A dampener on the barbecue

"Une douche froide sur le barbecue"
French C1 writing exercise

Couple Sasha and Claire are checking the weather forecast for their upcoming barbecue.

Pay attention to the hints!

Some vocabulary you may want to look up before or during this exercise: "to look forward to [doing]", "to have [someone] over", "(weather) to improve", "relentless (rain)", "to take a toll on [someone]'s mood (exp.)", "to have a quick look at", "the weather forecast", "Damn! (polite version)", "to predict (forecast)", "intermittent showers", "a break in the clouds", "in any case", "we'd better [do]", "to plan for the worst", "to borrow [something]", "a marquee (= reception tent)", "to end up [doing]", "to rain cats and dogs (exp.)", "temperamental (weather)", "to postpone [an event]", "a barbecue", "to go with the flow (exp.)", "to dampen the mood (exp.)".

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2026-02-26

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), Le Futur Simple (Indicatif), Le Conditionnel Présent

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

- I'm really looking forward to having everyone over this weekend! Let's hope that the weather will improve, because this relentless rain is starting to take its toll on my mood. - I agree, let me have a quick look at the weather forecast for Saturday. Damn! Unfortunately, they're predicting intermittent showers. - I'd hoped for a break in the clouds, at least in the afternoon. - Listen, we never know, it might not be as catastrophic as they say. In any case, we'd better plan for the worst. I'll ask Philippe if we can borrow his marquee (from him) just in case it ends up raining cats and dogs. - If I'd known the weather would be so temperamental, I would have postponed the barbecue. - Don't worry! Everyone will go with flow, and I'm sure we won't let that dampen the mood!

Let me take a look at that...