French range and accuracy: improve the sentence, keep the meaning

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Compare contrast, condition and concession in French. Learn what range and accuracy feedback asks you to change, then repair six short sentences.

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In short

Range is the choice of structures you can use; accuracy is your control of them. Le projet est utile, mais il coûte cher makes a contrast. A condition or concession gives you another way to develop the argument.

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Two colleagues discussing a training project over books at a community centre table.
A useful course can still prendre du temps. Illustration: Atelier

What is the difference between range and accuracy?

Le projet est utile, mais il coûte cher.The project is useful, but it is expensive.

Focus: Contrast: two facts held together.

statement + mais + statement

La formation est intéressante, mais elle prend du temps.
The training is interesting, but it takes time.

Le projet serait utile si son financement était assuré.The project would be useful if its funding were secured.

Focus: Condition: usefulness depends on funding.

si + imparfait → conditional

La formation serait accessible si elle coûtait moins cher.
The training would be accessible if it cost less.

Bien que le projet soit utile, son coût reste un obstacle.Although the project is useful, its cost remains an obstacle.

Focus: Concession: acknowledge usefulness, then stress the obstacle.

bien que + subjunctive

Bien que la formation soit intéressante, elle prend trop de temps.
Although the training is interesting, it takes too much time.

Choose the relationship before the structure. In the condition, funding is still a requirement. In the concession, usefulness is accepted. Changing mais to si therefore changes the argument as well as the grammar.

Un retour sur un paragraphe
  1. Nora

    J’utilise toujours « c’est utile » et « c’est difficile ».

    I always use “it’s useful” and “it’s difficult”.

  2. Professeur

    Quelle relation veux-tu exprimer ici ?

    What relationship do you want to express here?

  3. Nora

    Le projet est intéressant, même s’il est coûteux.

    The project is interesting, even though it is expensive.

  4. Professeur

    Tu peux écrire : « Bien que le projet soit coûteux, il reste intéressant. »

    You can write: “Although the project is expensive, it remains interesting.”

What an accuracy correction changes

  • Bien que cette solution est utile, elle reste coûteuse.Bien que cette solution soit utile, elle reste coûteuse.

    Bien que takes the subjunctive here. The correction keeps the concession.

  • Ces mesures serait utiles.Ces mesures seraient utiles.

    The plural subject ces mesures takes seraient. The adjective is plural too: utiles.

“More range” can mean adding a relationship that your paragraph needs. “Check accuracy” can mean correcting one ending in a useful structure. A short, correct contrast can stay; give the next sentence a different job, such as stating a condition.

Question 1No account needed
Supply the present subjunctive of être.Bien que ce projet ___ utile, il coûte cher.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

soit. After bien que, use the subjunctive here: bien que ce projet soit utile.

Question 2No account needed
Supply the present conditional of être.Ces formations ___ accessibles si elles coûtaient moins cher.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

seraient. Ces formations is plural, so the conditional form is seraient.

Question 3No account needed
Supply the imparfait of avoir.Si nous ___ plus de temps, nous participerions.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

avions. The hypothetical condition uses si nous avions, with the conditional in the result.

Question 4No account needed
Which sentence makes usefulness depend on funding?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Le projet serait utile si son financement était assuré.. Si son financement était assuré sets a condition. The other sentences accept that the project is useful.

Question 5No account needed
Which correction keeps the concession and fixes its verb?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Bien que la mesure soit utile…. Bien que la mesure soit utile keeps the original relationship and supplies the present subjunctive.

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