Grammar – AS Level: Conjunctions — WJEC A-Level French

Conjunctions are the glue that holds French sentences together, allowing you to connect ideas, contrast arguments, and express complex relationships between clauses. At AS Level (WJEC), you need to master both coordinating conjunctions (like 'et', 'mais', 'ou') and subordinating conjunctions (like 'parce que', 'quand', 'si'). These are essential for achieving higher marks in writing and speaking, as they demonstrate your ability to structure coherent arguments and vary sentence length.

In the WJEC A-Level French specification, conjunctions are assessed across all four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. You will encounter them in authentic texts and audio, and you must use them accurately in your own production. Misusing conjunctions can lead to ambiguity or grammatical errors, such as incorrect verb placement after 'que' or confusion between 'parce que' and 'car'. Mastering conjunctions also supports your understanding of complex sentences, which is key to accessing the highest grades.

This topic builds on your GCSE knowledge of basic connectors and extends it to include more sophisticated structures like 'bien que' + subjunctive, 'à condition que' + subjunctive, and 'après que' + indicative. By the end of AS, you should be able to use a range of conjunctions to express cause, consequence, opposition, condition, and time, making your French more natural and nuanced.

• →Coordinating conjunctions: 'et' (and), 'mais' (but), 'ou' (or), 'donc' (so), 'car' (because/for), 'ni...ni' (neither...nor). These join words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal grammatical rank.
• →Subordinating conjunctions: introduce dependent clauses and affect verb mood. Common ones include 'parce que' (because), 'quand' (when), 'si' (if), 'bien que' (although) + subjunctive, 'pour que' (so that) + subjunctive, 'avant que' (before) + subjunctive.
• →Verb mood after conjunctions: some conjunctions require the subjunctive (e.g., 'bien que', 'pour que', 'à condition que'), while others take the indicative (e.g., 'parce que', 'quand', 'après que'). 'Si' is followed by the indicative in the condition clause and the conditional in the result clause.
• →Position of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions usually sit between the elements they connect. Subordinating conjunctions introduce the dependent clause, which can come before or after the main clause (e.g., 'Quand il pleut, je reste chez moi' or 'Je reste chez moi quand il pleut').
• →Avoiding repetition: vary your conjunctions to avoid overusing 'et' or 'mais'. Use 'cependant', 'pourtant', 'néanmoins' for contrast; 'ainsi', 'c'est pourquoi' for consequence; 'en effet', 'effectivement' for explanation.

• Award credit for correct use of coordinating conjunctions to link equal elements within a sentence without changing word order.
• Award credit for appropriate selection of subordinating conjunctions and correct verb mood (indicative for que, quand, si; subjunctive for bien que, pour que, avant que).
• Award credit for demonstrating understanding of conjunctions requiring the infinitive when the subject is the same (e.g., avant de, pour).
• Award credit for accurate punctuation and clause structure when using conjunctions, including comma usage with complex sentences.

• 💡In writing tasks, deliberately include a range of conjunctions to show complexity, but ensure the verb mood is correct; examiners look for subjunctive triggers.
• 💡For gap-fill exercises, check whether the clause that follows uses the indicative or subjunctive before selecting the conjunction.
• 💡When proofreading, verify that conjunctions like 'pour que' and 'afin que' are followed by the subjunctive, and that 'pour' and 'avant de' are followed by the infinitive if the subject is unchanged.
• 💡To impress examiners, use a variety of subordinating conjunctions in your writing and speaking. For example, instead of always using 'parce que', try 'étant donné que' (given that) or 'vu que' (seeing as) for a more sophisticated register.
• 💡Pay attention to word order after conjunctions: in French, the subject usually comes after the conjunction in a dependent clause (e.g., 'Quand il vient...'), but after 'peut-être que' the word order is normal. Also, after 'si' in a conditional clause, use the present tense, not the future (e.g., 'Si tu viens, je serai content' – not 'Si tu viendras').
• 💡In the speaking exam, use conjunctions to buy thinking time and structure your response. For example, start with 'D'une part... d'autre part' (on the one hand... on the other hand) to present balanced arguments, or 'En ce qui concerne' (regarding) to introduce a new point.

• Confusing 'car' and 'parce que': using 'car' interchangeably with 'parce que' without recognizing that 'car' cannot begin a sentence.
• Using the indicative after conjunctions that require the subjunctive (e.g., 'bien qu'il est' instead of 'bien qu'il soit').
• Omitting the 'ne' in 'avant que' constructions when it is required for the ne explétif (e.g., 'avant qu'il parte' missing the optional but common 'ne').
• Failing to adjust verb mood after 'si' clauses: students often incorrectly use the conditional after 'si' in the present/future condition.
• Confusing 'parce que' and 'car': both mean 'because', but 'car' is more formal and often used in written French to give a reason already known to the listener. 'Parce que' is used in both speech and writing to introduce a new reason. Incorrect: 'Je suis fatigué car j'ai beaucoup travaillé' (should be 'parce que' if the reason is new).
• Using the subjunctive after 'après que': many students incorrectly use the subjunctive after 'après que', but it requires the indicative because the action is certain. Correct: 'Après qu'il a fini, il est parti' (indicative). The subjunctive is used after 'avant que' (before).
• Forgetting to use the subjunctive after 'bien que': 'bien que' always triggers the subjunctive. Incorrect: 'Bien qu'il est riche' → Correct: 'Bien qu'il soit riche'.