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Who did what? Read agency in a French report

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a short French handover report and separate the person acting, the person arranging and the person affected, with a role map and four questions.

In short

Ask three separate questions: who performs the action, who arranges or allows it, and who is affected? In Nora a fait modifier le texte par Lina, Nora arranges the change and Lina makes it.

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One colleague revises a document while another explains.
Lina performs the revision in le texte a été modifié par Lina. Illustration: Atelier

A handover after a public consultation

Le compte rendu de lundi

Le texte

Vendredi, le texte a été modifié1 par Lina. Nora lui avait demandé de clarifier la conclusion. Nora a donc fait ajouter2 un paragraphe par Lina.

Pour la dernière vérification, Nora a laissé3 Lina choisir la formulation finale. Le titre a aussi été changé. Le compte rendu ne précise pas qui a effectué ce changement.

Les réponses

Samir devait transmettre les réponses des participants à Nora. Il s’est fait interrompre4 pendant sa présentation et n’a pas pu tout expliquer. Nora a proposé de reprendre la discussion mardi.

Read it in English

On Friday, Lina amended the text. Nora had asked her to clarify the conclusion. Nora therefore had Lina add a paragraph.

For the final check, Nora let Lina choose the final wording. The title was also changed. The report does not specify who made that change.

Samir was due to pass the participants’ responses to Nora. He was interrupted during his presentation and could not explain everything. Nora suggested resuming the discussion on Tuesday.

How do you find who did what in a French report?

Study the wording before summarising
WordingPerformerOther role
Le texte a été modifié par Lina.LinaThe text receives the change.
Nora a fait ajouter un paragraphe par Lina.LinaNora arranges the addition.
Nora a laissé Lina choisir.LinaNora allows the choice.
Le titre a été changé.Not namedThe title receives the change.
Samir s’est fait interrompre.Not namedSamir is interrupted.

The grammatical subject is not always the performer. Le texte is the subject of the passive sentence; Lina performs the action. In the causative sentence, Nora is the subject of a fait, but Lina adds the paragraph.

Nora a fait ajouter un paragraphe par Lina.

Nora had Lina add a paragraph.

Before an infinitive, the past participle fait stays unchanged.

Keep the report’s distinction between instruction and freedom of choice. Nora asks for a clearer conclusion, then gives Lina the final choice of wording. Replacing a laissé choisir with a fait choisir would present that choice as something Nora caused or arranged.

Question 1No account needed
Who added the paragraph?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Lina. Par Lina names the performer; Nora arranged the addition.

Question 2No account needed
Who changed the title?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The report does not name the person.. The passive a été changé gives the action but leaves its performer unnamed.

Question 3No account needed
What happened to Samir?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

He was interrupted.. S’est fait interrompre presents Samir as the person affected by the interruption.

Question 4No account needed
Which summary preserves Lina’s freedom to choose?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Lina a choisi la formulation finale avec l’accord de Nora.. Nora lets Lina choose, so the choice remains Lina’s in the accurate summary.

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