You only live once

"On ne vit qu'une fois"
French B2 writing exercise

Marta and Kylian are chatting about taking risks and living in the moment.

Pay attention to the hints!

Some vocabulary you may want to look up before or during this exercise: "to be afraid of what people [do]", "at the time", "to quit one's job", "recently", "a comfort zone", "to be worth [doing] rather than [doing]", "a bold choice", "to take a risk", "here and there (occasions)", "to hand in one's resignation", "a trip around the world", "to dream of [something]", "to feel truly free", "for [something] to [be]", "as long as possible", "to plan [something]", "to have no idea where to start", "to make a list", "to be interested in [something]".

Written by qualified French expert Céline Pickard PGCE, BA
Last updated: 2025-09-02

I’ll give you some sentences to translate into French

  • I’ll show you where you make mistakes
  • I’ll keep track of what you need to practise
  • Change my choices if you want
Start the exercise
How the test works
You’ll practise: Le Présent (Indicatif), Mode subjonctif, Le Subjonctif Présent

Here's a preview of the text for the writing challenge, when you're ready click the start button above:

- If I hadn't been afraid of what people would have said at the time, I would have quit my job a long time ago. - Very recently, I realised that comfort zones can feel like prisons. Sometimes, it's worth making a bold choice rather than living with regrets. It's important that you take a risk here and there. - It's decided: I'm going to hand in my resignation at the end of the month to be able to organise the trip around the world [that] I've always dreamed of. - That's the best idea [that] you've ever had! - For the first time in my life, I feel truly free. I will do everything for that feeling to last as long as possible. - Would you like me to help you plan it? - Yes please, because I have no idea where to start. - Let's start by making a list of destinations [that] you're interested in!

Let me take a look at that...