Reading

French time clauses: map what happens before, during and after

Read a short French account of a first day at work, then map the event order. Includes glosses, an English translation and four timeline questions.

In short

Read the time connector before drawing the timeline. Avant puts one action before another; après puts it after; pendant que marks overlap. The first clause you read can describe an event that happened later.

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A new employee being welcomed by a colleague and introduced to a small team at a French workplace reception.
Marc introduces Lina à l’équipe. Illustration: Atelier

A first day at work · read for the sequence

La première journée de Lina

Lundi, Lina a commencé son nouveau travail. La veille, elle avait préparé1 son dossier. Avant de partir2, elle a vérifié l’adresse une dernière fois. Elle a ensuite quitté son appartement à huit heures.

À son arrivée, Marc l’attendait à l’accueil. Pendant qu’il lui présentait l’équipe3, une collègue a apporté les documents à signer. Lina a pris le temps de les lire. Après avoir signé4 les documents, elle a visité les bureaux avec Marc.

À dix heures, Lina s’est installée à son poste. Elle a commencé un exercice après que Marc lui a expliqué5 le fonctionnement du logiciel. À midi, elle avait terminé la première partie.

Marc lui a alors présenté le programme du lendemain : « Tu resteras avec moi jusqu’à ce que tu sois6 prête à répondre seule aux demandes. Dès que tu auras terminé7 la formation, nous ferons un point ensemble. » Lina a noté ce programme. Elle allait continuer sa formation le lendemain.

Read it in English

On Monday, Lina started her new job. The day before, she had prepared her file. Before leaving, she checked the address one last time. She then left her flat at eight.

When she arrived, Marc was waiting at reception. While he was introducing the team to her, a colleague brought the documents to sign. Lina took time to read them. After signing the documents, she toured the offices with Marc.

At ten, Lina settled in at her workstation. She started an exercise after Marc explained how the software works. By midday, she had finished the first part.

Marc then outlined the following day’s programme: “You will stay with me until you are ready to answer enquiries on your own. As soon as you have finished the training, we will review things together.” Lina wrote down the programme. She was going to continue her training the next day.

How do you put events in order with French time clauses?

Keep the two timelines separate
ClueRelationshipTimeline
la veille / avait préparéEarlier than Monday’s startSunday: prepare the file → Monday: start work.
avant de partirEarlier action by the same personCheck the address → leave home.
pendant queOverlapThe documents arrive during the introductions.
après avoir signéEarlier completed action by the same personSign → tour the offices.
jusqu’à ce queEndpoint in a planStay with Marc up to being ready.
dès queNext action after a triggerFinish the training → review it together.

The visit comes first in Lina a visité les bureaux après avoir signé. Signing still happened first in time. Moving the time phrase to the front — Après avoir signé, Lina a visité les bureaux — keeps that same sequence.

The documents arrive during the introductions. The text gives overlap, rather than equal start and finish times. Marc’s final two sentences describe a plan for later; the account ends before Lina completes that training.

Question 1No account needed
When did Lina prepare her file?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

On Sunday, before starting work on Monday.. La veille refers to the day before Monday, and avait préparé marks an earlier past event.

Question 2No account needed
Which order matches the text?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Sign the documents → visit the offices. Après avoir signé, Lina visited the offices: signing comes before the visit.

Question 3No account needed
What does pendant que tell you here?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The documents arrived during the introductions.. The sentence places the colleague’s arrival within the period of introductions.

Question 4No account needed
What has happened by the end of Monday’s account?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Lina has completed the first part of an exercise.. The text reports the first part completed by midday. The training review belongs to Marc’s later plan.