French writing tasks: the same topic, three different texts
Turn one topic into an email, an article or a source comparison. See how genre, audience and purpose change the French opening, structure and ending.
In short
The topic is what you discuss; the genre is the text you produce. Un atelier d’écriture can be the topic of an email, an article or a comparison. Read the brief for the reader and the action too: inviting, informing and comparing lead to different responses.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
One writing workshop, three briefs
un courrielan email
Focus: Invite one friend
Écrivez à votre amie pour lui proposer de participer à un atelier d’écriture avec vous.
Write to your friend to suggest joining a writing workshop with you.
Salut Léa, j’ai trouvé un atelier qui pourrait te plaire. Tu veux qu’on s’inscrive ensemble ?
Hi Léa, I’ve found a workshop you might like. Shall we sign up together?
un articlean article
Focus: Explain the workshop to newsletter readers
Présentez l’atelier dans le journal de votre association.
Introduce the workshop in your association’s newsletter.
Écrire ensemble, une fois par semaine : ce nouvel atelier accueille les débutants comme les habitués.
Writing together once a week: this new workshop welcomes beginners and regular writers alike.
une comparaisona comparison
Focus: Connect two source views
Comparez les avis ci-dessous sur l’atelier, sans donner votre opinion.
Compare the views below about the workshop, without giving your opinion.
- Avis de Léa
J’aime écrire en groupe : les autres me donnent des idées.
I like writing in a group: the others give me ideas.
- Avis de Sami
Le groupe me donne des idées aussi, mais j’ai besoin de silence pour rédiger.
The group gives me ideas too, but I need silence to write.
- Comparaison
Léa et Sami apprécient les idées du groupe. Sami souhaite toutefois rédiger au calme.
Léa and Sami appreciate the group’s ideas. Sami, however, wants to do the writing in a quiet setting.
How do you match the text type in a French writing task?
| Response | Useful ending | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Email to Léa | Dis-moi si tu es libre mercredi. | Asks the friend to reply |
| Association article | Pour vous inscrire dès lundi, contactez l’association. | Gives readers a practical next step |
| Source comparison | Leurs avis se rejoignent sur l’intérêt du groupe, mais leurs besoins diffèrent. | Connects the supplied views |
A paragraph praising creativity may fit the topic while leaving the invitation unsaid. A comparison that ends “I recommend this workshop” adds a personal judgement to a brief that asks for the two source views. The genre gives your text a shape; the purpose gives it a job.