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Exam practice

Who does elle mean? Revise a French paragraph with two people

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Make a short French paragraph clear when two people share elle. Use the action notes, rewrite the paragraph, then compare with an A2 model.

In short

Repeat a name when the person doing the action changes or when elle could mean either person. Keep elle when its reference is clear. Before editing, match each action to the person who performs it.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

Two young women exchanging one plain closed book outside a French library.
Lina gives Inès un livre before the next action. Illustration: Atelier

A short draft with a guessing point

Lina rejoint Inès devant la bibliothèque. Elle lui donne un livre. Elle entre ensuite pour chercher un dictionnaire.

Lina meets Inès outside the library. She gives her a book. She then goes inside to look for a dictionary.

The two uses of “she” leave room for different readings. Use the action notes below to make the intended story clear.

These are the facts for your rewrite
PersonAction
Linarejoint Inès devant la bibliothèque
Linadonne un livre à Inès
Linaentre pour chercher un dictionnaire
Inèsreste devant l’entrée
Inèsattend Lina
Linarevient dix minutes plus tard
A2 · Paragraph revision · guided writing taskNot an official exam paper

Réécrivez le petit récit en utilisant toutes les informations du tableau. Gardez les mêmes personnes et les mêmes actions. Répétez un prénom quand cela aide à comprendre. Utilisez aussi des pronoms quand la personne est clairement identifiée.

(40 mots minimum)

Rewrite the short story using all the action notes. Keep the same people and actions. Repeat a first name where it helps the reader, and use pronouns where the person is clear. Write at least 40 words for this task.

Your answer

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Read a model answer

Lina rejoint Inès devant la bibliothèque. Lina lui donne un livre, puis entre dans la bibliothèque pour y chercher un dictionnaire. Pendant ce temps, Inès reste devant l’entrée. Elle attend Lina. Dix minutes plus tard, Lina revient devant la bibliothèque.

Review your draft

Before you finish

A self-review aid, not an exam mark. Ticks are not saved.

How do you avoid unclear pronouns in French?

Follow the person doing the action
FrenchWho?How the link works
Lina lui donne un livre.Lina gives; Inès receives.Lina is named as the subject; lui refers to Inès.
puis entre dans la bibliothèque pour chercher un dictionnaireLina enters.The same subject continues across donne and entre.
Inès reste devant l’entrée. Elle attend Lina.Inès stays and waits.The name establishes Inès before elle continues her action.
Dix minutes plus tard, Lina revient.Lina returns.The name marks the switch back to Lina.

The model follows the action notes in order. Pendant ce temps links Inès’s wait with Lina’s visit inside. Read your paragraph once as Lina’s actions, then once as Inès’s actions: each sequence should match the notes. Keep a name at the switch back to Lina.

Question 1No account needed
In Lina lui donne un livre, who receives the book?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Inès. Lina is the subject of donne. In this two-person scene, lui stands for à Inès.

Question 2No account needed
Choose the version where Lina gives and enters.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Lina donne un livre à Inès, puis entre.. In the last option, Lina remains the subject of both verbs. The first switches the entrant; the second switches the giver.

Question 3No account needed
After Inès reste devant l’entrée. Elle attend Lina, who waits?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Inès. The named subject Inès remains the focus of the next sentence. Lina is the person she is waiting for.

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