Gap-fill
En travaillant, tu progresseras: French gérondif conditions
Use en + present participle to link a possible action with a result. Compare si clauses, then complete a short planning text with five gaps.
- B1
- 5 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
A gérondif can introduce a condition: En travaillant régulièrement, tu progresseras means “If you work regularly, you’ll improve”. The same person does the gérondif action and receives or performs the result. A si clause makes the condition explicit and can name a different subject.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
En partant maintenant, nous arriverons à l’heure.If we leave now, we’ll arrive on time.
Focus: one group, a possible action and its result
en + participe présent, result
Si nous partons maintenant, nous arriverons à l’heure.
If we leave now, we’ll arrive on time.
Si Léa confirme, nous pourrons commencer.If Léa confirms, we’ll be able to start.
Focus: Léa confirms; the group starts
si + subject + present, result
Si les voisins participent, le projet pourra commencer.
If the neighbours take part, the project will be able to start.
In the first example, en partant also tells us the practical way to arrive on time. Condition and means often overlap. Compare je téléphonerai en marchant: that simply puts the call and the walk together. A future verb alone never decides the gérondif’s meaning.
A plan for a shared reading session
Complete each gap with the present participle of the verb in brackets. En is already supplied. Here the organiser is proposing choices and their results, so try reading the five sentences with “if we…” or “if you…”.
Préparons notre séance
Nous voulons lire un texte ensemble jeudi soir. Il nous reste quelques décisions à prendre. En (commencer) à dix-huit heures, nous aurons le temps de discuter après la lecture. En (choisir) un texte court, nous pourrons le lire deux fois. La première lecture servira à comprendre l’histoire ; la seconde, à observer les détails.
Chacun peut préparer une question. En (noter) vos questions à l’avance, vous pourrez les poser dès le début de la discussion. Vous hésitez entre deux interprétations ? En (comparer) les phrases du texte, vous trouverez peut-être un indice utile. Enfin, en (prendre) quelques notes pendant les échanges, nous garderons une trace des idées du groupe. Si Léa confirme sa participation, nous lui demanderons de présenter la dernière partie. Elle connaît déjà le texte et souhaite nous en parler.
Read it in English
We want to read a text together on Thursday evening. We still have a few decisions to make. If we start at six, we’ll have time to discuss it after the reading. If we choose a short text, we’ll be able to read it twice. The first reading will help us understand the story; the second, to observe the details.
Everyone can prepare a question. If you write down your questions beforehand, you’ll be able to ask them as soon as the discussion begins. Hesitating between two interpretations? If you compare the sentences in the text, you may find a useful clue. Finally, if we take a few notes during the exchanges, we’ll keep a record of the group’s ideas. If Léa confirms she is taking part, we’ll ask her to present the last part. She already knows the text and would like to tell us about it.
When do you use a gérondif or si for a condition?
Léa’s confirmation and the group’s request have different subjects. Si Léa confirme, nous lui demanderons… names both. With en confirmant, nous…, the group would become the understood subject of the confirmation. Keep the full clause when that would change who acts.