Review an A2 French past account: plan, change and reaction
Review a short French account with a changed plan. Compare a draft and revision, check passé composé and imparfait, and rehearse a follow-up answer.
In short
Check three things: what you planned, what actually happened and how you felt about it. Use the imparfait for the plan or background and the passé composé for the completed events in this account. Then ask a listener to retell the sequence.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Keep these facts beside the rehearsal
| Part of the account | Notes |
|---|---|
| Plan | samedi ; avec Lina ; visiter une exposition |
| Obstacle | plus de billets à notre arrivée |
| Actual activity | promenade dans le jardin voisin |
| Reaction to the missed visit | déçu |
| Reaction to the afternoon together | content de passer du temps avec Lina |
Paul wanted to visit an exhibition, but he and Lina found that there were no tickets left. They walked in the neighbouring garden instead. Paul’s disappointment concerns the missed visit; his pleasure concerns the time with Lina. Keep both reactions when you review his account.
How do you tell a past event in French at A2?
Samedi, j’ai visité une exposition avec Lina. Ensuite, nous nous sommes promenés dans le jardin voisin. J’ai beaucoup aimé l’exposition.
On Saturday, I visited an exhibition with Lina. Then we walked in the neighbouring garden. I really liked the exhibition.
Compare the first and last sentences with the notes. The garden walk happened; the exhibition visit stayed a plan.
| Draft wording | What needs changing | Useful replacement |
|---|---|---|
| j’ai visité une exposition | Present the visit as an intention. | je voulais visiter une exposition |
| J’ai beaucoup aimé l’exposition. | Attach the reaction to the afternoon together. | J’ai aimé ce moment avec Lina. |
| Ensuite… | Explain why the plan changed. | Il n’y avait plus de billets. Alors… |
Read the revised account aloud
Samedi, je voulais visiter une exposition avec Lina, mais il n’y avait plus de billets à notre arrivée. Alors, nous nous sommes promenés dans le jardin voisin. J’étais déçu de ne pas voir l’exposition, mais j’ai aimé ce moment avec Lina. Finalement, nous avons passé un bon après-midi ensemble.
On Saturday, I wanted to visit an exhibition with Lina, but there were no tickets left when we arrived. So we walked in the neighbouring garden. I was disappointed not to see the exhibition, but I enjoyed that time with Lina. In the end, we had a good afternoon together.
Paul is speaking: déçu is masculine singular. Paul and Lina give nous nous sommes promenés, masculine plural for this mixed group.
Je voulais sets up the intention. Il n’y avait plus de billets gives the obstacle. Nous nous sommes promenés reports the alternative activity. Alors links the change of plan to its cause, and finalement introduces the outcome. These choices make the sequence easy to follow.
- Listener
Pourquoi êtes-vous allés dans le jardin ?
Why did you go to the garden?
- Paul
Parce qu’il n’y avait plus de billets pour l’exposition. Le jardin était juste à côté.
Because there were no tickets left for the exhibition. The garden was right next door.