Plan an A2 French short talk with keyword notes

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Turn notes about a favourite garden into a connected A2 French talk. Explore the scene, build useful cues and practise answering follow-up questions.

A2Practical guide3 min readIn the A2 notebook →

In short

Write short cues for where, what you do, why you like it and one memory. Keep the links between people, actions and times: première visite avec ma sœur — l’été dernier gives you much more to say than sœur — été.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A shaded bench and winding path sit among flowers in a quiet garden.
A favourite jardin gives an A2 talk a concrete setting. Illustration: Atelier

Parlez d’un lieu où vous aimez passer du temps. Dites où il se trouve, ce que vous y faites et pourquoi vous l’aimez. Ajoutez un souvenir.

Talk about a place where you enjoy spending time. Say where it is, what you do there and why you like it. Add a memory.

A garden to talk about: explore, then describe

A small quiet public garden near homes, viewed from slightly above. A wooden bench sits in the shade of a leafy tree. An open book rests on the bench. A path le

How do you plan a short talk in French with notes?

Notes that preserve the meaning
JobKeyword noteOne sentence
Wherepetit jardin — près de chez moiJ’aime le petit jardin près de chez moi.
Activitylire — après le travail — banc à l’ombreJ’y lis après le travail, sur un banc à l’ombre.
Reasoncalme — pauseJ’aime cet endroit parce qu’il est calme.
Memorypremière visite avec ma sœur — été dernierJe l’ai visité pour la première fois avec ma sœur l’été dernier.

Cover the last column and speak from the middle one. You can change the sentence while keeping its meaning. For the reason, try C’est un endroit agréable pour faire une pause. The useful note is the idea you want to recover, rather than the first word of a memorised sentence.

Let the next question choose your answer

Après la présentation
  1. Partenaire

    Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans ce jardin ?

    What do you do in this garden?

  2. Vous

    J’y lis après le travail.

    I read there after work.

  3. Partenaire

    Quand est-ce que tu y es allé pour la première fois ?

    When did you first go there?

  4. Vous

    L’été dernier, avec ma sœur.

    Last summer, with my sister.

The question selects the detail. An activity question needs what you do; a first-visit question needs the memory. If your partner asks who comes with you now, answer from your own experience. The example notes describe the first visit together.

Before you put the notes down

A self-review aid, not a grade. Ticks are not saved.

Question 1No account needed
Which note keeps the full memory?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

première visite avec ma sœur — l’été dernier. It records the occasion, companion and time, so you can rebuild the memory accurately.

Question 2No account needed
Which answer fits “What do you do there?”

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

J’y lis après le travail.. The question asks about the activity. Reading after work answers it directly.

Question 3No account needed
What do the notes tell us about the sister?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

She was there on the first visit.. The memory mentions the first visit together; it gives no pattern for later visits.

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