Common mistakes
French purpose or result? Five mistakes that change the message
Compare pour que, pour and si bien que through five common meaning traps. Check the actors, the subjunctive and whether the text reports success.
- B2
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In short
A purpose names the aim: Inès écrit en grand pour que Bastien puisse lire. A reported result tells you what happened: Inès a écrit en grand, si bien que Bastien a pu lire. Check whether the text gives an intention, an outcome or both.
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- pour queA goal becomes a reported success.An action has an intended purpose.
Inès écrit les noms en grand pour que Bastien puisse les lire.Inès writes the names in large letters so that Bastien can read them.
The sentence gives the goal. To report success, add what Bastien actually did: Bastien les a lus sans difficulté.
- pour + infinitifThe reader changes when the clause is shortened.The infinitive normally shares the main clause’s subject in this pattern.
Inès garde une copie pour relire les noms.Inès keeps a copy in order to reread the names.
Here Inès keeps the copy and rereads it. For Bastien as the intended reader, keep his subject: Inès garde une copie pour que Bastien puisse relire les noms.
- si bien queA consequence becomes an intention.The second clause reports what followed.
Inès a écrit les noms en grand, si bien que Bastien les a lus sans difficulté.Inès wrote the names in large letters, so Bastien read them without difficulty.
The account reports successful reading. A rewrite with pour que would focus on an aim instead.
- de sorte queThe same connector always has the same reading.Context and mood distinguish a goal from a reported consequence.
Nous plaçons les étiquettes de sorte qu’elles soient visibles.We position the labels so that they are visible.
Soient marks the intended arrangement here. Compare an achieved result: Nous avons déplacé les étiquettes, de sorte qu’elles sont maintenant visibles.
- pour ne pas oublierThe negative moves to the main action.The purpose itself is negative.
Bastien garde une copie pour ne pas oublier les dates.Bastien keeps a copy so as not to forget the dates.
He keeps the copy. Ne pas oublier gives what he wants to avoid; keep the negative before the infinitive.
What is the difference between purpose and result in French?
| Relation | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Goal, same actor | pour + infinitif | Je garde une copie pour vérifier les dates. |
| Goal, another actor | pour que + subjonctif | Je garde une copie pour que tu puisses vérifier les dates. |
| Reported result | si bien que + indicatif | J’ai gardé une copie, si bien que tu as pu vérifier les dates. |
In the last sentence, as pu vérifier reports that checking was possible. To state that the checking itself was completed, say tu as vérifié les dates. Match the verb as well as the connector to the outcome you want to report.