French language Q&A Forum

I speak French daily with educated people including medical doctors and professors of French. I never ever EVER hear anyone actually use sentences with elaborate subordinate clauses and tricky coordinated futures - especially not these dances of the futures. In fact, the French, based on my observations, will do anything they can to avoid subordinate clauses and the more treacherous irregular verbs. And as often as not they screw it up. I've heard some real botched sentences on France 2, where a brave C2 tries to deal with the ne expletive. If a French politician can't navigate this stuff.......... Sometimes I throw in a fancy sentence like the ones in this lesson: And as often as not my interlocuteur will ask if I read that in Balzac. Not that the budding francophone ought therefore ignore this stuff. You do see this in some written material but in my opinion ever more so rarely. I'd be interested in the comments of older C2s....max

What is wrong with in question 4 answering "seulement" - it sound perfectly idiomatic.

Comment dit-on "crafts" en français?

Referencing the lesson: 'Using le, la, l', les before nouns when generalising (definite articles)' why is 'Salut les filles' correct as 'les filles' refers to a specific group and not to a group in general. Thank you

Why is en depit d’un prix très élevé wrong? 

I completed this B1 dictée without a mistake--the first time I've been able to do this on any dictée at this level!  I think it really helps to have the vocabulary listed in French at the beginning--it can be difficult to choose among different options on the translation sites.  Also, the reader has a nice, clear voice.  Thanks for all you do to make learning French so satisfying!

The first hint ("they're a couple") could mean a couple talking to each other (as intended, so tu) or that a couple is being addressed (e.g. by a realtor, so vous). It tripped me up!

Punctuation isn't mentioned in the dictation so should not be counted in the score (feedback from my year 11 students).