Gap-fill
Ce n'est pas que: reject a reason in French without denying the event
Complete ce n’est pas que plus subjunctive in French while admitting the event and replacing a rejected reason with the actual explanation.
- C1
- 4 gaps
- Translation included
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In short
Ce n’est pas que… rejects a proposed explanation, often with the subjunctive. Nous reportons l’essai. Ce n’est pas que la méthode soit inutile, mais il manque une pièce. The postponement remains true; “the method is useless” is the reason being set aside.
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A team postpones a trial, repeats a measurement and declines a broad conclusion. Each action is admitted. Your task is to complete the rejected reason and preserve the explanation after mais. Do not turn the structure into denial of the action itself.
Admit the action, replace the reason
Nous reportons l’essai. Ce n’est pas que la méthode (être · subjunctive) inutile, mais une pièce nécessaire n’est pas encore arrivée.
L’équipe recommence la mesure. Ce n’est pas que les chercheurs ne (faire · subjunctive) pas confiance à l’appareil, mais le protocole prévoit un second relevé.
Je refuse cette généralisation. Ce n’est pas que le résultat (manquer · subjunctive) d’intérêt, mais il porte sur un groupe trop restreint.
Nous demandons une nouvelle date. Ce n’est pas que nous (vouloir · subjunctive) abandonner le projet, mais la salle sera fermée.
Read it in English
We are postponing the trial. It is not that the method is useless, but a necessary part has not yet arrived.
The team repeats the measurement. It is not that the researchers distrust the device, but the protocol requires a second reading.
I reject this generalisation. It is not that the result lacks interest, but it concerns too limited a group.
We are asking for a new date. It is not that we want to abandon the project, but the room will be closed.
Keep event, rejected reason and actual reason separate
| Event admitted | Reason rejected | Explanation supplied |
|---|---|---|
| The trial is postponed. | The method is useless. | A necessary part is missing. |
| The measurement is repeated. | The team distrusts the device. | The protocol requires repetition. |
| The generalisation is refused. | The result has no interest. | The observed group is too limited. |
The structure guides the reader away from an unwanted inference. It does not say nous ne reportons pas l’essai, which would deny the postponement. The clause after mais may be a full statement: mais il manque une pièce. You do not need to force every replacement explanation into another que clause.
When writing your own example, choose a plausible mistaken reason and a distinct actual explanation. Avoid rejecting a reason nobody could infer merely to make the sentence longer.