Dialogue
Focus a French paragraph: who, when or what matters?
Follow an editor and writer as they choose a paragraph’s main point. Practise c’est…qui, c’est…que and clear references with three questions.
- B2
- 10 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the B2 notebook →
In short
Choose the question your paragraph answers. C’est ma mère qui… highlights who acted; c’est à sept ans que… highlights when. Use ce qui…c’est for a central point, then keep the next sentence’s references clear.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Maya is revising a paragraph about learning Wolof. Read the editor’s questions, then hide Maya’s lines in practice mode and rebuild her answers from the English cues.
- Éditrice
Quel est le point principal de ton paragraphe ?
English
What is your paragraph’s main point?
- Maya
Je veux expliquer qui m’a appris le wolof.
Say that your main point is who taught you Wolof.
English
I want to explain who taught me Wolof.
- Éditrice
Alors, commence par cette personne. Qui est-ce ?
English
Then start with that person. Who is it?
- Maya
C’est ma mère qui m’a appris le wolof.
Highlight your mother as the person who taught you Wolof.
English
It was my mother who taught me Wolof.
- Éditrice
Et quelle information veux-tu ajouter ensuite ?
English
And what information do you want to add next?
- Maya
Elle me parlait wolof tous les soirs.
Add that she spoke Wolof to you every evening.
English
She spoke Wolof to me every evening.
- Éditrice
Ici, « elle » renvoie clairement à ta mère. Maintenant, imagine que le lecteur demande ton âge.
English
Here, “she” clearly refers to your mother. Now imagine the reader asks your age.
- Maya
C’est à sept ans que j’ai commencé à apprendre le wolof.
Highlight seven as the age when you started learning Wolof.
English
It was at seven that I started learning Wolof.
- Éditrice
Très bien. Et si tu veux expliquer ce qui comptait le plus ?
English
Good. And if you want to explain what mattered most?
- Maya
Ce qui comptait le plus, c’était de parler avec ma grand-mère.
Say that what mattered most was speaking with your grandmother.
English
What mattered most was speaking with my grandmother.
How do you focus a French paragraph?
| Reader’s question | French | Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Who taught you? | C’est ma mère qui m’a appris le wolof. | c’est + sujet + qui |
| When did you start? | C’est à sept ans que j’ai commencé. | c’est + temps + que |
| What do you remember? | Ce que je retiens, c’est sa patience. | ce que + sujet + verbe |
| What matters? | Ce qui compte, c’est de pratiquer. | ce qui + verbe |
| What about that language? | Cette langue, je la parle avec ma famille. | thème détaché + pronom de reprise |
In ce que je retiens, je is the subject of retiens and ce que prepares its object. In ce qui compte, ce qui is the subject of compte. The second half of each sentence supplies the point you want the reader to hold onto.
Give the next sentence a clear handover
Ma mère parlait wolof avec ma grand-mère. Ma mère m’a transmis cette langue.
My mother spoke Wolof with my grandmother. My mother passed the language on to me.
Repeating ma mère settles the reference. Elle m’a transmis cette langue would leave two possible women to choose from.
For a simple report of events, Ma mère m’a appris le wolof is already clear. Add a cleft when the identity is the point of contrast. Then let the next sentence develop that point with a habit, detail or example.