Grammar reference
Grammar
Grammar reference
Every grammar point in the course, organised by level — jump straight to the lesson that teaches it.
Browse the full grammar curriculum from A0 to C2. Open a level to see each lesson’s grammar focus, then tap through to study it.
A0 Foundation33 · Grammar focus
- Alphabet and accents
- The French alphabet, accents, and how letters sound
- Greetings and politeness
- Greetings, goodbyes, and tu vs vous
- Introducing yourself
- Subject pronouns: je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, elles
- The verb être (to be) in the present tense
- Articles and gender basics
- Gender and articles: le, la, l', les / un, une, des
- Numbers and classroom survival
- Numbers 0–1000 and how to use them
- Dates, time, and schedules
- Days, months, dates, and telling the time
- Etre and avoir in context
- The verb être (to be) in the present tense
- The verb avoir (to have) and its everyday expressions
- Simple present statements
- Regular -er verbs in the present tense
- Basic questions and negation
- Negation with ne … pas
- Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que, and question words
- Classroom objects and instructions
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Personal details and contact info
- Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que, and question words
- Numbers 0–1000 and how to use them
- Simple requests and needs
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Sound system and spelling habits
- The French alphabet, accents, and how letters sound
- Countries, languages, and nationalities
- Countries, languages, and nationalities
- Family basics and possessives
- Possessives: mon, ma, mes and the whole family
- Aller, faire, and everyday moves
- Aller and faire: two irregular essentials
- Classroom survival phrases and app navigation
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Greetings, goodbyes, and tu vs vous
- First cafe, shop, and station routines
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Numbers 0–1000 and how to use them
- Hotel, doctor, and help requests
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Beginner slow reading and dictation
- The French alphabet, accents, and how letters sound
- Mini dialogues and repair
- Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que, and question words
- Greetings, goodbyes, and tu vs vous
- A0 checkpoint
- The verb être (to be) in the present tense
- The verb avoir (to have) and its everyday expressions
- Gender and articles: le, la, l', les / un, une, des
- A0 completion and A1 bridge
- Regular -er verbs in the present tense
- Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que, and question words
A145 · Grammar focus
- Family and home
- Il y a and c'est: pointing at the world
- Possessives: mon, ma, mes and the whole family
- Describing people and things
- Adjective agreement and position
- Daily routine and frequency
- Daily routine with reflexive verbs: se lever, se laver, s'habiller
- Talking about routine: frequency adverbs and time expressions
- Food and cafe orders
- The partitive: du, de la, de l', des
- Shopping and prices
- Demonstratives: ce, cet, cette, ces
- Quantities and shopping: un kilo de, assez de, trop de
- Questions, negation, and preferences
- Negation with ne … pas
- Asking questions: intonation, est-ce que, and question words
- Basic travel and directions
- Prepositions of place: dans, sur, sous, devant, derrière, entre, chez
- Invitations and simple plans
- The near future: aller + infinitive
- Present-tense verb patterns
- Regular -ir and -re verbs in the present tense
- Prendre, vouloir, pouvoir, devoir, boire: the irregular essentials
- Hobbies and free time
- Aller and faire: two irregular essentials
- Talking about routine: frequency adverbs and time expressions
- Weather and clothing
- Weather, seasons, and what to wear
- Your neighborhood and town
- Il y a and c'est: pointing at the world
- Prepositions of place: dans, sur, sous, devant, derrière, entre, chez
- Adjective agreement in daily life
- Adjective agreement and position
- Common prepositions of place
- Prepositions of place: dans, sur, sous, devant, derrière, entre, chez
- Imperative basics and classroom actions
- The imperative: giving instructions and advice
- Grocery shopping and quantities
- Quantities and shopping: un kilo de, assez de, trop de
- The partitive: du, de la, de l', des
- Simple emails and text messages
- Writing simple messages: emails, texts, and short notes
- Town services and opening hours
- Days, months, dates, and telling the time
- Polite requests: je voudrais, est-ce que je peux, il me faut
- Getting ready and daily chores
- Daily routine with reflexive verbs: se lever, se laver, s'habiller
- Weekend plans and calendar language
- The near future: aller + infinitive
- Days, months, dates, and telling the time
- Feelings, energy, and simple problems
- The verb avoir (to have) and its everyday expressions
- Listening transcripts and message relay
- Writing simple messages: emails, texts, and short notes
- The pronoun on: we, people, one
- Speaking confidence mini lab
- The pronoun on: we, people, one
- Talking about routine: frequency adverbs and time expressions
- Dictation with everyday notices
- The French alphabet, accents, and how letters sound
- Days, months, dates, and telling the time
- A1 revision: everyday life
- Adjective agreement and position
- The partitive: du, de la, de l', des
- Daily routine with reflexive verbs: se lever, se laver, s'habiller
- A1 checkpoint
- Regular -ir and -re verbs in the present tense
- Prepositions of place: dans, sur, sous, devant, derrière, entre, chez
- The near future: aller + infinitive
- A1 completion and A2 bridge
- The imperative: giving instructions and advice
- Demonstratives: ce, cet, cette, ces
A239 · Grammar focus
- Travel plans and tickets
- The futur simple: plans, promises, predictions
- Invitations and arrangements
- Phone calls and appointments: the service-French toolkit
- Health and pharmacy basics
- Health: describing symptoms and understanding advice
- Work and study routine
- Talking about routine: frequency adverbs and time expressions
- Obligation and advice: il faut, devoir, and the polite conditional
- Recent past with passe compose
- The passé composé with avoir
- Near future plans
- The recent past: venir de + infinitive
- The futur simple: plans, promises, predictions
- Describing past experiences
- The passé composé with être: movement verbs and reflexives
- Comparison and choice
- Comparing: plus, moins, aussi … que and superlatives
- Object pronouns in context
- Direct and indirect object pronouns: le, la, les / lui, leur
- Service calls and appointments
- Phone calls and appointments: the service-French toolkit
- Memories and childhood routines
- The imparfait: description and habit in the past
- Obligations and advice
- Obligation and advice: il faut, devoir, and the polite conditional
- Transport problems and delays
- Connecting a story: d'abord, ensuite, donc, parce que, alors
- Renting and housing issues
- Obligation and advice: il faut, devoir, and the polite conditional
- Doctor visits and symptoms
- Health: describing symptoms and understanding advice
- Restaurant problems and polite complaints
- Direct and indirect object pronouns: le, la, les / lui, leur
- Rescheduling appointments and services
- Phone calls and appointments: the service-French toolkit
- Work, study, updates, and short emails
- Writing simple messages: emails, texts, and short notes
- The passé composé with avoir
- Simple online messages and forum posts
- Writing simple messages: emails, texts, and short notes
- Connecting a story: d'abord, ensuite, donc, parce que, alors
- Retelling weekend events
- Passé composé vs imparfait: telling a story
- Reformulating service information
- The pronouns y and en
- Phone calls and appointments: the service-French toolkit
- Listening repair and message relay
- Direct and indirect object pronouns: le, la, les / lui, leur
- The pronouns y and en
- Comparison of options and recommendations
- Comparing: plus, moins, aussi … que and superlatives
- Obligation and advice: il faut, devoir, and the polite conditional
- A2 to B1 reason and opinion bridge
- Connecting a story: d'abord, ensuite, donc, parce que, alors
- A2 revision: practical life
- The passé composé with avoir
- The imparfait: description and habit in the past
- Direct and indirect object pronouns: le, la, les / lui, leur
- A2 checkpoint
- Passé composé vs imparfait: telling a story
- The futur simple: plans, promises, predictions
- Comparing: plus, moins, aussi … que and superlatives
- A2 completion and B1 bridge
- The pronouns y and en
- The recent past: venir de + infinitive
B143 · Grammar focus
- Opinions and reasons
- Giving opinions: à mon avis, je trouve que, and the mood choice
- Narrating past events
- The plus-que-parfait: the past before the past
- Media and everyday issues
- Relative pronouns: qui, que, où, dont
- Giving opinions: à mon avis, je trouve que, and the mood choice
- Complaints and customer service
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Giving advice and suggestions
- The conditionnel présent: politeness, wishes, hypothèses
- Connectors for longer speech
- Contrast and structure: pourtant, cependant, en revanche, d'ailleurs
- Group discussions and compromise
- Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening your position
- Conditionnel basics
- The conditionnel présent: politeness, wishes, hypothèses
- Tense contrast: past and present
- Passé composé vs imparfait: telling a story
- The plus-que-parfait: the past before the past
- Structured emails and messages
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening
- Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening your position
- Cause, consequence, and justification
- Cause and consequence: puisque, grâce à, à cause de, donc, c'est pourquoi
- Forum posts and opinion replies
- Giving opinions: à mon avis, je trouve que, and the mood choice
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Service negotiation and resolutions
- Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening your position
- Narrating turning points and reactions
- The plus-que-parfait: the past before the past
- Passé composé vs imparfait: telling a story
- Problem-solution paragraphs
- Cause and consequence: puisque, grâce à, à cause de, donc, c'est pourquoi
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Public rules, announcements, and civic messages
- The subjonctif présent: il faut que, vouloir que
- Oral position-taking and follow-up
- Giving opinions: à mon avis, je trouve que, and the mood choice
- Agreeing, disagreeing, and softening your position
- Listening notes for stories and reports
- Reported speech: dire que, demander si, demander de
- Summarizing short articles and interviews
- Reported speech: dire que, demander si, demander de
- Adverbs in -ment and where to put them
- Source-to-response mediation
- Reported speech: dire que, demander si, demander de
- Contrast and structure: pourtant, cependant, en revanche, d'ailleurs
- Practical forms, applications, and explanations
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Cause and consequence: puisque, grâce à, à cause de, donc, c'est pourquoi
- Comparing options and making recommendations
- The conditionnel présent: politeness, wishes, hypothèses
- Comparing: plus, moins, aussi … que and superlatives
- Paragraph repair and coherence lab
- The gérondif: en + -ant
- Adverbs in -ment and where to put them
- B1 revision: opinion and service
- Giving opinions: à mon avis, je trouve que, and the mood choice
- The conditionnel présent: politeness, wishes, hypothèses
- Cause and consequence: puisque, grâce à, à cause de, donc, c'est pourquoi
- B1 checkpoint
- The subjonctif présent: il faut que, vouloir que
- Relative pronouns: qui, que, où, dont
- The plus-que-parfait: the past before the past
- B1 completion and B2 bridge
- The gérondif: en + -ant
- Relative pronouns: qui, que, où, dont
B241 · Grammar focus
- Argumentation and positioning
- Structuring an argument: d'une part, en outre, néanmoins, par conséquent
- Debate language and rebuttal
- Concession and opposition: malgré, avoir beau, quoique, alors que
- Nuanced connectors and concession
- Concession and opposition: malgré, avoir beau, quoique, alors que
- Comparing sources and ideas
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Formal letters and requests
- Building structured paragraphs and formal messages
- Nominalisation: turning verbs into nouns for formal writing
- Essay structure and introductions
- The French essay: problématique, plan, introduction, conclusion
- Passive voice in context
- The passive voice and its alternatives
- Reported speech and stance
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Structured speaking and presentations
- Structuring an argument: d'une part, en outre, néanmoins, par conséquent
- The French essay: problématique, plan, introduction, conclusion
- Data commentary and trends
- Describing data and trends: hausse, baisse, doublement, un tiers
- Source framing and thesis building
- The French essay: problématique, plan, introduction, conclusion
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Weighing two perspectives
- Concession and opposition: malgré, avoir beau, quoique, alors que
- Structuring an argument: d'une part, en outre, néanmoins, par conséquent
- Editorial response and counterargument
- The subjunctive after conjunctions: bien que, pour que, à condition que
- Formal complaint escalation and resolution
- The conditionnel passé: regrets, reproaches, and missed pasts
- Meeting briefs and recommendations
- Nominalisation: turning verbs into nouns for formal writing
- Advanced email follow-up and tone
- The conditionnel passé: regrets, reproaches, and missed pasts
- The futur antérieur: by the time that…
- Evidence selection and example control
- Describing data and trends: hausse, baisse, doublement, un tiers
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Oral defence under follow-up questions
- Concession and opposition: malgré, avoir beau, quoique, alors que
- The subjunctive after conjunctions: bien que, pour que, à condition que
- Connector precision and paragraph balance
- Structuring an argument: d'une part, en outre, néanmoins, par conséquent
- Article bias and author position
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Revision lab for argumentative writing
- The French essay: problématique, plan, introduction, conclusion
- Nominalisation: turning verbs into nouns for formal writing
- Register shifts: public, professional, and academic
- Lexical registers: familier, courant, soutenu triplets
- Mediating articles into briefings
- Nominalisation: turning verbs into nouns for formal writing
- Reporting with stance: affirmer, souligner, prétendre, reconnaître
- Oral briefing from notes and data
- Describing data and trends: hausse, baisse, doublement, un tiers
- B2 revision: formal argument
- The subjunctive after conjunctions: bien que, pour que, à condition que
- The passive voice and its alternatives
- Structuring an argument: d'une part, en outre, néanmoins, par conséquent
- B2 checkpoint
- The conditionnel passé: regrets, reproaches, and missed pasts
- Concession and opposition: malgré, avoir beau, quoique, alors que
- Describing data and trends: hausse, baisse, doublement, un tiers
- B2 completion and C1 bridge
- The futur antérieur: by the time that…
- The French essay: problématique, plan, introduction, conclusion
C135 · Grammar focus
- Synthesis from two sources
- Synthesis method: confronting sources without quoting them
- Advanced listening strategies
- Modalisation: hedging, distance, and degrees of certainty
- Long-form reading and notes
- Text cohesion: reprises nominales, ce dernier, celui-ci
- Register control and tone
- Lexical registers: familier, courant, soutenu triplets
- The formal register: inversion, ne explétif, and soutenu marks
- Professional email and briefing
- The formal register: inversion, ne explétif, and soutenu marks
- Academic discourse and summary
- Academic discourse: force est de constater, il en résulte, en l'occurrence
- Multi-source oral synthesis
- Synthesis method: confronting sources without quoting them
- Mise en relief: c'est… qui, ce qui…, c'est, voilà ce que
- Policy analysis and recommendation
- Academic discourse: force est de constater, il en résulte, en l'occurrence
- Modalisation: hedging, distance, and degrees of certainty
- Source notebooks and hierarchy of ideas
- Text cohesion: reprises nominales, ce dernier, celui-ci
- Synthesis method: confronting sources without quoting them
- Synthesis versus summary under pressure
- Synthesis method: confronting sources without quoting them
- Academic lecture notes and reformulation
- Participle clauses: apposition, proposition participiale, ayant + participe
- Professional memos and decision briefs
- Participle clauses: apposition, proposition participiale, ayant + participe
- The formal register: inversion, ne explétif, and soutenu marks
- Evidence moderation and claim control
- Modalisation: hedging, distance, and degrees of certainty
- Advanced mediation of complex processes
- Participle clauses: apposition, proposition participiale, ayant + participe
- Text cohesion: reprises nominales, ce dernier, celui-ci
- Rhetorical staging in presentations
- Mise en relief: c'est… qui, ce qui…, c'est, voilà ce que
- Cross-source tension and positioning
- The subjonctif passé and indicative/subjunctive meaning shifts
- Synthesis method: confronting sources without quoting them
- Precision revision for C1 writing
- The subjonctif passé and indicative/subjunctive meaning shifts
- The formal register: inversion, ne explétif, and soutenu marks
- Discussion moderation and professional response
- Mise en relief: c'est… qui, ce qui…, c'est, voilà ce que
- Academic discourse: force est de constater, il en résulte, en l'occurrence
- C1 revision: synthesis and register
- Lexical registers: familier, courant, soutenu triplets
- Modalisation: hedging, distance, and degrees of certainty
- Mise en relief: c'est… qui, ce qui…, c'est, voilà ce que
- C1 checkpoint
- The subjonctif passé and indicative/subjunctive meaning shifts
- Participle clauses: apposition, proposition participiale, ayant + participe
- Academic discourse: force est de constater, il en résulte, en l'occurrence
- C1 completion and C2 bridge
- The formal register: inversion, ne explétif, and soutenu marks
- Text cohesion: reprises nominales, ce dernier, celui-ci
C235 · Grammar focus
- Nuance and reformulation
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Rhetoric and persuasion
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Idiomatic control in context
- Idioms in register: from mettre les pieds dans le plat to faire long feu
- Complex interpretation and inference
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- High-level oral defence
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- Advanced writing and revision
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Critical evaluation and counterargument
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Authorial tone and stylistic shift
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Style conversion and discourse recasting
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Paraphrase ladders and semantic shift
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Ambiguity and competing interpretations
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- Advanced mediation under ambiguity
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- Precision editing for rhetorical proportion
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Cultural positioning and implicit values
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Oral defence with counter-pressure
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Idioms in register: from mettre les pieds dans le plat to faire long feu
- Textual implication and subtext
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- High-register persuasion and restraint
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Multi-source interpretive synthesis
- Literary tenses: passé simple, subjonctif imparfait (recognition)
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- Stylistic echo and voice control
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Literary tenses: passé simple, subjonctif imparfait (recognition)
- C2 revision: precision and interpretation
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal
- The implicit: presupposition, sous-entendu, and reading between lines
- C2 checkpoint
- Figures de style: litote, euphémisme, ironie, métaphore
- Literary tenses: passé simple, subjonctif imparfait (recognition)
- Idioms in register: from mettre les pieds dans le plat to faire long feu
- C2 completion and DALF C2 bridge
- Sentence art: rhythm, ternary structures, and the periodic sentence
- Reformulation and lexical precision: near-synonyms that are not equal