This French B1 lesson explains pros and cons in French step by step, with examples in French and English. Then practise with the worksheet on pros and cons in French and check yourself with the quiz.
Quick answer: 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 a personal conclusion (en conclusion). Use un avantage, un atout and un inconvénient to name the points, and connectors to keep both sides clearly separate.
Level: French B1 (CEFR intermediate) · Standards: CEFR B1, Writing
Pros and cons in French: the lesson
How do you structure a pros-and-cons text?
A good argument has four moves: ask the question, present one side, present the other side, then give your own view. Whether you speak at a meeting or write the DELF B1 opinion text (about 160 words), this order keeps readers with you.
Examples
Faut-il choisir le télétravail ? — Should one choose remote work?
D’un côté, il permet de gagner du temps ; de l’autre, il peut isoler. — On the one hand it saves time; on the other it can isolate you.
Which words name advantages and drawbacks?
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un avantage, un atout | an advantage, an asset |
| un inconvénient | a drawback |
| un point fort, un point faible | a strength, a weakness |
| un risque | a risk |
| avoir l’avantage de + infinitive | to have the advantage of |
Each point should be short and concrete. Prefer a fact (Le trajet dure quarante minutes.) to a vague adjective (Le trajet est horrible.). Two clear points per side are better than five weak ones, and a sentence such as Le principal avantage, c’est le prix tells the reader which point matters most.
Which connectors introduce the contrast?
| Job | Connectors |
|---|---|
| two sides | d’un côté … de l’autre (côté) |
| contrast | en revanche, cependant, pourtant, mais |
| two ideas at once | alors que, tandis que + indicative |
| concession | certes … mais … |
| adding | de plus, en outre, par ailleurs |
| concluding | en conclusion, tout bien considéré |
Rule
En revanche opens the second idea and a comma follows: Le train est cher ; en revanche, il est confortable. Certes admits a point before mais refutes it: Certes, le vélo est fatigant, mais il est économique.
Watch out
English “inconvenient” suggests a small nuisance, but un inconvénient is any real drawback, big or small. Also, l’avantage and l’inconvénient are masculine, and the article elides: l’inconvénient principal, not le inconvénient. Finally, par contre is common in speech, whereas en revanche is safer in writing.
Culture
French schools teach a classic plan called thèse, antithèse, synthèse: one idea, its opposite, then a conclusion that reconciles them. The pros-and-cons text is a simple version of it.
Zoé’s tip
Give each side the same number of points, usually two, and finish with à mon avis or tout bien considéré. A balanced text shows the reader you really weighed the question.
Key points to remember
- A balanced text has four parts: question, advantages, drawbacks, conclusion.
- D’un côté … de l’autre is the fixed pair for “on the one hand … on the other”.
- En revanche opens a contrasting idea; par contre is its spoken equivalent.
- Certes … mais admits a point before answering it.
- Un inconvénient and un avantage are masculine and elide: l’inconvénient.
Building a Balanced Argument for and Against: frequently asked questions
How do I say “on the one hand … on the other hand” in French?
Use d’un côté … de l’autre (or de l’autre côté). You can also use d’une part … d’autre part in more formal writing.
What is the difference between en revanche and par contre?
They mean the same, “on the other hand”. En revanche is accepted in all registers; par contre is common in speech and informal writing.
How do I conclude a pros-and-cons text?
Use en conclusion, tout bien considéré or pour finir, then state your own opinion with je pense que or à mon avis.
Is inconvénient the same as “inconvenient”?
Not exactly. Un inconvénient is a drawback of any size, a real disadvantage of a choice, not just a small nuisance.
Which mood follows alors que and tandis que?
In the contrast sense they take the indicative: Elle vit à Dakar tandis que ses parents vivent à Thiès.