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Cheat sheet

Plan a language exchange in French: time, corrections and a trial

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Use a four-part French planning sheet to agree a language split, correction preferences and one trial session. Check the plan with three questions.

In short

Agree the start time, the time for each language and how each partner wants corrections. On fait vingt minutes en français, puis vingt minutes en anglais ? proposes the split. Faisons d’abord une séance d’essai limits the agreement to a first meeting.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Two language partners planning a café conversation session.
Nora and Adam agree on une s’ance d’essai. Illustration: Atelier

Un échange linguistique · quatre points à fixer

1 · Set the start and finish

Name both ends of the session, so the whole length is clear.

On commence samedi à 15 h et on termine à 15 h 40 ?Shall we start on Saturday at 3 and finish at 3.40?

2 · Split the languages

Use puis to show the order. Give each language its own duration.

Je propose vingt minutes en français, puis vingt minutes en anglais.I suggest twenty minutes in French, then twenty minutes in English.

3 · Ask each person about corrections

The partners can choose different preferences for their own speaking time.

Tu préfères que je te corrige tout de suite ou à la fin ?Would you prefer me to correct you straight away or at the end?

Laisse-moi finir ma phrase, puis explique-moi l’erreur.Let me finish my sentence, then explain the mistake to me.

4 · Agree one trial first

A later decision can settle whether to meet regularly.

Faisons d’abord cette séance d’essai. Ensuite, on décidera si on continue chaque semaine.Let us do this trial session first. Then we will decide whether to continue every week.

Deux préférences différentes
  1. Nora

    Pendant la partie en français, tu veux que je te corrige à quel moment ?

    During the French part, when would you like me to correct you?

  2. Adam

    À la fin de mon idée, s’il te plaît. Note surtout les erreurs qui empêchent de comprendre.

    At the end of my idea, please. Focus on noting the errors that get in the way of understanding.

  3. Nora

    D’accord. Pour mon anglais, tu peux me corriger tout de suite si je prononce mal un mot.

    All right. For my English, you can correct me straight away if I mispronounce a word.

  4. Adam

    Très bien. On essaie samedi au café près de la bibliothèque ?

    Very good. Shall we try on Saturday at the café near the library?

  5. Nora

    Oui, à 15 h. Je suis disponible jusqu’à 15 h 40.

    Yes, at 3. I am available until 3.40.

The accepted trial, before you practise
TimeActivity
15 h–15 h 20Adam speaks French; corrections after his idea
15 h 20–15 h 40Nora speaks English; pronunciation corrections straight away

Check the agreed plan below. Une séance is one meeting; chaque semaine describes a recurring arrangement. Keep Nora’s preference attached to her English practice and Adam’s preference attached to his French practice.

Question 1No account needed
When does the French part finish?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

At 15 h 20. The French part starts at 15 h and lasts twenty minutes, so it ends at 15 h 20.

Question 2No account needed
When does Nora want pronunciation corrections during her English practice?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Straight away. Nora says tu peux me corriger tout de suite si je prononce mal un mot.

Question 3No account needed
Have they agreed to meet every week?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

They will decide after the trial.. The trial is agreed. They say they will decide afterwards whether to continue each week.

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