Opinions with reasons: parce que and qualifiers
'J'aime le sport' scores little. 'J'aime assez le sport parce que c'est relaxant, mais je déteste la natation' shows range, opinion and connectives.
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Express and develop ideas clearly and with increasing accuracy, both orally and in writing
Key learning points
- • The core pattern
- • Qualifiers change the grade
- • Contrast with mais and par contre
- • Justifying in the past and future
This lesson at a glance
- 30 minutes
- 24 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 24
Visual introductionPicture this
Opinions with reasons: parce que and qualifiers
'J'aime le sport' scores little. 'J'aime assez le sport parce que c'est relaxant, mais je déteste la natation' shows range, opinion and connectives.
In a nutshell
Express and develop ideas clearly and with increasing accuracy, both orally and in writing
What you already know
Part 2 of 24
Before we start
What you already know
You should already know present-tense -er verbs and basic opinion phrases such as j'aime and je n'aime pas.
Key words
Part 3 of 24
Key words
Words you'll need today
- parce que
- because — introduces your reason
- assez / vraiment
- quite / really — qualifiers that add nuance
- à mon avis
- in my opinion
- par contre
- on the other hand
- ennuyeux / passionnant
- boring / exciting
Reset break
Part 4 of 24
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 6 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 5 of 24
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Opinion plus reason
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 6 of 24
Learn
The core pattern
Opinion verb + noun + parce que + c'est + adjective. J'adore l'histoire parce que c'est fascinant. Keep the definite article after opinion verbs: j'aime le français, not j'aime français.
Explore the idea
Part 7 of 24
Learn
Qualifiers change the grade
Insert assez, vraiment, un peu or ne … pas du tout to move away from flat statements: je n'aime pas du tout les maths; j'aime vraiment la musique. These are cheap words that raise the level of every sentence you write.
Reset break
Part 8 of 24
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 6 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 9 of 24
Quick check
Part 10 of 24
Learning cycle
Part 11 of 24
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Adding contrast and range
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Reset break
Part 12 of 24
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 6 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 13 of 24
Learn
Contrast with mais and par contre
Two opposing opinions in one sentence show control. J'aime le sport, mais par contre je déteste courir sous la pluie. Examiners reward development, and contrast is the easiest way to develop an idea honestly.
Explore the idea
Part 14 of 24
Learn
Justifying in the past and future
Stretch further by anchoring the opinion in time: hier c'était nul; le week-end prochain ça va être génial. Even one clause in another tense lifts a paragraph out of the present.
Quick check
Part 15 of 24
Reset break
Part 16 of 24
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 6 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 17 of 24
Common mix-ups
Part 18 of 24
Common mix-ups
Things people often get wrong
- Drop the article and the sentence breaks: j'aime le sport, never j'aime sport.
- C'est is followed by a masculine singular adjective: c'est intéressant, not c'est intéressante.
- Parce que becomes parce qu' before a vowel: parce qu'il est drôle.
Challenge round
Part 19 of 24
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Reset break
Part 20 of 24
Pause
That's sitting 5 of 6 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 21 of 24
Game · Recall cards
Which is correct?
Card 1 of 4
Exit quiz
Part 22 of 24
Exit quiz
Show what you've learned
6 questions, marked together at the end. Nothing is timed.
1. 'à mon avis' means...
2. 'ennuyeux' means...
3. Best developed answer?
4. 'c'est' is followed by...
5. 'ne ... pas du tout' means...
6. Which lifts your work most?
Mastery quiz
Part 23 of 24
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Opinions with reasons: parce que and qualifiers
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Which is correct?
2. 'I quite like PE' is...
3. Which adds contrast?
4. Correct form before a vowel?
Lesson round-up
Part 24 of 24
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
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Points this lesson
0
Best run
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Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 24 · Watch & discover