Find the missing premise in a French argument: a close reading

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated 18 October 2026 · About the library

Read a short French argument about online access, identify its missing premise and test the link between a stated reason and a universal conclusion.

C2
2 margin notes
Translation included
Questions at the end
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In short

Find the stated reason and conclusion, then supply the missing link between them. In Le service est en ligne ; chacun pourra donc y accéder, online availability leads to access for everyone only if everyone concerned can use the online service.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

An older adult at home receives friendly help from a neighbour using a plain laptop with a completely blank screen, no writing anywhere. — The scene asks who can use le service en ligne. Illustration: Atelier

Read the link between evidence and conclusion

Une permanence accessible à tous ?

Toutes les permanences seront désormais proposées en ligne. Les habitants pourront y participer depuis leur domicile. Chacun pourra donc¹ bénéficier de cet accompagnement.

Cette nouvelle organisation évitera les déplacements. Elle offrira un accès au service quel que soit² le lieu de résidence.

Read it in English

All advice sessions will now be offered online. Residents will be able to take part from home. Everyone will therefore be able to benefit from this support.

This new arrangement will avoid journeys. It will offer access to the service regardless of where people live.

Three different jobs in the argument

Job	French wording	What to notice
Stated reason	Toutes les permanences seront proposées en ligne.	A change in delivery mode.
Conclusion	Chacun pourra bénéficier de cet accompagnement.	A claim about every person concerned.
Missing link	Toutes les personnes concernées pourront utiliser le service en ligne.	The access condition needed for that inference.

How do you find a hidden premise in a French argument?

Si une personne ne peut pas utiliser le service en ligne, sa mise en ligne ne suffit pas à garantir l’accès de tous.

If one person cannot use the online service, putting it online is not enough to guarantee access for everyone.

One possible exception tests the universal conclusion. The sentence leaves the actual number of affected residents open.

Le raisonnement suppose que toutes les personnes concernées peuvent utiliser ce service.The reasoning assumes that everyone concerned can use this service.

Focus: Connects the stated reason to the conclusion.

L’auteur veut exclure certaines personnes.The writer wants to exclude some people.

Focus: Assigns an intention that the passage never supplies.

Equipment, a connection and an accessible interface are possible parts of the missing link. Check the surrounding document for them. A later sentence offering equipment loans would answer one question; it would still leave you to check the other conditions. Focus your analysis on the link the conclusion actually needs.

Une permanence accessible à tous ?

Le raisonnement suppose que toutes les personnes concernées peuvent utiliser ce service.The reasoning assumes that everyone concerned can use this service.

L’auteur veut exclure certaines personnes.The writer wants to exclude some people.

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