Grammar – AS Level: Other Constructions — WJEC A-Level French

This topic covers advanced grammatical structures in French that go beyond basic sentence construction, including the subjunctive mood, the passive voice, and the use of infinitive constructions. Mastery of these forms is essential for achieving high marks in A-Level French, as they allow you to express nuance, formality, and complex ideas accurately. These constructions frequently appear in reading comprehension, translation, and writing tasks, and they are a key differentiator between a B and an A grade.

The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, emotion, necessity, or subjectivity, and it often follows specific triggers like 'il faut que' or 'bien que'. The passive voice shifts the focus from the subject performing an action to the action itself, and it is formed with 'être' plus the past participle. Infinitive constructions, such as 'avant de' + infinitive or 'après avoir' + past participle, allow you to link actions concisely. Understanding when and how to use these structures will significantly enhance your written and spoken French.

In the WJEC A-Level exam, these constructions are tested across all four skills: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. For example, you might need to identify the subjunctive in a listening passage, use the passive voice in a translation, or incorporate infinitive phrases in your essay. This topic builds on your knowledge of verb tenses and sentence structure, and it is crucial for achieving the precision and sophistication expected at A-Level.

• →The subjunctive mood: used after expressions of doubt (e.g., 'je doute que'), emotion (e.g., 'je suis content que'), necessity (e.g., 'il faut que'), and certain conjunctions (e.g., 'bien que', 'pour que'). The present subjunctive is formed by taking the third person plural of the present tense, dropping '-ent', and adding the endings -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
• →The passive voice: formed with the verb 'être' in the appropriate tense + past participle, which agrees with the subject in number and gender. The agent is introduced by 'par' (or 'de' with certain verbs like 'aimer'). Example: 'Le livre est lu par Marie.'
• →Infinitive constructions: 'avant de' + infinitive (before doing), 'après avoir/être' + past participle (after having done), 'pour' + infinitive (in order to), 'sans' + infinitive (without doing). These are used to avoid subordinate clauses and make sentences more concise.
• →The use of 'devoir', 'pouvoir', 'vouloir' + infinitive to express obligation, possibility, and desire. These modal verbs are often tested in translation and writing tasks.

• Award credit for accurate formation and use of the subjunctive after conjunctions such as 'bien que' and 'pour que'.
• Require correct construction of conditional sentences (si clauses) with appropriate sequence of tenses, e.g., si + imperfect → conditional.
• Examiners expect effective use of impersonal verbs (il faut, il est possible que) to express necessity or possibility, with correct mood selection.
• Assessors look for appropriate and varied use of relative pronouns including 'dont' and 'lequel' to connect clauses accurately.

• 💡When revising, create a table of conjunctions that always take the subjunctive versus those taking indicative, and practice with contrasting examples.
• 💡In the speaking exam, deliberately incorporate at least one subjunctive expression (e.g., 'bien que ce soit difficile') to demonstrate grammatical range.
• 💡For written tasks, check every conditional sentence: ensure the si clause uses the correct tense (present, imperfect, or pluperfect) and the main clause matches.
• 💡Avoid anglicisms by steering clear of direct translations of passive voice; instead use structures like 'on' + verb or reflexive verbs to express similar meaning.
• 💡In the translation task, look for opportunities to use the subjunctive or passive voice to demonstrate range. For example, if the English sentence contains 'although', use 'bien que' + subjunctive. This shows the examiner you can apply complex grammar naturally.
• 💡For the essay, vary your sentence structures by using infinitive constructions like 'avant de conclure' or 'après avoir analysé'. This improves the flow and sophistication of your writing. Avoid starting every sentence with a subject; use these phrases to link ideas.
• 💡When listening or reading, train yourself to spot subjunctive triggers (e.g., 'il faut', 'bien que', 'pour que') and passive forms (e.g., 'est fait', 'sont vendus'). This will help you answer comprehension questions accurately and avoid misinterpretation.

• Confusing indicative and subjunctive after conjunctions that can take either depending on meaning (e.g., 'après que' + indicative vs 'avant que' + subjunctive).
• Incorrect sequence of tenses in conditional sentences, such as using conditional in both clauses or misplacing tense in the si clause.
• Misusing 'c'est' vs 'il est' in impersonal constructions; 'c'est' for a noun or modified noun, 'il est' for an adjective alone.
• Overusing passive voice when the active is more natural in French; often a reflexive verb or 'on' construction is preferred.
• Students often think the subjunctive is only used after 'il faut que', but it is also required after many other expressions like 'bien que' (although), 'pour que' (so that), and 'avant que' (before). For example, 'Bien qu'il soit tard' is correct, not 'Bien qu'il est tard'.
• A common mistake with the passive voice is forgetting to make the past participle agree with the subject. For example, 'Les lettres sont écrites' (not 'écrit') because 'lettres' is feminine plural. Also, students often overuse the passive in French, whereas it is less common than in English; the active voice or 'on' is often preferred.
• When using 'après avoir' + past participle, students sometimes forget that the past participle must agree with a preceding direct object. For example, 'Après avoir mangé les pommes' is correct, but if the object is placed before, it becomes 'Les pommes que j'ai mangées' (agreement).