier in the text.

Not given

A true/false/not given category where the statement is neither confirmed nor contradicted by the text.

Vocabulary in context

Deducing the meaning of an unfamiliar word from surrounding words, word family, and the overall sense of the sentence.

Formal letter opening

Begins with sender's address, date, recipient's address, and salutation such as Madame, Monsieur, followed by the body.

Formal closing formula

A polite ending such as Je vous prie d'agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes salutations distinguées, followed by a signature.

Informal letter

Uses cher/chère plus first name, tutoiement, and informal closings like Bises or Amitiés, without formal formulas.

Argumentative essay structure

Introduction with thesis, two or three body paragraphs each developing one idea with examples, and a conclusion restating the position.

Narrative tense sequence

Passé composé for foreground events, imparfait for background description, and plus-que-parfait for actions prior to the main narrative.

Cohesion

Linking ideas and paragraphs with connectors such as d'abord, ensuite, enfin, en outre, toutefois, and cependant.

Register consistency

Maintaining the same level of formality throughout a piece; mixing tu and vous or slang and formal language is an error.

Agreement check

Verifying subject-verb agreement, adjective-noun agreement, tense consistency, and correct accents before submitting written work.

Gist listening

Identifying the speaker, topic, and purpose of an audio passage before focusing on specific details.

French numbers 70-99

Soixante-dix (70), quatre-vingts (80), quatre-vingt-dix (90); these compound forms are frequent distractors in listening tasks.

Liaison

Pronouncing a normally silent final consonant before a vowel, as in les amis or ils ont, which can obscure word boundaries.

Elision

Dropping a vowel before another vowel, as in j'ai for je ai or l'école for la école, common in spoken French.

False friends in listening

Words that resemble English but differ in meaning, such as actuellement (currently), éventuellement (possibly), and attendre (to wait).

Informal speech markers

Contractions such as t'as and j'sais, verlan slang, and tutoiement indicate an informal register in spoken French.

Note-taking abbreviations

Recording key words, numbers, and names in shortened form during listening rather than attempting full sentences.

Intonation

Rising intonation marks a question, falling marks a statement, and emphasis can signal contrast or correction in spoken French.

Passé composé

A past tense formed with avoir or être plus a past participle; être verbs agree with the subject in gender and number.

Imparfait formation

Take the nous form of the present, remove -ons, and add -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

Futur simple

Formed from the infinitive plus -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont; irregular stems include ser-, aur-, and ir-.

Subjunctive triggers

The subjunctive is required after expressions of necessity, doubt, emotion, and conjunctions such as bien que, pour que, and avant que.

Pronoun order

Object pronouns follow the order me/te/se/nous/vous, then le/la/les, then lui/leur, then y, then en.

Past participle agreement

With avoir, the participle agrees with a preceding direct object; with être, it agrees with the subject.

Conditional

Formed from the infinitive plus imperfect endings; used for politeness, hypotheses, and future-in-the-past contexts.

Relative pronouns

Qui (subject), que (object), dont (de + noun), où (place or time), and lequel/laquelle after a preposition.