Key Idea: This topic is about writing that flows and fits the reader: connectors, choosing tu or vous, and giving opinions with reasons.
| Job | Connectors |
|---|---|
| Sequence | d'abord, ensuite, puis, enfin |
| Contrast | mais, cependant, pourtant, en revanche |
| Consequence | donc, par conséquent, c'est pourquoi |
| Cause | car, parce que, puisque |
| Addition | de plus, en outre, également |
| tu (informal) | vous (formal or plural) | |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Tu peux ? | Vous pouvez ? |
| Your | ton, ta, tes | votre, vos |
| You | te, toi | vous |
| Who | friends, peers, family, children | strangers, elders, authority, any group |
Giving opinions
- State it: «à mon avis», «selon moi», «je pense que», «je trouve que».
- Justify it with «parce que», «car» or «puisque», plus an example.
- React: «je suis d'accord / je ne suis pas d'accord».
- After «je ne pense pas que», use the subjunctive: «je ne pense pas que ce soit…».
Use two or three connectors in each paragraph, and never start a sentence with «Car».
You write to your head teacher. Tu or vous? Vous. And if you are unsure with one person, start with vous.
You talk to three friends. Tu or vous? Vous. A group is always vous.
Is it «dans mon avis»? No. Say «à mon avis».
«Je reste ___ il pleut.» Which connector fits? Parce que (or car): it gives the cause.
Your text mixes «tu» and «votre». What is wrong? The register changes. Verb, possessive and pronoun must change together.