Language Use and Grammar
Language Use and Grammar checks explicit control of French structures through discrete exercises: tense choice, the subjunctive, pronouns, passive and reported speech, prepositions with verbs, and agreement. Accuracy here is the fastest route to marks because the rules are finite and testable.
Choose tenses by aspect, not translation
The passé composé presents a completed event; the imparfait sets a scene or describes habit. Depuis + present covers a situation still true (J'habite ici depuis 2019); il y a + time means "ago". After si + imperfect, use the conditional - never a conditional after si.
Know the subjunctive triggers
Il faut que, bien que, pour que, avant que and douter que take the subjunctive; affirmative espérer que and croire que take the indicative. Learn irregular stems: aller → j'aille, faire → je fasse, pouvoir → je puisse.
Pronouns replace precisely
En replaces de + noun or a partitive (J'en ai deux); y replaces à + thing or place (J'y pense). With avoir, the past participle agrees with a preceding direct object: les lettres que j'ai écrites.
Worked example
Je doute qu'il ___ (venir) demain. → vienne. Reasoning: douter que requires the subjunctive; the stem comes from ils viennent; demain does not affect the mood.
Traps
- Using depuis with the passé composé for an ongoing state instead of the present.
- Si j'aurais - never correct in standard French.
- Forgetting participle agreement with a preceding direct object.
- Translating "to" with pour instead of à or de in verb patterns (réussir à, essayer de).