French grammar rules, explained

The rules that trip up adult learners of French, with examples, common mistakes and a quick quiz. Calibrated to CEFR levels A1 to C2, the framework used for DELF and DALF.

Homophones

a vs àA2 et vs estA2 on vs ontA2 son vs sontA2 ce vs seB1 ou vs oùA2 leur vs leursB1 quel, quelle, qu'elleB1 la, là, l'aA2 quand, quant, qu'enB1 sans, s'en, sens, sent, c'en, centB1 davantage vs d'avantage(s)B2 peu, peut, peuxA2 près vs prêtA2

Past participles

Past participle agreement with "avoir"B2 Past participle agreement with "être"A2 Past participle agreement with pronominal verbsC1

Agreement

Agreement of the qualifying adjectiveA1 Agreement of tout, tous, toute, toutesB1 Agreement of colour adjectivesB1 Agreement of numeral adjectivesB1 Agreement of même and telB2 Agreement of the verb with its subjectB1 Agreement of demi, nu, mi, semiB2 Agreement after ni, ou, comme, ainsi queC1

Conjugation

Present subjunctive vs indicativeB2 Imparfait vs passé composéB1 Infinitive in -er or past participle in -éA2 Simple future vs present conditionalB1 Passé simple: endingsB2 Imperative: second person singularA2

Spelling

Accents: acute, grave, circumflexA2 Cedilla under the cA2 Plural of common nounsA1 Double consonantsB1 Silent final lettersB1 Feminine nouns ending in -é, -ée, -té, -tiéB1 m before m, b, pA2

Compound nouns

Plural of compound nounsB2

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