AQA A-Level French (7652) · Grammar backbone 10 of 10 — Essay & translation technique
A-Level Grammar
Essay & translation technique
The final backbone is about marks. A strong A-Level essay is glued together with connectives, sharpened with opinion phrases (some needing the subjunctive), and translation questions reward students who avoid the word-for-word trap. This lesson sharpens all three.
connectives + opinion + accurate translationcontrast · addition · consequence · subjunctive after doubt · watch the faux amis
Work through each screen and answer the questions — some test connectives, some test translation choices. Collect ⭐ and press Start.
Connectives · Contrast
Discourse markers of contrast
To set one idea against another — the backbone of a balanced argument:
cependant / néanmoins / pourtant — however / nevertheless
en revanche — on the other hand
malgré — in spite of · bien que — although (+ subjunctive)
Example:Cependant, cette idée a ses limites. — However, this idea has its limits.
Addition & consequence
Building & concluding an argument
Two more families you must deploy:
Addition:de plus / en outre / par ailleurs — moreover / furthermore / besides
Consequence:donc / par conséquent / ainsi — so / therefore / thus
Structure:d'une part… d'autre part — on one hand… on the other; tout d'abord — first of all; en conclusion / pour conclure — in conclusion
Exam gold: opening with tout d'abord and closing with en conclusion gives your essay a clear, marked structure.
Quick check
"however"
?Which connective means "however"?
Sort it
Which connective is this?
Type it
Your turn — a contrast marker
1Write the French connective for "however".
Hint: a single word beginning with "cep…".
Opinion
Opinions & the subjunctive
How you introduce an opinion decides the mood of the verb that follows:
je pense que + indicative — I think that… (asserted as fact)
je ne pense pas que ce soit… — I don't think it is… (subjunctive, doubt)
il est possible que… — it is possible that… (subjunctive, possibility)
The flip: affirmative je pense que takes the indicative; negate it (je ne pense pas que) and it takes the subjunctive — a reliable way to show A-Level range.
Quick check
"I don't think that it is"
?Which is "I don't think that it is…"?
Type it
Your turn — consequence
2Write the French connective for "therefore" (two words).
Hint: par c… — a consequence marker.
Translation technique
Don't translate word-for-word
Translation marks are won and lost on detail. The core rules:
Watch false friends:éventuellement = possibly, not "eventually".
Check gender agreement and adjective endings.
Mind word order: most adjectives follow the noun in French.
Rework structure: don't map English word-by-word onto French.
Classic example: "I have been learning French for 3 years" = j'apprends le français depuis trois ans — present tense + depuis, not a perfect tense.
Quick check
Translation trap: "eventually"
?How do you translate "eventually" into French?
Game · Match
Match the connective to its English
Tap a French connective on the left, then its English on the right.
FRENCH
cependant
de plus
par conséquent
bien que
en conclusion
d'une part
ENGLISH
therefore
however
on one hand
although
moreover
in conclusion
Quick check
"on the one hand… on the other"
?Which pair means "on the one hand… on the other"?
Type it
Your turn — concession
3Write the French connective for "although" (two words, triggers the subjunctive).
Hint: bien q… — the conjunction that always takes the subjunctive.
Sort it
Contrast, or addition / consequence?
Sort each connective by the job it does in an argument.
Contrast connective
Addition/consequence connective
Quick check
Translation: "for 3 years"
?Translate "I have been learning French for 3 years".
Type it
Your turn — on the other hand
4Write the French phrase for "on the other hand" (the second half of d'une part…).
Hint: d'autre p… — the mirror of d'une part.
Type it
Your turn — addition
5Write the French connective for "moreover / furthermore" (two words).
Hint: de p… — an addition marker.
Recap
Your essay & translation toolkit
Contrast:cependant, néanmoins, pourtant, en revanche, malgré, bien que.
Addition & consequence:de plus, en outre, par ailleurs; donc, par conséquent, ainsi. Structure with d'une part… d'autre part, tout d'abord, en conclusion.
Opinion:je pense que + indicative; je ne pense pas que ce soit / il est possible que + subjunctive.
Translation: avoid word-for-word; watch faux amis (éventuellement = possibly); "for 3 years" = depuis trois ans + present.
That completes the ten-part grammar backbone for AQA A-Level French. Press Finish.
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You've reached the end of the grammar backbone — head back to revisit any of the ten clusters.