Gap-fill
French biography gap-fill: the course she had already abandoned
Complete a B1 French retraining biography with ten precise past-tense gaps. Separate an abandoned first course, later training and the opening of a workshop.
- B1
- 10 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
Use the plus-que-parfait for an event earlier than the past reference point: Léa avait abandonné economics before she a commencé ceramics. Use the imperfect for the background, elle travaillait, and passé composé for the dated events that advance the account. An old date alone is not a reason to use the pluperfect.
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This cloze supplies a tense and subject cue for each gap so you can practise the exact forms without guessing among several possible narrative styles. Read the whole biography first. The first course was abandoned, while the later certificate was obtained; keep the two study paths separate.
Two courses, three past-time roles
En 2021, Léa (ouvrir au passé composé, sujet elle) un petit atelier de céramique. Avant cette ouverture, elle (obtenir au plus-que-parfait, sujet elle) son certificat en 2020.
Quand elle (commencer au passé composé, sujet elle) sa formation de céramique en 2018, elle (abandonner au plus-que-parfait, sujet elle) un premier cursus d’économie deux ans plus tôt. Elle ne présentait donc pas ce premier cursus comme un diplôme obtenu.
Au début de la nouvelle formation, elle (travailler à l’imparfait, sujet elle) encore dans une boutique. En 2019, elle (effectuer au passé composé, sujet elle) un stage chez une céramiste. Avant ce stage, elle (apprendre au plus-que-parfait, sujet elle) à préparer ses premiers projets pendant les cours.
À la fin de la formation, en 2020, elle (présenter au passé composé, sujet elle) son projet final. Elle (être à l’imparfait, sujet elle) nerveuse pendant la présentation, mais elle (réussir au passé composé, sujet elle) cette dernière épreuve. Le certificat a été délivré ensuite.
Read it in English
In 2021, Léa opened a small ceramics workshop. Before that opening, she had obtained her certificate in 2020.
When she began her ceramics training in 2018, she had abandoned a first economics course two years earlier. She therefore did not present that first course as a qualification obtained.
At the beginning of the new training, she was still working in a shop. In 2019, she did a placement with a ceramicist. Before that placement, she had learned to prepare her first projects during classes.
At the end of training, in 2020, she presented her final project. She was nervous during the presentation, but passed this final assessment. The certificate was awarded afterwards.
Earlier than which event?
The certificate looks back from the 2021 opening. The abandoned course looks back from the 2018 training start. The classroom preparation looks back from the 2019 placement. Each plus-que-parfait therefore has a stated later event to relate to. It is not simply a label for every event before the present.
| Date | Event | Role in the account |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | First course abandoned | Earlier than the 2018 start |
| 2018 | Ceramics training begins | New past event and reference point |
| 2019 | Placement | Later event preceded by classroom preparation |
| 2020 | Final assessment and certificate | Earlier than the workshop opening |
| 2021 | Workshop opens | Opening reference point |
The imperfect does a different job
Elle travaillait describes a continuing background situation at the start of training. Elle était nerveuse describes her state during the presentation. Neither needs to become pluperfect just because the biography contains several earlier dates. The dated opening, start, placement and assessment form the advancing sequence.
After filling the gaps, retell the same events in simple chronological order. Then return to the opening in 2021 and look back. That shows why a biography may change tense when its reference point changes, even though the underlying dates remain the same.