Bilan 3 : Agir dans la communauté
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Combine directions, leisure and weather, health, and school-and-work language from Chapters 11–14 in a single connected task.
- Ask for and give directions using the appropriate tu- or vous-form imperative and y, recycled from Chapter 11.
- State the weather and a related near-future plan using on and aller + infinitive, recycled from Chapter 12.
- Describe a fictional minor symptom and give simple advice using devoir, pouvoir, and il faut, recycled from Chapter 13.
- Use lui or leur, a comparison, and a relative clause with qui, que, or où, recycled from Chapter 14.
- Understand extended spoken and written texts that combine these four communicative domains in present time and the near future.
- Produce a connected spoken and written performance that draws on Unit III as a whole.
- Apply accurate pronunciation, liaison, enchaînement, and spelling across all four domains.
Communication Scenario
Léa helps Marc, a new exchange student, find his way around the neighborhood. Together they talk about weekend weather and plans, Marc mentions a fictional minor symptom, and Léa describes her upcoming internship. This chapter introduces no new grammar. It brings together everything you learned across Chapters 11 through 14, entirely in present time and the near future, so that you can act, in French, across several everyday situations in the community.
- Give and follow directions around a neighborhood.
- State the weather and a related near-future plan.
- Talk about a fictional minor symptom and give simple advice.
- Compare two things and connect ideas about school and work.
All health situations in this chapter are fictional language practice, not medical advice. Learners should not describe private real-world health information. No French sentence in this chapter recommends a pharmacy or hospital based only on which one is closer.
Cumulative Vocabulary Review
This chapter introduces no new productive vocabulary or grammar. The tables below organize high-value vocabulary from Chapters 11–14 by communicative domain so that you can review and combine it. A few additional words may appear in the reading or listening passages for receptive recognition only; they are not required for production and their meaning is supported by context.
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| tout droit | straight ahead | fixed expression |
| à gauche / à droite | to the left / to the right | direction phrases |
| tournez, continuez, prenez | turn, continue, take | vous-form imperatives |
| y | there | replaces a place introduced with à, placed before the verb |
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| on | we, one, people | frequent spoken subject pronoun; recycled from Chapter 12 |
| aller + infinitif | going to (do something) | near future |
| il fait beau / il pleut | the weather is nice / it's raining | impersonal weather expressions, present time |
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| avoir mal à | to have a pain in | followed by a body part with the definite article |
| devoir, pouvoir | must/should, can/to be able to | modal verbs followed by an infinitive |
| il faut | it is necessary to | impersonal expression of necessity, followed directly by an infinitive |
| French | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| lui / leur | to him or her / to them | indirect object pronouns, placed before the verb |
| plus/moins/aussi... que | more/less/as... as | comparative structures; followed by que when the second term of the comparison is stated |
| qui, que, où | who/that, that/which, where | relative pronouns introducing a genuine relative clause |
No vocabulary or grammar in this chapter goes beyond Chapters 1–14.
Pronunciation Review
This chapter reviews connected-speech features already introduced in Chapters 11–14. No new pronunciation rule is presented here.
- vous allez — liaison: the normally silent -s of vous is pronounced [z] before the vowel-initial verb.
- on a — liaison: the normally silent final consonant of on is pronounced before the vowel-initial verb a.
- plus intéressant — liaison: the final -s of plus links as [z] to the vowel-initial adjective.
- avec une amie — enchaînement: the already-pronounced final consonant of avec links smoothly onto the following vowel, with no added sound.
- l'après-midi and j'ai — elision: the vowel of le/la and je is replaced by an apostrophe before a vowel-initial word.
Practice drill: Read each pair aloud, and identify whether it shows liaison, enchaînement, or elision.
- on a mal
- avec une collègue
- j'ai mal à la tête
- vous allez tout droit
Language Review: Unit III Systems
Purpose: combine directions, weather and plans, health and advice, and comparisons and relative clauses in connected communication. This chapter introduces no new grammar system; it recycles and integrates Chapters 11–14, entirely in present time and the near future.
15.1 Directions and y
Recall from Chapter 11 that direction-giving relies on the vous-form imperative and on y, which replaces a place already introduced with à and is placed before the conjugated verb.
- Vous allez à la pharmacie ? Continuez tout droit, puis tournez à gauche. On y va ensemble. Are you going to the pharmacy? Continue straight ahead, then turn left. We're going there together.
15.2 Weather and near-future plans
Recall from Chapter 12 that on is a frequent spoken subject pronoun for "we," that aller + infinitive expresses the near future, and that weather is described with impersonal il expressions. A weather statement and a plan are presented as two separate present-time sentences, not as a conditional clause.
- Il fait beau samedi. On va faire une promenade au parc. The weather is nice Saturday. We're going to take a walk in the park.
- Il pleut dimanche. On va rester à la maison. It's raining Sunday. We're going to stay home.
15.3 Fictional symptoms, necessity, and advice
Recall from Chapter 13 that avoir mal à describes a symptom, and that devoir, pouvoir, and il faut express necessity, ability, and advice, each followed directly by an infinitive. All symptoms practiced in this chapter are fictional.
- Marc a mal à la tête. Il faut se reposer. Il peut aussi boire de l'eau. Marc has a headache. He needs to rest. He can also drink water.
15.4 Indirect objects, comparison, and relative clauses
Model Dialogue: Une journée dans le quartier
Context: Léa helps Marc, a new exchange student, find his way, talk about the weekend weather, and mention a fictional minor symptom.
This dialogue combines directions and y (Chapter 11), weather and a near-future plan (Chapter 12), a fictional symptom and advice (Chapter 13), and a comparison, a relative clause, and lui (Chapter 14), entirely in present time and the near future.
Listening Practice
If no audio recording is available, ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the lines below aloud, or read them aloud to yourself slowly.
Listen to the announcement once or twice before revealing the written script below. A partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool should read the French text aloud while the script stays hidden.
Reveal script (after listening)
- How do you get to the internship office from the library?
- What is the plan for Saturday, and what is the plan for Sunday?
- What advice does the announcement give for a headache?
- What is going to happen on Monday?
Speaking Practice
All health situations in this section are fictional language practice. Do not describe private real-world health information.
Pratique contrôlée — Controlled practice
In turn, produce one sentence for each of the four domains: a direction, a present-time weather statement with a near-future plan, a fictional symptom with advice, and a comparison or relative clause.
Tâche communicative — Communicative task
With a partner, role-play a fictional conversation that includes: (1) asking for and giving directions; (2) saying what the weather is like; (3) stating a near-future plan; (4) mentioning one fictional minor symptom; (5) giving one piece of advice; (6) comparing two places, courses, jobs, or activities; and (7) using one relative clause.
Pratique individuelle — Solo alternative
Record yourself presenting the same fictional scenario as one connected message: give directions to a place in your town, state the weather and a near-future plan, mention a fictional minor symptom with advice, and finish with a comparison or a relative clause about school or work.
Reading Practice
Un message de Léa à sa famille — A message from Léa to her family
Chers tous, Mes études vont bien. J'ai un professeur qui explique très bien l'histoire. Mon cours d'histoire est plus intéressant que mon cours de commerce. Je commence bientôt un stage dans une entreprise où on parle français. Marc est un nouvel étudiant. Il cherche la bibliothèque, alors je lui dis : « Continue tout droit, puis tourne à gauche. » La bibliothèque est près du parc, et on y va ensemble. Il fait beau samedi, alors on va faire une promenade. Marc a mal à la tête ; il faut se reposer. À bientôt !
Tâche de lecture — Reading task:
- How does Léa describe her history class compared to her business class?
- Where is Léa going to begin an internship soon?
- Who is Marc, and what directions does Léa give him?
- What is the weekend plan, and what is Marc's fictional symptom?
Writing Workshop
Complete the following fictional writing task. This workshop reviews and combines the writing skills of Chapters 11–14, entirely in present time and the near future; it does not require any new grammar or vocabulary.
Tâche — Connected fictional message: Write a connected six-to-eight-sentence fictional message about a day in the community.
Your message must include:
- one greeting;
- one direction sequence and one accurate use of y;
- one present-time weather statement;
- one near-future plan using on va;
- one fictional minor symptom;
- one advice sentence using il faut, devoir, or pouvoir;
- one comparison;
- one relative clause using qui, que, or où;
- one sentence using lui or leur;
- and one closing.
- List your ideas. Choose a place for directions, a weekend plan, a fictional symptom, and two things to compare.
- Organize your message. Move from greeting, to studies or plans, to the fictional symptom, to a closing.
- Draft your message. Ensure that every required category above appears somewhere in your message. Combine compatible elements within the same sentence where appropriate.
- Read your message aloud once. Listen for liaison, enchaînement, and elision as reviewed above.
- Check your grammar. Confirm imperative forms, y, on, devoir/pouvoir/il faut, lui/leur, the comparison, and the relative clause are used correctly.
Liste de révision — Editing checklist:
- The message includes one direction sequence and one accurate use of y.
- The message includes a present-time weather statement and a near-future plan.
- The message includes a fictional minor symptom with advice using il faut, devoir, or pouvoir.
- The message includes one comparison and one genuine relative clause.
- Every lui or leur has a clear antecedent.
- Adjectives agree correctly with the nouns they describe.
- No past tense appears anywhere in the message.
- No conditional si clause appears anywhere in the message.
- All health content is fictional.
- Accents, apostrophes, and punctuation are accurate throughout.
- The message contains only Chapters 1–14 vocabulary and grammar.
Culture and Communication
Helping a new arrival find their way, discussing weekend weather plans together, and offering simple, general well-being advice are ordinary parts of community life in many Francophone settings, just as they are elsewhere. University communities in particular often build informal support networks among students, including exchange students who are new to a country or a city. These practices vary by institution, region, and personal circumstance.
Across Chapters 11 to 14, you encountered receptive notes on regional differences in vocabulary for places, weather expressions, health-related terms, and school or work vocabulary, such as le cégep in Quebec. This chapter does not add new regional forms; it reminds you that the productive language you have used remains the broadly understood core model, while recognizing that Francophone communities vary in vocabulary and expression.
Common Mistakes
Less natural: On va à la bibliothèque. La bibliothèque est près du parc. Repeating the noun phrase this way is grammatically correct, but it sounds repetitive in connected speech.
More natural: When you want to avoid repeating a place phrase introduced with à, you can replace it with y: On va à la bibliothèque. On y va ensemble. Using y is a stylistic choice for cohesion, not a strict requirement.
Error: Writing Tu dois de te reposer, inserting an unnecessary preposition after devoir.
Correction: Devoir is followed directly by an infinitive, with no preposition: Tu dois te reposer. Il faut + infinitive (il faut te reposer) and subject + devoir + infinitive (tu dois te reposer) are two separate, equally correct structures.
Error: Writing la bibliothèque est plus calme le bureau des stages when writing quickly, modeled on English.
Correction: When the second term of the comparison is stated, French requires que: la bibliothèque est plus calme que le bureau des stages.
Chapter Review
Partie A — Compréhension (Comprehension)
1. Return to the Model Dialogue, and answer these short questions.
- What directions does Léa give Marc to the library?
- What advice does Léa give when Marc says he has a headache?
Partie B — Écriture (Writing)
1. Complete the sentence with the correct word: Le parc est près d'ici. On ______ va pour faire une promenade. (there)
2. Complete the sentence with the correct relative pronoun: C'est le parc ______ on va faire une promenade.
Partie C — Lecture (Reading)
1. Return to "Un message de Léa à sa famille," and copy one example each of: a direction or use of y; a weather statement linked to a plan; a fictional health expression; and a genuine relative clause.
Partie D — Oral (Speaking)
1. With a partner, act out a short fictional conversation that includes directions, a weather statement with a near-future plan, a fictional symptom with advice, and a comparison or relative clause.
Practical Performance Task
Chapter 15 Practical Check — Unit III Integrated Assessment
Bilan 3 : Agir dans la communauté — A Connected Fictional Scenario
This assessment uses only material introduced through Chapter 14. Complete the spoken and written components below.
Spoken component
With a partner, or alone as a recorded solo performance, produce a short fictional interaction that includes: directions; a weather statement; a near-future plan; a fictional health complaint and one piece of advice; and one comparison or relative clause.
Written component
Write a six-to-eight-sentence fictional message that includes: one direction sequence and one accurate use of y; one weather statement; one near-future plan; one fictional symptom; one advice structure; one comparison; one relative clause; and one sentence with lui or leur with a clear antecedent.
| Criterion | What is assessed |
|---|---|
| Directions and y | The learner gives or understands a direction sequence and uses y accurately for a previously named place. |
| Weather and near-future plan | The learner states the weather in present time and connects it to a plan using on va + infinitive. |
| Fictional health expression and advice | The learner describes one fictional minor symptom with avoir mal à and gives one accurate advice sentence with il faut, devoir, or pouvoir. |
| Comparison | The learner forms one complete comparison with plus/moins/aussi... que. |
| Relative clause | The learner forms one genuine relative clause with qui, que, or où. |
| Lui or leur | The learner uses one accurate lui or leur sentence with a clear antecedent. |
| Written task completeness | The written message includes all required elements within six to eight sentences. |
| Oral intelligibility | The spoken performance is intelligible, with reasonable control of liaison, enchaînement, and elision. |
This chapter introduces no new productive grammar, pronunciation, orthography, vocabulary domain, register, or skill system. It assesses only material introduced through Chapter 14. All health content is fictional language practice, not medical advice.
Answer Key
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Léa tells Marc to continue straight ahead, then turn left after the bank, and describes the library as the building with a big blue door.
- Léa tells Marc he needs to rest and drink water, and that he can also go to the pharmacy.
Chapter Review Part A
- Continue straight ahead, then turn left after the bank; the library is the building with a big blue door.
- Rest, drink water, and optionally go to the pharmacy.
Chapter Review Part B
- y
- où
Chapter Review Part C
- Direction or y: La bibliothèque est près du parc, et on y va ensemble.
- Weather linked to a plan: Il fait beau samedi, alors on va faire une promenade.
- Health expression: Marc a mal à la tête ; il faut se reposer.
- Relative clause: J'ai un professeur qui explique très bien l'histoire. (Also acceptable: une entreprise où on parle français.)
Chapter Review Part D
Answers will vary. A successful performance includes directions, a weather statement with a near-future plan, a fictional symptom with advice, and a comparison or relative clause, all in present time or the near future.
Listening
- Continue straight ahead, then turn right; the internship office is the small building where students ask questions about work.
- Saturday: the weather is nice, and there is a walk in the park. Sunday: it rains, and everyone stays home.
- Rest and drink water.
- The director is going to explain the classes and internships.
Reading
- Léa says her history class is more interesting than her business class.
- Léa is going to begin an internship soon at a company where French is spoken.
- Marc is a new student who is looking for the library; Léa tells him to continue straight ahead, then turn left.
- The weekend plan is a walk in the park on Saturday, since the weather is nice; Marc's fictional symptom is a headache, and he needs to rest.
Writing Workshop
Answers will vary. A complete model response:
Chère Sophie, Je vais bien. Il fait beau samedi, alors on va faire une promenade dans le parc qui est près de chez moi. Pour aller au parc, tu continues tout droit, puis tu tournes à droite ; on y va ensemble. Mon amie a mal à la gorge aujourd'hui ; il faut se reposer et boire de l'eau. Mon cours de français est plus intéressant que mon cours de mathématiques. Je vais lui écrire bientôt pour organiser le week-end. À bientôt !
(Dear Sophie, I'm doing well. The weather is nice Saturday, so we're going to take a walk in the park that's near my place. To get to the park, you continue straight ahead, then turn right; we're going there together. My friend has a sore throat today; she needs to rest and drink water. My French class is more interesting than my math class. I'm going to write to her soon to organize the weekend. See you soon!)
Practical Performance Task
Answers will vary. Evaluate using the rubric above. A response meets expectations when it includes all required elements, keeps every symptom fictional, gives every lui or leur a clear antecedent, and uses only Chapters 1–14 vocabulary and grammar.
Looking Ahead
Ce que vous savez déjà faire — What you can do now
You can give and follow directions, state the weather and a related near-future plan, describe a fictional minor symptom and give simple advice, and compare people and things while connecting ideas with a relative clause. You have combined all of Unit III, Dans la communauté, into a single connected performance. This completes Unit III.