Common mistakes
Comparable or equivalent? Four French argument mistakes
Use comparable, aussi… que and revient au même precisely in French. Compare two museum tours, repair overbroad conclusions and check your reasoning.
- C1
- 4 corrections
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In short
Comparable means you can compare things on a stated dimension. Équivalent means they count as equal for the criterion that matters. Name that criterion: Les deux visites ont une durée équivalente says something precise; elles reviennent au même needs a clear purpose.
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- Nora
L’audioguide présente les dix tableaux de la salle. La visite avec un guide aussi.
The audio guide presents the room’s ten paintings. So does the guided tour.
- Louis
Alors, choisir l’une ou l’autre revient au même ?
So choosing either amounts to the same thing?
- Nora
Pour entendre une présentation de chaque tableau, les deux conviennent. Mais pendant la visite accompagnée, tu peux poser des questions au guide.
To hear an introduction to each painting, both work. But during the guided tour, you can ask the guide questions.
- Louis
J’ai justement une question sur ce portrait. Je vais choisir la visite accompagnée.
I have a question about this portrait, actually. I’ll take the guided tour.
| Feature | Audio guide | Guided tour |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings covered | The same ten paintings | The same ten paintings |
| Spoken presentation | Recorded | Delivered by a guide |
| Questions to the guide during the visit | No live guide | Possible |
- comparableidentical in every respectopen to comparison on a named dimension
Les deux formules sont comparables quant aux œuvres présentées.The two formats are comparable in terms of the works presented.
Add the dimension with quant à, en matière de or sur le plan de. Here the shared feature is the selection of paintings.
- aussi… queequally good for every visitorequal in the particular quality you name
L’audioguide est aussi long que la visite accompagnée.The audio guide is as long as the guided tour.
This sentence asserts equal duration. You would need the two durations to support it; the scene gives only the number of paintings.
- revient au mêmeshares one useful featuremakes no relevant difference to the stated outcome
Pour une personne qui souhaite poser des questions, les deux formules ne reviennent pas au même.For someone who wants to ask questions, the two formats do not amount to the same thing.
Name the visitor’s goal. The opportunity to ask a live guide matters to Louis, so he chooses the guided tour.
- tout commeall the features of one apply to the otherintroduces the particular similarity stated in the sentence
Tout comme la visite accompagnée, l’audioguide présente les dix tableaux.Like the guided tour, the audio guide presents the ten paintings.
The sentence compares coverage. A conclusion about price, duration or learning outcomes would need evidence about that feature.
What is the difference between comparable and équivalent?
- Les deux visites présentent les mêmes tableaux : elles sont donc identiques.Les deux visites présentent les mêmes tableaux, mais seule la visite accompagnée permet de poser des questions au guide.
The repair keeps the shared coverage and names the relevant difference. Identiques extends the conclusion to every feature.
Around the museum visit
Find:
Try changing the goal. Someone who wants prepared commentary on all ten paintings can use either format. Louis wants to ask a question, so live interaction decides his choice. The criterion turns the comparison into a reasoned recommendation.