Gap-fill
Préparer or organiser? Complete the plan for a French workshop
Get a workshop ready with préparer and organiser. Compare tasks, learn se préparer, then fill eight gaps in a short French planning story.
- A2
- 8 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Préparer means getting something ready; organiser means arranging or structuring it. You can préparer un exposé and organiser ses idées. Both préparer une fête and organiser une fête are natural, with a different emphasis.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
préparerprepare, get ready
Focus: readiness
préparer + meal / materials / presentation
Je prépare mes notes avant l’atelier.
I prepare my notes before the workshop.
organiserorganise, arrange
Focus: structure and coordination
organiser + event / timetable / ideas
L’équipe organise la rencontre.
The team organises the meeting.
| Pattern | French example | English |
|---|---|---|
| préparer quelque chose | Elle prépare un exemple. | She prepares an example. |
| organiser quelque chose | Elle organise ses idées en trois parties. | She organises her ideas into three parts. |
| se préparer à + infinitif | Elle se prépare à parler. | She gets ready to speak. |
Materials for the workshop
Find:
What is the difference between préparer and organiser?
- Hugo
Qui organise l’atelier ?
Who is organising the workshop?
- Lina
Notre équipe. Moi, je prépare surtout les documents.
Our team. I’m mainly preparing the documents.
- Hugo
Et les participants ?
And the participants?
- Lina
Chacun prépare une question sur son métier.
Each person prepares a question about their job.
The team coordinates the event; Lina gets the documents ready; each participant prepares a question. In Lina se prépare, Lina herself is getting ready. Compare Lina prépare Hugo (Lina prepares Hugo) with Lina se prépare (Lina gets herself ready).
Eight gaps before the doors open
Use the verb or expression in each hint. Put it in the present tense and keep the subject in view. The gaps practise forms as well as meaning.
Un atelier samedi matin
Samedi, Lina et Hugo (organiser) un atelier sur les métiers. Ils choisissent la salle, l’heure et le nombre de participants. Lina (préparer) une courte présentation de son travail. Hugo (organiser) ses idées en trois parties : les études, les compétences et les projets.
Avant l’arrivée du groupe, nous (préparer) la salle. Vous (organiser) les activités de la matinée, et je (préparer) le café. À neuf heures, Lina (se préparer) à accueillir les participants. « Tu (préparer) aussi un exemple personnel ? » demande Hugo.
Read it in English
On Saturday, Lina and Hugo organise a workshop about jobs. They choose the room, the time and the number of participants. Lina prepares a short presentation about her work. Hugo organises his ideas into three parts: studies, skills and projects.
Before the group arrives, we prepare the room. You organise the morning’s activities, and I make the coffee. At nine, Lina gets ready to welcome the participants. ‘Are you also preparing a personal example?’ asks Hugo.