All the French B1 lessons on one page, chapter by chapter: each lesson explains the grammar and vocabulary in English, with examples in French. Back to the French B1 overview.
French B1 lessons by chapter
French B1 Lessons
Clear grammar and vocabulary lessons in English, every French example translated.
Giving your opinion and defending it
To give an opinion in French, open with je pense que, je trouve que, il me semble que or à mon avis, then add a reason…
Imagining what would happen if
To make a hypothesis in French, use si + imparfait in the condition and the conditional in the result: Si j'avais le temps, je voyagerais. This…
Writing a French CV and application
A French CV is one page in reverse chronological order, with contact details, experience, education, skills and interests. The lettre de motivation has three paragraphs (you,…
Narrating an anecdote with three past tenses
To tell a story in French, use the passé composé for the events that move the plot, the imparfait for the setting, feelings and actions in…
Passing on messages and conversations
Reported speech in French retells someone's words with a verb such as dire que, expliquer que or demander si. When the reporting verb is in the…
Building a balanced argument for and against
To weigh pros and cons in French, ask the question, present the advantages (d'un côté), then the drawbacks (de l'autre or en revanche), and finish with…
Wishes, joy and surprise with que
French expresses wishes, joy, surprise and regret with a feeling expression, then que, then a new subject and a verb in the subjunctive: J'aimerais que tu…
Writing and saying a review
To review a film or book in French, introduce the title, summarize the plot in the present tense (Le film raconte l'histoire de…), describe the characters,…
Speaking up and reporting at meetings
In a French work meeting, take the floor with Je voudrais intervenir, propose with On pourrait, Et si on commençait… or Je propose de, agree with…
Complaining in writing, politely and firmly
A formal French complaint letter uses vous, opens with Madame, Monsieur,, states the facts in the passé composé and imparfait, makes one clear request with a…
Leases, inspections and notice letters
Renting in France revolves around the bail (lease), the état des lieux (entry and exit inspection), the dépôt de garantie and the préavis (notice). Contracts use…
Doctors, pharmacies and getting repaid
In France, the carte Vitale links you to the Assurance Maladie, which repays a share of medical costs. You declare a médecin traitant, see them first,…
Schools, bac and universities in France
The French education system runs from l'école maternelle (age 3) through l'école élémentaire, le collège and le lycée, and ends with the baccalauréat. Then students choose…
Debating news and social networks in French
To discuss the news and social networks in French, use key words such as un réseau social, partager, une infox and une source, then structure your…
Climate change: writing solutions in French
To write about the environment in French, name the problem with le réchauffement climatique and les gaz à effet de serre, then propose solutions. Use on…
Joining an association and giving your reasons
To explain why you volunteer in French, use pour plus an infinitive when the same person acts twice: Je m'engage pour aider. When someone else benefits,…
Etiquette, greetings and meals in France
In France, use vous with strangers, clients and superiors, and tu with friends, family and peers, switching only when invited with On peut se tutoyer ?.…
Planning a student year in France
To study in France, create an online application with the admissions agency, pass an interview, receive an admission letter, then apply for a long-stay student visa.…
Making plans and projects for the years ahead
To talk about future projects in French, use the futur simple for plans and promises (je partirai), avoir l'intention de or compter followed by an infinitive…
Describing people and places with qui, que, où, dont
Relative pronouns link two sentences into one description. Use qui for a subject, que for a direct object, où for a place or a time, and…