college essay in french

How to Write an Excellent French Essay (Resources Included)

Tips to write an excellent french essay.

Writing essays is challenging enough, but when you are asked to write a French essay, you are not only being asked to write in a foreign language, but to follow the conventions of another linguistic and literary tradition. Like essay-writing in any language, the essential part of writing a French essay is to convey your thoughts and observations on a certain topic in a clear and concise manner. French essays do come out of a certain tradition that is part of the training of all students who attend school in France – or at least secondary school – and when you are a French essay, it is important to be aware of this tradition.

The French philosopher Michel de Montaigne is credited with popularizing the essay form as a literary genre. His work, Essais, first published in 1580, and undergoing several subsequent publications before his death in 1592, covers a wide breadth of topics, ranging from “amitié” to “philosopher c’est apprendre à mourir”, and includes many literary references, as well as personal anecdotes. The name for this genre, essai, is the nominal form of the verb essayer, “to attempt”. We have an archaic English verb essay, meaning the same thing. The limerick that includes the phrase, “... when she essayed to drink lemonade ...” indicates an attempt to drink a beverage and has nothing to do with writing about it. But the writing form does illustrate an attempt to describe a topic in depth with the purpose of developing new insights on a particular text or corpus.

French instructors are very specific about what they would like when they ask for an essay, meaning that they will probably specify whether they would like an explication de texte, commentaire composé, or dissertation. That last essay form should not be confused with the document completed for a doctorate in anglophone countries – this is called a thèse in French, by the way. There are different formats for each of these types of essay, and different objectives for each written form.

Types of Essay

1. l’explication de texte.

An explication de texte is a type of essay for which you complete a close reading. It is usually written about a poem or a short passage within a larger work. This close reading will elucidate different themes and stylistic devices within the text. When you are completing an explication de texte, make sure to follow the structure of the text as you complete a close examination of its form and content. The format for an explication de texte consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you situate the text within its genre and historical context. This is where you can point out to your readers the general themes of the text, its form, the trajectory of your reading, and your approach to the text.

ii. The body, in which you develop your ideas, following the structure of the text. Make sure you know all of the meanings of the words used, especially the key terms that point to the themes addressed by the author. It is a good idea to look words up in the dictionary to find out any second, third, and fourth meanings that could add to the themes and forms you describe. Like a student taking an oral examination based on this type of essay writing, you will be expected to have solid knowledge of the vocabulary and grammatical structures that appear in the text. Often the significance of the language used unfolds as you explain the different components of theme, style, and composition.

iii. A conclusion, in which you sum up the general meaning of the text and the significance of the figures and forms being used. You should also give the implications of what is being addressed, and the relevance of these within a larger literary, historical, or philosophical context.

NB: If you are writing about a poem, include observations on the verse, rhyme schemes, and meter. It is a good idea to refer to a reference work on versification. If you are writing about a philosophical work, be familiar with philosophical references and definitions of concepts.

Caveat: Refrain from paraphrasing. Instead show through careful analysis of theme, style, and composition the way in which the main ideas of the text are conveyed.

2. Le commentaire composé

A commentaire composé is a methodologically codified commentary that focuses on themes in a particular text. This type of essay develops different areas of reflection through analytical argument. Such argumentation should clarify the reading that you are approaching by presenting components of the text from different perspectives. In contrast to the explication de texte, it is organized thematically rather than following the structure of the text to which it refers. The format for a commentaire composé consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the question you have come up with, often in relation to a prompt commenting on a thematic or stylistic aspect of the text, such as “Montrez en quoi ce texte évoque l’amour courtois” or “Qu’apporte l’absence de la ponctuation dans ce texte ?” In this section, you will be expected to delineate your approach to the text and illustrate the trajectory of your ideas so that your readers will have a clear idea of the direction these ideas will take.

ii. A tripartite body, in which you explore the question you have come up with, citing specific examples in the text that are especially pertinent to the areas of reflection you wish to explore. These citations should be explained and connected to the broad themes of your commentary, all the while providing details that draw the readers’ attention to your areas of inquiry. These different areas of inquiry may initially seem disparate or even contradictory, but eventually come together to form a harmonious reading that addresses different aspects of the text. The more obvious characteristics of the text should illuminate its subtler aspects, which allows for acute insight into the question that you are in the process of exploring.

iii. A conclusion, in which you evaluate your reading and synthesize its different areas of inquiry. This is where you may include your own opinions, but make sure that the preceding sections of your commentaire remain analytical and supported by evidence that you find in the text.

NB: Looking at verb tenses, figures of speech, and other aspects that contribute to the form of the text will help situate your reader, as will commenting on the register of language, whether this language is ornate, plain, reflects a style soutenu, or less formal patterns of speech.

Caveat: Quotations do not replace observations or comments on the text. Explain your quotations and situate them well within your own text.

3. La dissertation

The dissertation is a personal, organized, and methodical reflection on a precise question that refers to a corpus of writing. Referring to this corpus, you may be asked questions along the lines of “Que pensez-vous de l’équivalence entre l’amour et la chanson exprimée dans ces textes ?” or “Est-ce que la sagesse et la folie ont les mêmes sources?” This type of essay allows for an exploration of a question through knowledge of a corpus as well as through an individual’s cultural knowledge. The format for a dissertation consists of:

i. An introduction, in which you present the topic addressed, the significance of your argument, and the trajectory of your ideas.

ii. The body which, like a commentaire composé, consists of a tripartite development of your argument. This can follow any one of the following structures: a dialectical schema, organized into thèse, antithèse, and synthèse – an argument, its counter-argument, and its rebuttal; an analytical schema, consisting of the description of a situation, an analysis of its causes, and commentary on its consequences; a thematic schema, which consists of a reflection on a topic which you proceed to examine from different angles in an orderly fashion.

iii. A conclusion, in which you address the different ways in which you have approached the question at hand and how this deepens your insights, while placing the question within a broader context that shows room for expansion. The conclusion can open up the topic addressed to show its placement within a literary movement, or in opposition to another literary movement that follows it, for example.

NB: Approach the question at hand with as few preconceptions as possible. If you are writing on a quotation, gather all of your knowledge about its author, the work in which it appears, and the body of literature with which it is associated.

Caveat: Even for a personal reflection, such as a dissertation, avoid using the first person pronoun je. Nous or on are preferable. It is advisable not to switch from one to the other, though.

For each of these essay forms, it is a good idea to make an outline to which you can refer as you write. As your writing progresses, things may shift a bit, but having a structure on which you can rely as you gather your various ideas and information into a coherent argument provides solid foundation for a clear and well-developed essay. This also facilitates smooth transitions from one section of your essay to the next.

During your reading, you may encounter a problem, a contradiction, or a surprising turn of phrase that is difficult to figure out. Such moments in a text give you the opportunity to delve into the unique characteristics of the text or corpus to which you are referring, to propose different solutions to the problems you encounter, and to describe their significance within a larger literary, philosophical, and historical context. Essay writing allows you to become more familiar with French works, with their cultural significance, and with the French language. You can refer to the following resources to guide you in this endeavor:

Auffret, Serge et Hélène. Le commentaire composé. Paris: Hachette, 1991. Dufau, Micheline et Ellen D'Alelio. Découverte du poème: Introduction à l'explication de textes. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1967. Grammont, Maurice. Petit traité de versification française. Paris: A. Colin, 2015. Huisman, Denis et L. R. Plazolles. L’art de la dissertation littéraire : du baccalauréat au C.A.P.E.S. Paris : Société d’édition d’enseignement supérieur, 1965.

The French newspaper Le Monde also has good articles on these essay forms that prepare French students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

This is also a website with thorough information on essay writing techniques that prepare students for the baccalauréat exam: CLICK HERE

In addition, the University of Adelaide has tips for general essay writing in French: CLICK HERE

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Write an essay in French

Beyond the fact that writing an essay in French can be a good practice to improve your writing, you may also be asked to write one during your schooling. So, it is important to study the topic of French essay writing and get some useful tips..

» Tips and tricks for your French essay » The structure of a French essay » Sample French Essay

Tips and tricks for your French essay

When writing a French essay for school, you should always use a structured approach and good French skills to present your arguments in a focused way. Beyond French skills, there are also important formal requirements for a successful French essay. We will come back to this in detail later. First, you will find some useful tips and tricks that will help you write more compelling and better French essays in the future.

• Have a clear thesis and structure
• Do sufficient research and use reliable sources
• Use examples and arguments to support your thesis
• Avoid plagiarism and cite correctly
• Always check structure, grammar and spelling

When you write your essay at school or university, you need to make sure that the general structure of your essay, the presentation of the arguments and, above all, your French language skills play a role in the mark you will get. This is why you should definitely take a closer look at the structure of an essay as well as the most important grammar rules and formulations for French essays.

The structure of a French essay

In an essay, you deal at length and in detail with a usually given topic. When you write an essay in French, you must follow a certain structure. Below we show you what this structure looks like and give you some tips for writing the most important parts of your essay.

The Introduction

The introduction prepares the main body of your essay. You think of a meaningful title for your essay, you describe your thesis or your question, you give general information on the subject and you prepare your argument by giving an overview of your most important arguments.

Below are examples and phrases that you can use to write the introduction to your essay in French.

The title should be meaningful, concise and reflect the content of the essay.

Introductory paragraph

The first paragraph of your French essay should briefly introduce the topic and engage the reader. Here are some examples to help you write your essay:

Proposal or question

The central proposition or question of your French essay should be a clear and concise definition of the purpose of the essay. Use these examples to get a clearer idea of ​​how to write theses in French:

Overview of Arguments and Structure

At the end of your introduction, describe the structure of the main part of your essay (your outline) and outline your argument. Here are some French expressions that will certainly help you write your essay:

The body of your essay

The main part of your French essay deals with the given topic in detail. The subject is studied from all angles. The main body of your essay follows a thread of argument and discusses in detail the main arguments of your thesis previously made in the introduction.

In the body of the text, you should discuss the subject of your essay in clear and concise language. To achieve this, we give you some wording aids as well as vocabulary and phrases that you can use to write your essay in French.

Formulation tools:

French vocabulary for essays.

In the conclusion of your French essay, you address the thesis of your essay, summarize the main points of your discussion in the main body, and draw a conclusion. On the basis of the arguments and the resulting conclusions, you formulate in the conclusion of your dissertation final thoughts and suggestions for the future. It is important that you do not add new information or new arguments. This should only be done in the body of your text.

Here are some wording guides to help you write your essay in French:

Sample French Essay

Les avantages des voyages linguistiques

Malgré les difficultés potentielles, les voyages linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour leur développement personnel et académique.

Les séjours linguistiques sont des voyages organisés dans le but d'améliorer les compétences linguistiques des participants. Ces voyages peuvent se dérouler dans le pays ou à l'étranger et durer d'un week-end à plusieurs semaines. L'un des principaux avantages des séjours linguistiques est l'immersion. Entourés de locuteurs natifs, les apprenants sont contraints de pratiquer et d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques dans des situations réelles.Il s'agit d'une méthode d'apprentissage beaucoup plus efficace que le simple fait d'étudier une langue dans une salle de classe.

Un autre avantage des séjours linguistiques est l'expérience culturelle. Voyager dans un nouveau pays permet aux apprenants de découvrir de nouvelles coutumes, traditions et modes de vie, et de se familiariser avec l'histoire et la culture du pays. Cela enrichit non seulement l'expérience d'apprentissage de la langue, mais contribue également à élargir les horizons et à accroître la sensibilisation culturelle.

Cependant, les séjours linguistiques peuvent également présenter des inconvénients. Par exemple, le coût du voyage et de l'hébergement peut être élevé, en particulier pour les séjours de longue durée. En outre, les apprenants peuvent être confrontés à la barrière de la langue ou à un choc culturel, ce qui peut être difficile à surmonter. Le coût et les difficultés potentielles des séjours linguistiques peuvent sembler décourageants, mais ils offrent des avantages précieux en termes d'épanouissement personnel et scolaire.

Les compétences linguistiques et les connaissances culturelles acquises peuvent déboucher sur de nouvelles opportunités d'emploi et améliorer la communication dans un cadre professionnel. Les bourses et les aides financières rendent les séjours linguistiques plus accessibles. Le fait d'être confronté à une barrière linguistique ou à un choc culturel peut également être l'occasion d'un développement personnel. Ces avantages l'emportent largement sur les inconvénients et font des séjours linguistiques un investissement qui en vaut la peine.

En conclusion, malgré les difficultés potentielles, les séjours linguistiques offrent aux apprenants une occasion unique d'améliorer leurs compétences linguistiques et de découvrir de nouvelles cultures, ce qui en fait un investissement précieux pour le développement personnel et académique. Qu'il s'agisse d'un débutant ou d'un apprenant avancé, un voyage linguistique est une expérience à ne pas manquer.

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How to Write The Perfect French Essay For Your Exam

November 16, 2014 by Jessica 3 Comments

Here are tips to help you write a great French essay with exam requirements in mind. Once you’re done, I strongly suggest you proofread your text using my checklis t.

Note: if you’re preparing for the French VCE, there is an updated version of these exam tips in my guide  “How to Prepare for the French VCE & Reach your Maximum Score” .

While supervising exams or tutoring for exam preparation, I’ve seen too many students writing straight away on their exam copies. Stop! Resist the urge to jump on your pen and take a step back to make sure that you will be addressing all the exam requirements or you may be shooting yourself in the foot and lose precious points.

I recommend that you train with exam sample questions so that you set up good working habits and respect the required length of the essay, as well as the timing (allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading).

Crafting your French Essay

1. identify the situation: preparation work.

•   Read the topic carefully, slowly and at least twice to absorb every information/detail.
• Underline/highlight/jot down any piece of information that you are expected to reuse:
• What type of text do you need to write? (a journal entry? A formal letter? A speech? Etc). Note to VCE French exam students : refer to page 13 of the VCE French Study Design for more information about the different types of texts.
• Who are you in the situation? (yourself? A journalist? etc)
• Who are you addressing? (a friend? A large audience? Etc) à adjust the degree of formality to the situation (for example by using the “tu”/”vous” form, a casual or formal tone/register, etc)
• What are the characteristic features of the type of text you need to write? (eg a journal entry will have the date, a formal letter will start and end with a formal greeting, etc)
• What is your goal ? What are you expected to talk about / present / defend / convey?
• What are the length requirements for your French essay ? Respect the word count (there’s usually a 5% or so tolerance. Check the requirements specific to your exam)

Tip : when you practice at home, count how many words in average you fit on a line. This will give you a good indication of how many lines your text should be.

Ex: You write an average of 15 words per line. If you are required to write a 300-word French essay, you should aim for:

300 words / 15 words per line = 20 lines total.

2. Draft the outline of your essay

•  An essay typically has an introduction, a body with 2 or 3 distinct parts and a conclusion . (See if that outline is relevant to the type of text you are expected to write and adjust accordingly.)
• Use bullet points to organize your ideas.
• Don’t remain too general. A good rule is to use one main idea for each part and to back it up/reinforce in/illustrate it with one concrete example (eg. data).
• Brainstorming about things to say will also help you use a wider range of vocabulary , which will get noticed by the examiner. Are there some interesting/specific words or expressions that you can think of using in your text (example: if you are writing about global warming, brainstorm the vocab related to this topic. Brainstorm expressions to convince or disagree with something, etc)?
• Make sure you have reused every point identified in part 1 .

 3. Write your essay

•  It’s better if you have time to write or at least draft a few sentences on your draft paper rather than writing directly because:
• You want to meet the word count requirements
• You don’t want multiple words to be barred cross crossed-out and your page looking messy and great anything but neat!
• you don’t want to have to rush so much that your handwriting is really unpleasant to read (or worse, impossible to read…)
• So… monitor your time carefully!

  Structuring your text

• Visually, the eye should instantly be able to see the structure of your French essay: make paragraph and skip lines so that it doesn’t look like an unappealing large block of text.
• Use connectors/link words to structure your text and make good transitions.

4. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

•   It’s important that you allow at least 10 minutes for proofreading because there most likely are a few mistakes that you can fix very easily. It would therefore be a shame not to give yourself your best chances of success! Check out my Proofreading Checklist.

Bonne chance!

If you need any help with your essay, you can submit it to me there.

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• Library Catalogue

Resources for academic writing in French

On this page, 1. purpose of this document, 2. orthographe et typographie, 3. grammaire, 4. structure de texte: vocabulaire, 5. comment construire une dissertation en français.

• 6. Outil utile : comment faire les caractères français sur n'importe quel clavier ?
• 7. Où trouver de l'aide en français ?
• 8. S'immerger d'avantage dans le français

This document offers resources to students writing in French at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It has been inspired by the recurring questions and issues encountered during consultations with students and it includes:

• Grammatical and vocabulary help
• Advice on dissertation structure and dissertation writing
• A useful tip on how to easily type special French characters on any keyboard
• Suggestions as to where students can find additional help
• Ideas on where to meet French speakers and how to get exposed to the language to improve fluency

Note: The information presented is valid as of December 2016. The rest of this information is written in French since it is intended for people with at least a basic understanding of the language.

This material is also available as a printable  pdf  and as a stand-alone website  .

2.1.1 Majuscules

2.1.1.1 Noms et adjectifs de nationalité

En anglais, les noms et adjectifs se rapportant aux langues et aux pays prennent toujours des majuscules :

I am French I speak French The French are always on strike

Ce n'est pas le cas en français.

Les adjectifs ne prennent jamais de majuscule en français. Donc: adjectifs de nationalité ou se rapportant aux langues → pas de majuscule

Je suis française La langue française

Pour les noms, il ne faut pas de majuscule lorsque l'on parle des langues. Les langues → pas de majuscule

Je parle français Le français et l'anglais

Ceci dit, lorsque l'on parle de personnes, il faut la majuscule. Les habitants d'un pays → majuscule

Les Français sont tout le temps en grève

2.1.1.2 Jours de la semaine et mois

En anglais, les jours de la semaine et les mois prennent des majuscules. Mais pas en français :

Le lundi et le mardi Le jeudi 3 mars ​Tous les dimanches de novembre

2.1.2 Ponctuation

Contrairement à l'anglais, il faut un espace avant les deux points, le point d'interrogation et le point d'exclamation :

Tu viens ? Ah non !

Les guillemets sont différents et il faut un espace entre les guillemets et le texte :

Il lui dit : « d'accord »

Note : un éditeur de texte (par exemple MS Word ou OpenOffice Writer) corrigera tout cela automatiquement si vous le mettez en français.

2.1.3 « et » et la virgule

L'usage d'une virgule avec « et » est différent en français et en anglais :

En anglais, il faut une virgule avant « and » dans une énumération qui comprend plus de deux éléments : French, English, and Spanish

En français, il n'y a pas de virgule avant « et » : Le français, l'anglais et l'espagnol

Mettre un mot au féminin peut aider à trouver sa terminaison :

chat  →  chatte ouvert →  ouverte ​remis  →  remise

3.1.1 Définition

Voix active : le sujet fait l'action

Voix passive : le sujet subit l'action et le complément d'agent (introduit par « par ») fait l'action

Le complément d'agent fait l'action (voix active) :  Notre équipe a réalisé une étude

L'action est faite PAR le complément d'agent (voix passive) :  Une étude a été réalisée PAR notre équipe

3.1.2 Formation

La voix passive se construit avec  l'auxilaire être + le participe passé du verbe .

Attention donc à ne pas confondre un temps simple à la voix passive avec un temps composé.

Par exemple, il ne faut pas confondre un verbe au présent de la voix passive avec un passé composé :

Le lapin est mangé par le loup (Présent de la voix passive. Cela équivaut à : le loup mange le lapin - maintenant)

Le lapin a mangé la salade (Passé composé de la voix active. Le lapin a mangé la salade hier)

3.1.3 Écrivez à l'actif !

Pendant longtemps, il a été d'usage d'utiliser la voix passive dans les travaux académiques, probablement par modestie. Cette habitude est tombée en désuétude, mais malheureusement les étudiants continuent trop souvent à écrire au passif, rendant les textes tortueux et le style inutilement lourd. Je vous encourage vivement à utiliser la voix active :

• la construction est beaucoup plus directe
• il est maintenant d'usage d'annoncer clairement et sans détour que nous sommes l'auteur d'un travail

3.2.1 Les adjectifs

Les adjectifs s'accordent en genre et en nombre avec le nom auquel ils se rapportent

3.2.2 Les participes passés

• Avec l'auxiliaire être Les participes passés s'accordent en genre et en nombre avec le sujet
• Avec l'auxiliaire avoir Les participes passés s'accordent en genre et en nombre avec le complément d'objet direct, si celui-ci est placé avant le verbe​
• Sinon, ils sont  invariables En aucun cas, ils ne s'accordent avec le sujet

Pas de panique, c'est en fait simple :

Auxiliaire être

Il est tombé Ils sont tombés ​Elles sont tombées

Auxiliaire avoir - COD  après  le verbe

Il a pris un verre Il a pris une pomme Il a pris des pommes

Auxiliaire avoir - COD  avant  le verbe

Il l'a pris (=le verre) Il l'a prise (=la pomme) Il les a prises (=les pommes)

[[ collapse start " 3.3 « Nous » et « on » "]]

« On », techniquement, est un équivalent de l'anglais « it »

On dit souvent que...

Mais dans le langage courant, il est utilisé à la place de « nous »

On y va (=nous y allons) On arrive ! (=nous arrivons !)

Ceci est cependant à éviter à l'écrit, à moins que l'on veuille donner au texte une connotation familière.

3.4.1 Forme

3.4.1.1 Définis

le chat/les chats the cat/the cats

3.4.1.2 Indéfinis

un chat/des chats a cat/cats

3.4.2 Usage

3.4.2.1 Définis

On sait exactement de quel individu/chose il s'agit. On pourrait le montrer du doigt. Le nom est défini

Le chat de mon voisin (Ceci suppose que mon voisin n'a qu'un chat et que, du coup, on sait exactement de quel chat il s'agit)

La Terre est ronde (Il n'y en a qu'une, donc on sait de laquelle il s'agit)

La lune (On suppose qu'il s'agit de notre lune, celle qui tourne autour de la terre, et que donc on sait de laquelle il s'agit)

3.4.2.2 Indéfinis

On ne sait pas de quel individu/chose il s'agit. Le nom est indéfini

J'ai vu un chat noir ce matin (On ne sait pas de quel chat noir il s'agit. L'information "noir" ne suffit pas à définir l'individu particulier dont il est question)

Un chat de mon voisin (Ici, cela suppose que mon voisin a plusieurs chats et du coup, on ne sait pas de quel individu il est question. Comparer ceci avec l'exemple précédant)

Une lune (Ici, on fait référence à un satellite naturel, par exemple une lune de Saturne. On ne sait donc pas de quelle lune il s'agit)

C'est en fait très similaire à l'anglais. Réfléchissez à ce que vous diriez en anglais

• Invariables
• Généralement formés à partir d'adjectifs + « ment »

grand  → grandement

4.1.1 Commencer

Premièrement D’abord Tout d'abord Au début Pour commencer

4.1.2 Continuer

Chronologiquement : 

Deuxièmement ​Ensuite Puis Après

En ajoutant : 

De plus ​Ajoutons que En outre Par ailleurs ​Aussi Egalement

4.1.3 Finir

Enfin ​Finalement Pour finir Pour terminer Pour conclure En conclusion

4.2.1 Similarités

De la même manière De la même façon ​Similairement

4.2.2 Différences

En revanche Au contraire ​Alors que ​Pourtant D'autre part ​D'un autre côté Par ailleurs

Du coup En conséquence Par conséquent Il en résulte que De ce fait Donc Ainsi C'est pourquoi

Veuillez noter que ceci ne représente que mon opinion personnelle. Les consignes que vous recevez de vos professeurs sont sans aucun doute plus importantes que les conseils que je présente ici. Si vous avez des doutes, la meilleure chose à faire est toujours de discuter avec le professeur afin d'éliminer toute confusion quant à ses attentes. Il se peut que votre professeur ait une vision différente de la mienne sur la structure d'une dissertation. Il n'y a, de toute façon, aucune règle absolue et ceci ne représente qu'une façon, parmi beaucoup d'autres, de construire un plan.

Ne vous embarquez pas dans l'écriture avant d'avoir un plan! Si vous vous lancez dans l'écriture en aveugle, vous allez perdre énormément de temps à rédiger des choses qui ne fonctionneront probablement pas et que vous devrez réécrire. Assurez vous d'avoir un plan solide avant de commencer à rédiger des phrases. Pour construire ce squelette, des tirets avec vos idées suffisent.

Pour structurer votre plan, imaginez un sablier :

L'introduction , en bleu dans le sablier, commence large et se réduit petit à petit.

Elle peut se construire en trois sous-parties :

• Une introduction du thème qui se veut très ouverte. Vous voulez intéresser un public large. Si vous commencez directement sur le sujet étroit et spécifique de votre dissertation, peu de gens n'auront envie de la lire vu que peu de gens ont un intérêt pour un sujet très pointu.
• Dans une deuxième sous-partie, vous emmenez le lecteur peu à peu vers le sujet de votre dissertation. La problématique se resserre.
• Finalement, dans une troisième partie, vous présentez votre plan. Après avoir lu cette sous-partie, le lecteur doit savoir ce qui l'attend.

Le corps de votre dissertation , en orange dans le sablier, reste ciblé sur votre sujet.

Il comporte deux à quatre parties (souvent trois). C'est là que vous présentez votre analyse. Chaque partie représentant un aspect ou un point différent.

La conclusion , en vert dans le sablier, commence étroite et s'élargit peu à peu.

Vous ne voulez pas laisser le lecteur avec cette vue très pointue d'un sujet. Vous voulez élargir vers une problématique plus large. Là aussi, trois sous-parties est assez classique :

• Une première sous-partie qui conclut votre dissertation,
• Un élargissement de la problématique,
• Une troisième sous-partie peut comporter des questions laissées ouvertes.

Vous avez votre plan et vous en êtes content. Maintenant, il est temps de commencer à rédiger… mais dans quel ordre ? La question peut vous surprendre vu que la plupart des gens commencent… par l'introduction. Erreur ! L'introduction est probablement la partie la plus difficile à écrire. Il est beaucoup plus facile de commencer par le corps de la dissertation car c'est vraiment votre sujet. A partir de là, vous pourrez assez facilement écrire la conclusion. Et finalement, à la fin, après avoir passé tout ce temps avec votre dissertation, vous serez en bien meilleure position pour attaquer cette fameuse introduction qui est si difficile.

Séparez les grandes parties (introduction, corps de la dissertation et conclusion) en sautant une ligne. Les différentes parties du corps central de votre dissertation peuvent aussi être séparées par une ligne blanche.   Chaque partie et sous-partie commence typiquement par un alinéa (« indent » en anglais). De cette façon, le lecteur peut, avant même de commencer à lire, voir la structure de votre dissertation.

Les deux à quatre parties du corps de votre dissertation doivent être équilibrées : vous ne voulez pas avoir une partie de plusieurs pages et une autre de quelques lignes. Si tel est le cas, essayez de structurer vos idées différemment en fusionnant certaines parties entre elles ou en revisitant votre plan.

Il est classique de lier les différentes parties ou sous-parties les unes avec les autres grâce à des phrases de transition qui mettent en évidence la cohésion logique de l'ensemble. Vous ne voulez pas que votre essai ressemble à une juxtaposition d'idées sans rapport les unes avec les autres.

En français, comme en anglais, il est important de citer vos sources. Le site de la bibliothèque de SFU a de nombreuses ressources sur le format à suivre : Citation guide: APA .

6. Outil utile : comment faire les caractères français sur n'importe quel clavier ?

La méthode la plus simple est d'utiliser le clavier international américain. Je n'explique pas ici comment l'activer car cela dépend de votre système d'exploitation (OS), mais les instructions sont très simples et disponibles partout sur internet. Une fois activé, le clavier international transforme :

7. Où trouver de l'aide en français ?

Le Student Learning Commons  (SLC) offre depuis l'année dernière deux services pour les étudiants écrivant en français :

• des consultations particulières hebdomadaires
• des ateliers

7.1.1 Consultations particulières

Des consultations particulières hebdomadaires sont disponibles. Prenez rendez-vous sur le site du Student Learning Commons : Academic writing resources . 

7.1.2 Ateliers

Des ateliers d'écriture en français sont organisés régulièrement. Regardez le programme sur le site du Student Learning Commons: Writing workshops .

Si vous avez des suggestions de nouveaux ateliers d'écriture en français qui vous seraient utiles, n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part en écrivant à l'adresse mail [email protected] 

7.2.1 Dictionnaires

7.2.1.1 Français

• Du  Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales , le meilleur dictionnaire de français en ligne ! Une ressource vraiment excellente.

7.2.1.2 Français/anglais

• WordReference.com

7.2.2 Conjugaison

• Le Conjugueur  : un bon site de conjugaison 

7.2.3 Plagiat

Toutes les règles que vous avez apprises sur le plagiat dans vos travaux en anglais s'appliquent également en français. Le plagiat est un sujet sérieux que SFU traite avec beaucoup d'attention et si vous n'êtes pas sûrs des règles, je vous encourage vivement à vous familiariser avec elles en lisant les sites suivants. Pour SFU, l'ignorance n'est pas une excuse….

• Voir également: Plagiarism tutorial (SFU Library, anglais)
• Academic honesty

8. S'immerger d'avantage dans le français

8.1.1 meetup français.

• Vancouver French Langage Meetup

8.1.2 Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver

• Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver  

8.2.1 Histoire et culture

• Radio Canada : Aujourd'hui l'histoire
• France Culture : Les nuits de France Culture

8.2.2 Infos (« Informations » en France ou « Nouvelles » au Canada)

• France Inter : Le journal de 18h
• Radio Canada : Midi info  

8.2.3 Sciences et technologie

• France Culture : La marche des sciences
• Radio Canada : Les années lumières

8.3.1 Théâtre en français

Théâtre la Seizième

8.3.2 Internet

Nombreuses options pour voir des films, apprendre de nouveaux mots, améliorer sa prononciation, apprendre à conjuguer…

8.3.3 Films

De nombreux films français sont disponibles gratuitement dans les bibliothèques publiques et de SFU :

• SFU Library movie collection . See  How do I find books written in French, Chinese, and other languages? for help narrowing your search to French-language materials.
• Vancouver Public Library
• Burnaby Public Library

This guide was created by Marie-Hélène Burle, December 2016.

Learn How to Write in French Easily

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Improve Your Written French Today

Whether you want to pen a love letter or submit an essay in France, you need to know how to write in French. Luckily, learning how to write in French is fairly straightforward. Since French uses the Latin Alphabet, you’re already ahead of the game. Improve your writing in French fast with these easy steps.

The Basics of French Writing for Beginners

When it comes to French writing, it’s a little different than speaking French. But, if you know how to read French well, you shouldn’t have a lot of problems.

Before you read the 8 easy steps of learning to write in French, there’s one important factor in mastering French writing: practice. The only way you can truly improve your French writing skills is with a lot of practice . Make sure you write a little bit in French every day. Soon, you’ll find that writing in French is like second nature.

1. Watch Out for French Spelling

One of the biggest obstacles that throws French learners off is spelling. Unfortunately, those silent letters that you don’t pronounce are very much there in writing. Be careful how you spell certain complicated words. You need to master all parts of French grammar to write French correctly.

2. Genders Influence Grammar in French

You may already know that nouns have genders in French. They can either be masculine or feminine. And depending on the gender, different parts of a French sentence need to be conjugated.

• articles : French articles need to be conjugated to reflect the gender and the number of the noun. These can be ‘le’, ‘la’, ‘l”, and ‘les’ for definite articles, and ‘un’ and ‘une’ for indefinite articles.
• pronouns : Pronouns in French are the words that replace the name of the subject in a sentence. ‘He’, ‘she’, and ‘them’ are some examples of pronouns in English. In French, you need to use different forms of pronouns depending on the gender of the subject.
• adjectives : When you’re describing a noun, you use an adjective. And since the noun is the only reason the adjective’s there in the sentence, you need to make the adjective fit the noun in French. There are various ways to conjugate French adjectives depending on the gender and the number of the noun, so make sure you brush up on that knowledge before you write in French.

3. Careful with French Accent Marks

French accent marks also don’t do us any favors. While they’re extremely useful when it comes to French pronunciation, their writing isn’t as straightforward. Try to associate the sound with the written French word. There are only 5 accent marks in French. One is the cedilla (ç), which only works with the letter “c”, and another is the acute accent (é), which only sits on top of the letter “e”. So in practice, there are only 3 different kinds of accents you should look out for in French.

4. Follow the French Sentence Structures

English and French sentence structures are similar in many ways. Both follow the SVO (subject-verb-object) structure, which makes writing in French much easier. And just like in English, the French sentence structure is also flexible. You can switch the words around to emphasize a part of a sentence, but still have the same meaning.

• Tomorrow , I’m going to work.    Demain  je vais travailler. I’m going to work  tomorrow .   Je vais travailler  demain .

The most important part of the first sentence is the time the speaker goes to work. The second sentence focuses on the subject, the speaker instead. Still, both sentences convey the same meaning of going to work.

If you want to ask a question in French, you can do so by putting a question word at the beginning of the sentence. Common question words are:

• How  Comment
• What  Que / Qu’est-ce que queue
• What kind  Quel genre
• When  Quand
• Why   Pourquoi

You can also ask a question by switching the order of the verb and the pronoun around, and connecting them with a hyphen:

• Do you speak English?    Parlez-vous anglais ?

It’s important to remember these basic rules of French sentence structure before you start writing in French. If you want to learn how to write in French effectively, practice these 4 steps a lot.

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How to Write in French for Intermediate Students

If you’re an intermediate French learner you’re familiar with basic French grammar, and you’re confident in writing in French. But, there’s always room to improve. Once you know the basic steps of how to write in French, it’s time to make your writing even better. You can start paying attention to style, flow, and structure. The tips below will benefit your French writing practice.

5. Try Nominalization

This useful technique will make your sentences better. Nominalization means that you make nouns in the sentence more dominant. While in English, the dominant words are verbs, in French, you can write with the focus of the noun instead, making them more meaningful. Here’s an example to demonstrate.

• Normal sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace est froide.
• Nominalized sentence: The ice cream is cold. – La glace, c’est droid.

6. Use French Conjunctions

Conjunctions are the tools to write complex French sentences. Without them, you’re limited to simple and boring sentence structures. As an intermediate student, you can start connecting two equal or unequal sentences to make an even more interesting phrase. Here are the different kinds of French conjunctions you can use to write better in French:

Coordinating Conjunctions:

You use these kinds of conjunctions to connect two equal sentences. The most common coordinating conjunctions in French are:

Subordinating Conjunctions:

If one of the sentences in unequal or dependent on the other, you need to use subordinating conjunctions. These connectors often show causality. The most common conjunctions in French for this category are:

7. Style and Flow

Now that you wield the power of conjunctions, you have to be careful with it. As fun as it is to write long and complicated sentences in French, it doesn’t sound good. Make sure you use appropriate sentence lengths as you’re writing in French.

Aim for shorter sentences. Make them explain your point well. But, feel free to mix the flow up with the occasional longer sentences. That’s how you write in French with a nice and smooth flow. And that’s how you perfect your French writing too. It will be a pleasure to read your work.

Writing in French for Advanced Learners

Once you mastered all of the French writing rules, you’re officially an advanced French learner. But, there may still be room to improve your French writing. If you’re looking to kick your projects up a notch, you can learn how to write essays and dissertations in French. These pointers will be useful if you ever attend school or university in France, or you want to take a language exam.

8. Get Familiar with French Essay Structure

When you’re writing an essay, you have to structure it for readability. If you want to learn how French high schoolers are taught to write their essays, this is the structure they follow: thèse-antithèse-synthèse (thesis-antithesis-synthesis). Learn how to write French essays using a traditional French essay structure.

• Introduction : You begin your essay by having an introduction, which is a context for argument.
• Thesis : In this section, you present and defend the statement of your thesis. You need to write everything that supports the topic of your essay.
• Antithesis : The antithesis follows the thesis. This is where you state conflicting evidence and explain other potential substitutes for your essay. Including an antithesis doesn’t mean that you disagree with your original thesis. You just need to show that you thought of all possibilities before arriving to your conclusion.
• Synthesis : This is your conclusion. This is where you summarize your arguments, and explain why you still stand by your original thesis despite the antithesis.

9. Use Introduction and Conclusion Vocabulary

Certain words can encourage sentence flow by introducing or concluding some parts of your work.

• tout d’abord (firstly)
• premièrement (firstly)
• deuxièmement (secondly)
• ensuite (then)
• enfin (finally)
• finalement (finally)
• pour conclure (to conclude)

You can use these words when introducing a new idea to your dissertation or essay. These words will signal the readers that they are encountering a new part or thought of your writing process.

10. Writing a Dissertation in French

This is the form of writing you encounter in French higher education. It’s a very complex form of French writing, only the most advanced and fluent French learners should attempt it. It’s also a longer piece of academic writing. It may take you weeks to complete research and write your French dissertation.

The French dissertation is similar to essay structure. But, there’s one main difference: your thesis isn’t a statement, but rather a question. It’s your job in the dissertation to take the reader through your thought process and research to answer your question. This logic is known as “ Cartesian logic .” It comes from Descartes , who was a well known French philosopher.

History of Written French

French was used in Strasbourg Oaths, and it first appeared in writing in 842 AD. Before then, Latin was the only language used for literature in Europe. However, in the 10th and 11th centuries, French appeared in some religious writings and documents but was not used up to the late 12th century or early 13th century. The first greatest French Literature work, the Song of Roland (Chanson de Roland), was published around the year 1200.

Writing in French Alone Won’t Make You Fluent

You need to learn how to write in French to be proficient in the language. But, it won’t make you fluent. The only way to become fluent is to practice speaking French. While it’s crucial to develop every area of your French knowledge, if you want to be fluent in French, you need a reliable language learning method like OptiLingo.

OptiLingo is an app that gets you speaking, not typing a language. It gives you the most common French words and phrases, so you’re guaranteed to learn the most useful vocabulary. Don’t waste time trying to learn French you’ll never use. Complement your French writing practice with fun speaking exercises when you download OptiLingo !

Related posts

French Alphabet 101

What Expatriates Should Know About Working in France

14 Customs, Traditions, and Social Norms in French Culture

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Writing essays in French Cheat Sheet by JAM

Useful expressions to help structure your A level French essay.

Introd­ucing the first argument

Adding and listing arguments, listing arguments - start, listing arguments - middle, listing arguments - end, indicating the reason for something, expressing contrast / concession, introd­ucing one's own point of view, in conclusion, how's your readability.

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Simple et utile, j'aime.

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French Essay: Topics, Tips, and Examples [2024 Updated]

Nowadays, knowing several foreign languages is no longer surprising. For example, learning French is common for English-speaking countries. So, getting an assignment on this subject won’t be a surprise for a student.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Writing a French essay, you can dwell into:

• the history of the French language;
• various dialects;
• its grammatical features;
• similarities between French and English (or another language);
• the distribution of the language around the globe.

One studying the language may penetrate the rich French culture and comprehend the nation itself. Besides, writing a French essay can develop the author’s writing skills and broaden their outlook. And even if you make mistakes doing so, it’s not the end of the world. The fact that you’re able to recognize them is already good enough, and you can fix complex errors using a free essay rewriter .

Our writers prepared French essay topics and tips for you to nail your task. See the examples below for better understanding.

📯 French Essay Topics

Are you one of those who are assigned to write French essays? Then we suggest you pick out some of the following problems to investigate:

• History of the French language;
• Dialects of the French language;
• French phonology ;
• French orthography;
• French grammar ;
• French alphabet.

The suggested topics are too vague and need narrowing. You may single out some aspects and analyze it in your paper. An excellent French essay topic should be:

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• Broad for you to have enough room to develop your arguments;
• Narrow enough for you to be able to concentrate on one or several points;
• It should also be creative and original. You want people to enjoy reading it, right?
• Most importantly, the topic should be interesting for you.

If the essay topics seem too formal to you, study, for example, your progress in analyzing the French language. Alternatively, you can state what attracts you in the language and explain why. You may also do a comparative analysis of French and some other languages. Comparing French with English may turn out to be a fascinating task to cope with. Both languages will benefit from your French essay writing.

Here are some topics and French essay examples you can consider writing about:

• Your progress in learning the French language . Here you can write about your personal experience learning the French language. What techniques do you apply, and what motivates you personally? You can explain why you have to learn how to speak French .
• How are the French language and culture in Southern France different from Parisian? In this essay, you can compare the Southern French dialect and culture with the one in Paris. What are some of the critical phonetic, grammar, and linguistic characteristics of Southern French?
• Parisian dialect as a standard of French . When people think about the French language, the Parisian variant immediately comes to mind. In this essay, you can analyze why Parisian French became the standard version.
• Why do you enjoy learning French? This essay focuses on your personal preferences and likes in the process of learning. What makes it fun and enjoyable? Is it French movies, French literature, or understanding French written work documents?
• French influence on English . Although English is a Germanic language, it looks and sounds a lot like French. The influence which French had on English is significant. Look at some historical reasons (the Norman invasion in particular) and why English benefited from it.
• French language in 19th century Russia . Not everyone knows that French was the official language of the Russian elite in the 19th century. Discuss the reasons why and what influence French culture had on Russian literature, music, and language.
• The effect of the French language on the development of English writing . More than 10,000 French words came into the English language. Not only did the vocabulary of English get more prosperous, but the French way of spelling and letter convention influenced English orthography.
• What caused French to become an aristocratic language in Europe? The reasons why the French language became so dominant throughout Europe are broad. In this essay, you can focus on economic grounds, cultural or political reasons.
• An analysis of Canadian French. This essay can be a comparative analysis of Canadian and European French. What are the main differences? What are some similarities between the two variants?
• Is there any similarity between French and German ? All of the languages in the Indo-European language family have some similarities. Therefore, French and German are not exceptions. You can focus on sentence structure, word order, pronunciation, or phonetics.
• The popular strategies in English-French translation .
• Describe the challenges of French language acquisition.
• Analyze the peculiarities of French vowel pronunciation.
• Cultural events and their traditions in French-speaking countries .
• Discuss the advantages of learning French .
• Examine the semantic peculiarities of the French language.
• Explore the role of watching movies in the French language learning process.
• Comparison of language education theories .
• Analyze the impact of French language learning on your personality.
• Describe the methods you’ve used to improve your French language fluency and which turned out to be the most effective.
• Similarities and differences between realism and naturalism in Spanish and French literature .
• What is the role of the French language in the modern world?
• Advantages and disadvantages of knowledge of multiple languages .
• Discuss the role of the French language in the United States.
• The specifics of learning French in early childhood.
• Compare the grammar peculiarities of English and French languages.
• How is the concept of friendship interpreted in American and French cultures?
• Analyze the correlation between the history of France and French language development.
• Explore the origin of the French language.
• Verbal and non-verbal communication in French culture.
• Examine the crucial role of French literature in learning French.
• Describe the relationship between French culture and language.
• Is it a good idea to integrate bilingual programs in early childhood education?
• Discuss the best ways to prepare for the speaking exam in French.
• The role of audiovisual materials in learning French .
• What difficulties did you face when learning to write in French ?
• The essential role of sociocultural context when translating from French.
• Compare the customs of French, Chinese, and Hispanic cultures.
• The best methods of learning the second language .
• Describe the best ways of promoting language development for French language learners.
• Analyze the methods of French word formation .
• Would you like to become a French language teacher?
• Analysis of the food words in English and other European languages.
• Examine the specifics of the French language in former French colonies .

Do not treat your French essay as an ordinary task to undertake. Make it as creative as possible!

🖋️ How to Write a French Essay

Note that writing on some language problems requires more than your knowledge of the subject matter. It also tests your abilities to present them in terms of academic writing.

Special care should be taken concerning the following:

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• The structural organization of your French essay.

Mostly, it is similar to any other academic essay :

• It should start with a hook . In simple terms, it is the opening sentence or two of your writing. It can be a quote, a short story, or a catchy statement that grabs the reader’s attention.

Here’s an example of from the sample essay:

Every language is a mirror of society, a living organism that exists and changes under the influence of historical, political, and social conditions.

• The next part of your essay is a thesis statement . Typically, it should be placed at the end of the first paragraph. The thesis statement’s purpose is to state the central idea in one or two phrases.

Here is a thesis statement from our French essay example:

Today, it is common to study English as a foreign language, as an international means of communication. However, this does not diminish the importance of learning other foreign language like French.

• After that, the body of the essay should start. This part of the composition usually has three separate paragraphs. These paragraphs can include research, supporting evidence, and arguments that prove the point of view.
• The conclusion brings together all the points of the essay. It goes back to the thesis statement and explains the broader importance of the topic. It is the last chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Here is an example form our French essay sample:

To conclude, the above discussion provides evidence and arguments that maintain the position according to which learning French is a necessity nowadays. The crucial points are as follows; first, French has a long tradition of international language; second, French is spoken around the globe; third, it is a language of international relationships. The opposing position that English is sufficient for appropriate global communication was claimed unreasonable – an emphasis in this regard was on the essence of cultural and language diversity.

• The logical organization of your French essay .

There are some ways in which you can coherently write your essay. The following three aspects can guide you when organizing your French essay:

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• Topic sentence : you should mind linking elements within the paragraphs and between them. First of all, each section should include a topic sentence. It aims to identify the central idea and express an overall direction in which the writer will develop the paragraph.

The demand for knowledge of a language has changed in recent years.

• Concluding sentence: each paragraph should also include a concluding sentence. It asserts the main idea of the section and sums up all the information said in it.

It may be claimed that in a period of rather an aggressive introduction of the Anglo-American language in the world, the French need to persistently and resolutely defend their language, their national interests, and calls on other nations to preserve linguistic diversity.

• Linking words: it is crucial to use linking words in your essay. Linking words show relationships between ideas. It can be used to build sentences together to develop a cohesive paragraph.

To see the full essay sample, check the link below:

• Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

The last step in writing an A+ French essay is proofreading and editing. Before submitting your academic paper, make sure to pay attention to grammar, spelling, and vocabulary mistakes . Without proofreading, your writing can contain typos and errors that will not leave a good impression.

Good luck with your French essay writing! We hope the article was helpful. If so, share it with your peers and leave a comment below to let us know what you think.

This might be interesting for you:

• How to Write an Expository Essay in Simple Steps
• Nursing Reflective Essay Example and Guidelines for Students
• Essay on Dengue Fever: How to Write + Free Examples
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• Organizing an Essay: Jerry Plotnick, College Writing Centre, University of Toronto
• Organizing an Essay: Study Guide Zone
• Paragraphs & Topic Sentences: Writing Guides, Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University Bloomington
• Thesis Generator: Ashford Writing Center
• Proofreading: The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Basic Essay and Paragraph Format: Utah Valley University
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So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay? A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be...

How to write a narrative essay? To do that, you need to know what a narrative essay is. It is an academic text usually written as a story and containing all the usual elements of a story. Narrative essays are often personal, experiential, and creative. Still, they should be made...

It’s not hard to see why Americanism is one of the most popular essay topics. The concept of Americanism is in the center of the US identity. Writing an essay about it is an excellent way to find out more about this great country.

An art critique paper involves a comprehensive analysis and assessment of an artwork. Though this looks a bit complicated, the task doesn’t require a lot of time if you have sufficient critique writing skills. It’s an interesting assignment for students of art colleges as well as high schoolers. All you...

An article review is an academic assignment that invites you to study a piece of academic research closely. Then, you should present its summary and critically evaluate it using the knowledge you’ve gained in class and during your independent study. If you get such a task at college or university,...

Short essays answer a specific question on the subject. They usually are anywhere between 250 words and 750 words long. A paper with less than 250 words isn’t considered a finished text, so it doesn’t fall under the category of a short essay. Essays of such format are required for...

When you hear the phrase “spiritual leadership,” you probably think it’s only associated with religion. But did you know that this form of leadership can also be found in business? The book Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda by Henry and Richard Blackaby is a good starting point...

High school and college students often face challenges when crafting a compare-and-contrast essay. A well-written paper of this kind needs to be structured appropriately to earn you good grades. Knowing how to organize your ideas allows you to present your ideas in a coherent and logical manner This article by...

“If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?” is one of the most debatable philosophical questions regarding observation and perception. Many tried to answer it, including the English philosopher John Locke. Do you need to explore Locke’s perspective on this question in your essay? You are on the right...

The long-standing debate surrounding abortion has many opponents and advocates. Groups known as Pro-Choice and Pro-Life argue which approach is better, with no easy solution in sight. This ethical complexity is what makes abortion a popular topic for argumentative writing. As a student, you need to tackle it appropriately. If...

It is not helpful to me.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, Yunika.

Thanks for the help with out this i wouldn’t even know what to do on my essay

Hi, do you also do French powerpoint presentation?

Hi dear, sorry, but we can do a PowerPoint presentation in English only. If that’s what you need, you’re welcome to check out our order form . Good luck and have a nice day!

Good advice. Thanks.

Thanks for your comment. We’re happy to hear that. Be sure to check other posts on this blog.

This was a very great help. I’m writing a French essay, and I know, thanks to your post and the provided tips on French essay writing, I will pass!

Hi! I just want to thank you for your ideas and tips for writing French essays! Write a French paper in English or write an essay for the French by an American) Funny.

Thanks a lot for the help.

No problem, Sash:) Good luck!

The Ultimate List of AP® French Language Tips

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

If you’re like many foreign language students, the AP® French Language exam has been a worrisome figure on the horizon for quite some time. As you finally begin this AP® course and prepare for the exam next spring, remember that there are many different resources out there to help you along the way. This Ultimate List of the AP® French Language tips will give you a head start over all of the other French students preparing for the exam. Use this list, combined with some hard work and assistance from your AP® teacher, and you’ll ace this exam in no time.

So you want to pass the AP® French Language exam? Well here’s the breakdown. Every year:

– More than 20,000 students take the AP® French Language exam

– About 75% receive a score of 3 or higher

– Only about 38% receive a crucial score of a 4 or 5

– Only  12% score a 5, which can really blow away college admissions staff

Want to be in the top 10% of exam takers? Want to receive even more scholarship money and acceptance letters from top universities? Want to awe and impress your AP® teacher and fellow students? Follow this indispensable list for some tips that will set you on your way. Also, if you’re looking for the best AP® French Language review books, this resource may help .

How to Study for AP® French Language Tips

1. It’s simple – use French! Easier said than done. Unlike Spanish, French doesn’t have a huge presence in the U.S. today. There aren’t French news channels or (many) French radio stations. So how can you start using the language? We’ll offer several ideas in the tips below.

2. Find the culture in your every day . What do you think of when you think Francophone culture? Well, we think of food first and foremost! A fantastic way to incorporate more French into your daily routine – and learn some great new recipes – is to cook French food. Used bookstores typically have foreign language cookbooks on the cheap. Pick one up and highlight some recipes that you’d like to try out. They don’t have to be complicated for you to benefit from the language. Some of the best dishes are simple and require few ingredients – fondue au fromage , anyone?

3. Find a language buddy. This applies to all foreign language students: most high schools have foreign exchange students and teachers. Lucky for you, as a French language student, tons of countries have French as a national language – not just France! French is an official language in all of these places:

France, Canada: Quebec and Ontario, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Monaco, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Haiti, Réunion, Martinique, Switzerland, and many more!

Use this to your advantage! Find a language buddy to practice your French. Often times, other students and exchange teachers are willing to do 15 minutes in French for 15 minutes of English practice with you!

4. Find a language exchange. These are more common than you think! Many French speakers in the U.S. are looking to improve their English and are beyond happy to participate in conversational language exchanges with native English speakers. Typically you spend 15-20 minutes speaking in one language and then switch to the other. Where can you find these exchanges? Check out the public library, civic center, or ask around at your school.

5. Get your vocabulary up to par! So you’ve reached AP® French Language. By this time in your foreign language career, you’ve most likely mastered the grammar of the language – at least in written form. You’ve seen all the verb tenses and know your irregular adjective conjugations. Still, you’ll be at a loss communicating in French if you don’t have an extensive vocabulary to express yourself. Get ready, here’s how to start expanding your vocabulary in French today.

6. A new word every day. The easiest way to start studying for AP® French is to introduce a new word into your French vocabulary every day. The Instagram account French Words has a new word (as well as its phonetic pronunciation and grammatical gender) every day! Flip calendars are also great for getting a new word every day. Then, try to use it during class.

7. Bring out your vocabulary cards. Or don’t! We recommend using vocabulary cards – they are a language learner’s best friend. Put a word in French on one side and a description of the word on the other side. Don’t like carrying around a ton of paper? There are so many apps available to make flashcards. Run through the words while you’re on the treadmill. Or every time commercials come on during your favorite show. Or every day before you begin French class to really get your mind churning.

Insider tip : There are good ways to make a vocab card and there are better ways. Which of these looks better for the word la craie ?

Yup, you guessed it – the one on the right. Why? Because you didn’t need to use English to get to the meaning of the word. This will make you a faster speaker and writer in French. You also included all the relevant information such as the article and the word’s pronunciation.

8. Keep track of unknown words. Successful language learners swear by this technique. Keep a small notepad with you throughout the day. Then, every time you hear or see a word that you don’t know, write it down. Even if you don’t get the spelling right, jotting down these unknown words and looking them up later is one of the best techniques for acquiring new vocabulary items. Why? Because there are so many words that you encounter that you don’t know, even in your AP® class, that you cannot possibly keep track of them all. Write them down. Look them up. Repeat.

9. But don’t forget the important parts. Learning vocabulary is nothing if you don’t know how to use it. This means learning:

1) The pronunciation

How do you say it?

2) If it’s a noun, gender of the word

Is it le or la?

3) If it’s a verb, the conjugation

Is it a regular or irregular verb?

4) Put it in context

How do you use the word in a sentence ?

10. Whip out old practice exams. Reviewing old AP® exams is a technique known to help students prepare for the test. Year after year, AP® teachers say the one thing that sets apart those students who pass from those who don’t, was who completed the practice exams in class. Start getting yourself ready now by reviewing the old exams that your teacher may have available for you.

Insider tip: Know the structure of the exam

There are three main components to the AP® French Language exam: multiple choice, speaking, and writing. In order of appearance on the test they are:

multiple choice

interpersonal writing (e-mail)

presentational writing (persuasive essay)

interpersonal speaking(conversation)

presentational speaking (cultural comparison)

Don’t forget some of the AP® exam basics. Once you complete one section, you can’t go back and change your answers. Instead, simply move on and focus on the section at hand. You also can’t work ahead on the exam. So even if you’re especially nervous for the speaking section, don’t be. There’s nothing you can do during the multiple choice section to ready yourself for it so breathe and focus on the questions in front of you. In a way, it’s relieving. You can’t work ahead anyways, so don’t be anxious about the upcoming sections.

11. Get together to study . Studying can become very tedious. And most AP® French Language students aren’t taking just one AP® test – they’re taking 3, 4, or 5. To get over the boredom of studying alone, form a group that meets once or twice a week. This is a great way to socialize while reviewing but also get fresh ideas and insights on the course material. Split up the culture section and have one person report a new country for every meeting. Already sounds better than reviewing alone, doesn’t it?

12. Look up the guidelines . We’ve talked about a couple other online resources but one you should be especially familiar with is the CollegeBoard itself. The scoring guidelines that AP® French Language exam graders have right in front of them as they grade exams are available on this site. Curious about what graders are looking for? The CollegeBoard is very open with this, so take advantage of it.

13. Incorporate the language into your everyday routine . There are so many ways to incorporate French into your daily life – you’re probably not even thinking of them! Change your social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter to French – even your ads will start to appear in French. Set your browser homepage to Le Monde or Le Journal de Québec and read a news article every morning. Set your cell phone to French to learn new vocabulary. French will be all around you in no time.

14. Utilize your best resource: your teacher . You probably don’t know anyone who is a better resource for you when taking the AP® French Language exam than your AP® French teacher. He/she has seen hundreds of students take the exam and knows what has worked and what hasn’t. This is even more relevant if they are one of the teachers who grades the AP® exam in the summertime. So ask your teacher questions. Be an active learner in class. Learn from previous students’ mistakes. Your teacher will be more than happy to help you in your preparation for the test.

Start your AP® French Language Prep today

Ap® french language multiple choice tips.

1. Ignore instructions. This goes along with practicing for the test like we mentioned earlier. By the time you get to test day, you should be so comfortable with the material and overall structure of the test that you don’t need to read the instructions. While other students waste precious minutes reviewing the directions, you can skip ahead and get cracking on the hefty number of multiple-choice questions you have coming your way.

2. Answer every single question. Remember on the ACT® and SAT® when your teacher constantly stressed not answering questions you didn’t know? You were punished for incorrect answers. Well, not on the AP® French Language exam! In fact, the grading machines just ignore incorrect answers. Can’t figure out a question? Running out of time? Mark an answer anyways – it might be correct.

3. Calculate your time . How many questions do you have on the multiple choice section? 65. How many minutes are you allotted? 95. That means about a minute and half for every question. Don’t go beyond that, even if a question is tripping you up. Mark something down as an answer. Then, circle the question to come back to it later if you have time.

4. Move on from words you don’t know . You will inevitably encounter words that you don’t know in the multiple-choice section. Don’t stress about this or convince yourself that you weren’t sufficiently prepared. Instead, skim past those words and focus on those that you do know. You will be able to figure out the question despite not knowing a word or two. Even looking at the answers can sometimes help. So don’t stress when approached with an unfamiliar word.

5. Read the entire question . AP® tests are notorious for their tough multiple-choice sections. And the College Board thinks they can trip you up by giving a lot of background information and not stating the actual objective until the end of the question. So be one step ahead. Read the entire question, all the way through. Then, select an answer. They anticipate many students not reading the entire question and give wrong answers that correspond appropriately so don’t fall into this trap.

AP® French Language Free Response Tips

1. Sound natural and conversational. This isn’t always so easy for someone who speaks French as a second language. But listening to French radio (try RadioFrance ) or watching television shows ( Fais pas çi, fais pas ça is available on French Netflix and is very popular) can really help you with these elements of your language. What do you hear when you listen to native speakers? Lots of uh , and bon , right? Good. Use this to your advantage. Dot your speech with these native-sounding interjections and give yourself more time to think of the right words.

2. Slow down . For many students, the free response section of the AP® French Language exam is the most anxiety inducing of the test. As a result, too many students speak quickly, stumble over their words, or provide an incoherent argument. Don’t let this be you! Firstly, speak slowly. You have so much time – two whole minutes for the cultural comparison. There is no need to rush through your words. In fact, you’ll make more mistakes and will be less likely to find the words you’re looking if you speak too quickly.

3. Use your transition words . This actually also applies for the written portion. But, French is known to differ a lot stylistically between its written and spoken forms, so we’ll mention it here. There are lots of colloquial words that are used in spoken French to change topic or connect your thoughts. Here are some of them:

Je veux dire…

Comme je disais avant…

Par contre…

D’autre part…

Par exemple…

En même temps…

Insider tip : Sounding native

Par contre and en revanche are often cited in dictionaries as being synonyms in French. And to a certain extent, they are. However, they differ in their context of usage. Whereas you would rarely hear someone say en revanche out loud, you hardly even see par contre written in formal, academic prose. Know when to use which term for your transitions.

4. Use the correct pronouns . You know the difference between vous and tu – or do you? Vous is used for formal contexts, when you’re speaking with a teacher or addressing a grader as you record yourself in the speaking section of the test. Tu , however, is used when speaking with classmates or people you have known for a while. Vous is also used when addressing multiple people. Be very mindful of this distinction when speaking. Register is one thing that AP® graders look for since it’s mentioned explicitly on the scoring guidelines . So you know it’s very important.

5. Try recording yourself and classmates . Still worried about the speaking section of the AP® French Language exam? Not to worry, most students are nervous for this part. An excellent way to prepare is by recording yourself and others. Then, play back what you said. Do you sound rushed? How is your /R/ pronunciation (that guttural sound)? Be sure to get classmates’ help with this. They’d love to exchange tips on this tough section of the test.

AP® French Language Essay Tips & Advice

1. Penmanship matters, so use your best. Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn’t, but penmanship matters. And don’t you want your AP® French Language exam grader to be in a good mood when they’re scoring your exam? Make reading essays simpler for your grader by writing very clearly and unambiguously on the test. Take your time. As we’ll point out below, it isn’t the length of the essay that matters, but the content.

2. No need to fill all the pages! You are given so many pages in the essay booklet on the AP® French Language exam. This is actually an unfortunate part of the test and one that many students fall victim to. Remember: you don’t need to use all the pages! They are there for students who write larger or who made a large mistake and need to start over. Instead, stick to three, maximum four, pages on the presentational writing section. Graders read the essays quickly. And the questions are geared towards shorter essays, not longer. Less is more! (And you have less opportunity to make mistakes.)

Insider tip : French and its punctuation

Did you know that French uses different punctuation than English? Have you ever noticed, for example, that your teacher writes grades not as 92.3% but rather 92,3? Have you ever seen that question marks and exclamation points in French stories always come after a space? Check out the sentence below for some of the common punctuation differences between French and English:

– Le prof t’a donné quelle note sur le partiel ?

– J’ai reçu 13,3 sur 20. Et toi ?

– Moi, j’ai reçu 12,4. Il m’a commenté, « analyse pas suffisante ». Ca veut dire quoi, ça ?

What’s different in the phrases above?

  1) space between question mark and end of sentence: partiel?

  2) « » Arrows for quotes instead of English high quotes “ ”

  3) No accents necessary on uppercase letters, only lowercase: Ca but ça

  4) Comma instead of decimal point and vice versa: 1.000.000 instead of 1,000,000 for one million

Does this matter? Absolutely! Impress AP® French Language readers with the depth of your knowledge and detail in French writing. Get all the points that you can!

3. Have an outline and a thesis – before beginning . Before you ever flip the page from the sources to the actual essay, you should have an outline and thesis written. ‘Why?’ you ask. ‘It’s in my mind.’ Not good enough. Stakes are too high and the essay writing time passes by too fast. You must know what you’re writing about from the beginning or you risk wasting precious writing time. By writing down a thesis and having an idea of your structure, you’ll have something to refer back to you if you get lost in the prose of your essay.

4. Use ink on the essays . Pencil is great for writing notes and that all-important outline that we’ve already talked about. But when it comes to the essay itself, stick to ink. Why? Because pencil smudges easily and could render parts of your essay unreadable to the grader – yikes! Also, it simply isn’t as clear as blue or black ink. So stick to pens for the essay itself. Unsure of an idea while you’re writing? Write in pencil first. Then, go back over it in pen once you’ve finished.

5. Proofread. You must, must, must proofread your essay. Even if you’re on the last paragraph and you only have three minutes left, take the time to proofread. You would be amazed how many errors you can make while you’re writing and thinking quickly. When you first construct your essay, you’re likely to be so involved in the material itself and incorporating your sources (we’ll get to those below) that you forget about all-important accents or a consistent verb tense throughout. Proofreading will catch most of those errors. Keep an eye out for the following while you do one last read-through:

1) No passive voice – when in doubt, use on :

This: On peut voir dans la ligne deux que … Not this: La ligne deux est  vue par le lecteur comme…

2) A consistent verb tense throughout – don’t switch between past and present

3) Watch out for accents.

There’s a big difference between accent aigu ´ and accent grave ` so don’t get sloppy.

4) Don’t forget subjunctive.

Did the subject change within the clause? Are you expressing doubt or uncertainty? You probably need subjunctive.

6. Use the sources. Hopefully you know this one already! The sources provided for the persuasive essay are not just there for your amusement – you must incorporate them into your essay. In fact, graders are looking to make sure that you include not just one or two of the sources – but all of them. So read the sources carefully and think about how you will incorporate them into the outline before you even begin writing – that way you won’t forget to include one.

7. Weave the sources into the essay . Speaking of sources, if graders are looking to see if you included all three sources – don’t you want to make it very obvious to them that you did? So go ahead and use direct citations from the sources (with quotes and a citation marker). This is better than simply summing up information from the sources because 1) the graders will spot that you used a source right away and 2) you’re less likely to get the information from the sources wrong – a very common mistake that test takers make!

Tips by AP® French Language Teachers

Did you know that teachers grade the AP® French Language exams? And not just any teachers – your teachers. That’s right. Every summer, hundreds of AP® French Language teachers and university professors who teach equivalent courses get together to grade the writing and speaking components of the exam. So who do you think knows best what graders are and aren’t looking for? Teachers themselves, of course!

1. Write neatly. This teacher reinforces one of our writing tips mentioned above! “Just write clearly. We can always tell when you don’t know how to spell a word and you try to fudge your way out of it but writing illegibly. You’d be surprised how few points students lose for orthographic errors so write clearly. If you make a couple of minor mistakes, you won’t lose points for it.”

2. Do full practice exams. On the subject of practice exams , which we have also encouraged, this teacher says, “Unfortunately, we do not have enough time in class to do a full exam run-through of multiple choice, speaking, and writing. Great students will take the initiative and do this on their own or in groups. This is a long exam. It takes stamina. The only way to build that up is to do full run-throughs of the exam. All sections in one sitting – just as it will be on the day of the test.”

3. Re-energizing during the exam . It’s a long exam. How can you prepare yourself to make it all the way through until the writing section? This teacher has some tips: “I hate how the writing comes at the end! I think it’s the hardest part of the exam and takes the most energy out of my students. So I tell them, in addition to eating a large breakfast or lunch on the day of the AP® French Language exam, bring a snack or two with you! Every year my students come back saying how happy they were that I recommended this. The exam will take a lot out of you – get some energy back in return!”

4. Must use sources! Didn’t we tell you that incorporating your sources was important? Here it is again: “Please, please, please use all of your sources! Every year when I’m grading the AP® French Language exams, I feel terrible that I have to dock students points because they forgot a source or forgot to incorporate sources altogether!” How can you remember to do this? Write the sources into your outline from the very beginning. That way, you won’t forget to include them.

Insider tip : What if I forget a source?

Every year, so many students forget a source that the CollegeBoard finally decided that students can still receive a score of a 4 or 5 even without mentioning one of the sources. But the essay has to be exceptionally good to still receive such a high score. So rather than take the chance, follow the directions and use your sources.

5. Be a consistent studier. Studying for the AP® exam doesn’t just happen the few weeks before exam day in May. In fact, many AP® French Language teachers say the best study habits are established from the first week of class. “I try to encourage my students to form study groups outside of class and good learning habits such as learning new vocabulary and exposing themselves to different dialects of French. They should be doing this really from the start of their first semester in AP® French. This is the highest level of French taught at our school and offers them the invaluable opportunity to gain college credit. So students should treat the course as they would a college-level class.”

6. Master the present, including the subjunctive, the past and the future tenses! Thanks for the tip from Debbie M.

7. Challenge yourself daily to do more than you could yesterday.  Listen to challenging French news broadcasts.  If you don’t understand the background of the topics being discussed, do some further research online.  You will enhance your knowledge of current events–a key element of success on the exam–very quickly this way. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

8. Practice dictation regularly –It may seem old fashioned, but dictation (la dictée) is a great way to hone spelling and grammar and to increase vocabulary.  Find a 30-second snip-it online and write out everything you hear.  Ask a teacher or native to check it for you. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

9. Expose yourself to French every day. An easy way to get in 15 minutes is by either listening to the French news (Journal Télévisé) on TF1.fr while getting ready for school in the morning or while getting ready for bed at night. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

10. During my study abroad in college, I would listen to the French radio news every morning with my host family or alone. It helped me get used to the pacing of real French while, at the same time, having a general idea of the topic before the report started. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

11. I tell my students to watch a French video clip (news or otherwise) daily to get used to hearing different accents and to get their ears used to hearing spoken French. Thanks for the tip from Linda W. at Haddon Township.

12. DON’T PANIC … Breathe and think, what did we talk about. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

13. Help the Reader: Assume the reader is tired….it is the end of the day…they have been grading since 8:00am….Help the reader find the answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

Label your sections

Underline important terms and key parts of your answer

–i.e. if it asks for the definition of nation, underline the word nation…

14. Do Not Dump: You should try to avoid writing “dump” essays where you “dump” or empty your brain of everything you can think of onto the paper. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

15. Outline : OUTLINING the questions will help you tremendously! As soon as you get the CRQ’s, spend a couple of minutes outlining the main points for your answer right on the question sheet. This way, when you go to write your full response, you will have a baseline of information and important points to send you on your way. Those who have done this in the past have told me it has really helped them be successful on the exam. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

16. Pick On The Weaker Ones First: Answer the question you think is the easiest first; then go onto the next easiest, etc… This way, you leave the hardest one for the end when you have more time to answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

17. Take your flashcards to another level: When your writing out your flashcards/vocabulary make sure you are not just writing it in your own words… but be able to connect the term/concept to another term/concept. This way when your writing your FRQ you will be able to show the reader that you not only know the information, but can critically connect the material to other units/topics. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

18. AP® French Language is vocabulary driven. Study your list of vocabulary terms listed on the CollegeBoard site labeled Martha Sharma’s vocabulary terms. I have my own version as well. Let me know if you want me to send them. Thanks for the tip from David E.

19. READ as many multiple sources as possible to prepare.  Thanks for the tip from Anne C.

20. If students make a point to Listen to 10 min of French everyday in the form of news or podcasts – they can make great strides in their listening comprehension which is the most difficult part. Thanks for the tip from Harpreet M.

21. Trouvez un roman qui vous intéresse et lisez-le chaque jour hors de la classe.  Thanks for the tip from Rachel D.

22. Try to listen to as much French programming as possible. And talk back to the audio, just to break through the speaking barrier; no one can hear you but you, it will loosen you up! Thanks for the tip from Madame Jean M.

23. To build a good ear for the language, read a script first. Use the CD to listen to what you just read; multiple times. Try to understand it. Then check the script again. Thanks for the tip from Angela W.

24. Listen to AS MUCH FRENCH as possible from authentic sources : videos, vimeos, movies, film trailers, especially clips of films or shows you are already familiar with. Use material which is updated and meaningful to students to keep their interest! Thanks for the tip from Jennifer B.

25. Know real world examples of Vocabulary . Example: What does gerrymandering look like? Thanks for the tip from Sharon R.

26. Read every day about lots of different topics from sources all over the world.  News articles, blogs, anything! Thanks for the tip from Danelle C.

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

Just how tough is the AP® French Language exam? Well we said before that more than 75% of students score a 3 or higher – so this exam is definitely beatable! And this list of the Ultimate Tips will get you started in your preparation for the exam. Here are some of the key points summed up again:

– Start reviewing now – old tests, new vocabulary words, study groups

– Find a language exchange to buff up speaking skills

– On test day, establish an outline and thesis before even approaching your essay

– You can’t work ahead – focus on what’s at hand during the test

– Proofread all written material

But remember that our list of the Ultimate Tips is by no means the last stop on your journey to a great score on this AP® test. Go ahead and check out other sources such as (insert other articles on AP® French prep here) to get even more insider tips and advice from previous test takers and AP® French Language teachers. With these resources in hand, there’s no way you can’t succeed!

– These stats concern “typical” French language learners – those who have not spent considerable time in a country of the target language or do not speak French in the home.

Looking for AP® French Language practice?

Kickstart your AP® French Language prep with Albert. Start your AP® exam prep today .

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A Simple Guide to Talking About School in French: Subjects, Rooms and More

School and education is one of the most common talking points for French learners.

Whether you’re navigating a new French class, preparing for the speaking portion of a test like the GCSE or making friends with French-speaking students , it’s important to know lots of school vocabulary.

That’s exactly what I’ll give you in this post, with more than 100 words for people, places and things you’ll need to know for talking about school in French!

People at School

Levels of schooling, school subjects, rooms in a school building, school supplies, school assignments, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

L’étudiant / L’étudiante – Student

Le/ La camarade de classe – Classmate

Le professeur  – Teacher/Professor

L’entraîneur  – Coach

L’infirmier / L’infirmière – Nurse

Le proviseur / Le chef d’établissement – Principal or Headmaster

Le proviseur adjoint – Vice Principal

L’école  – School

L’école public  – Public school

L’école privée  – Private school

L’école de langue – Language school

L’école maternelle – Preschool

L’école primaire  – Primary school

Le collège  – Middle school

Le lycée  – High school

L’université / la fac – College

  L’université  is the official term for “college,” but many French people casually refer to college as la fac .

Je suis à la fac cette année. (I am in college this year.)

L’école supérieure de troisième cycle – Graduate school

Le doctorat – Doctorate degree

La faculté de médecine  – Medical school

La faculté de droit  – Law school

Je vais au / à la … – I go to …

Je vais au lycée.  (I go to high school.)

Je vais à la fac de médecine.  (I go to med school.)

Le cours préparatoire or CP  – First grade

Le cours élémentaire 1re année or CE1 – Second grade

Le cours élémentaire 2e année or CE2  – Third grade

Le cours moyen 1re année or CM1 – Fourth grade

Le cours moyen 2e année or CM2  – Fifth grade

La sixième  – Sixth grade

La cinquième  – Seventh grade

La quatrième  – Eighth grade

La troisième  – Ninth grade

La seconde  – 10th grade

La première  – 11th grade

La terminale  – 12th grade

La première année d’université – First year of college

La seconde année d’université  – Second year of college

La troisième année d’université – Third year of college

La quatrième année d’université – Fourth year of college

Être en – To be in [grade]

Mon fils s’appelle Daniel. Il est en CM1.  (My son’s name is Daniel. He is in fourth grade.)

Je suis en  première année à l’université. (I am in my first year of college.)

Le français – French

L’anglais – English

L’espagnol – Spanish

L’allemand  – German

Le latin – Latin

Les maths  – Math

Les sciences  – Science

L’éducation physique  – PE

L’histoire  – History

La géographie  – Geography

La biologie  – Biology

La physique  – Physics

La chimie  – Chemistry

L’algèbre  – Algebra

La géométrie  – Geometry

Le calcul – Calculus

Les arts plastiques  – Art

La musique  – Music

Le théâtre – Theater

La chorale – Choir

L’orchestre – Band

La littérature – Literature

L’écriture créative  – Creative writing

La médecine  – Medicine

Le droit  – Law

J’ai … maintenant.  – I have … now.

Je dois partir! J’ai chimie maintenant .  (I have to leave! I have chemistry now.)

J’ai espagnol à 9h. (I have Spanish at 9am)

Je suis un cours de…  – I am taking a course in…

Je suis un course d ‘écriture créative cette année. (I am taking a creative writing course this year.)

Note that the verb used here is suivre (literally, “to follow”), not être (to be).

J’aime…  – I like…

J’aime  le théâtre. C’est mon cours préféré!  (I like theater. It is my favorite class!)

Je n’aime pas  – I don’t like …

Je n’aime pas  la géographie. C’est barbant! (I don’t like geography. It’s boring!)

La salle de classe  – Classroom

Le bureau – Office

Le bureau du proviseur  – Principal’s office

L’infirmerie  – Nurse’s office

Le gymnase  – Gym

La cafétéria / la cantine – School cafeteria

Le resto-U – University cafeteria

La résidence universitaire – Dormitory

Le laboratoire / le labo – Laboratory

L’amphithéâtre / l’amphi – Lecture hall

Le cahier / le carnet – Notebook

Le manuel  – Textbook

Le classeur  – Binder/folder

Le stylo – Pen

Le crayon  – Pencil

La calculatrice  – Calculator

L’ordinateur – Computer

Le portable – Laptop

Le sac à dos  – Backpack

Le surligneur – Highlighter

La gomme  – Eraser

La craie  – Chalk

Le marqueur – Felt tip marker

L’éponge  – Eraser for the chalkboard or whiteboard

La colle  – Glue

Les crayons de couleur  – Colored pencils

Les crayons gras  – Crayons

La règle  – Ruler

Les fiches  – Index cards

La gamelle  – Lunchbox

Le papier  – Paper

Le papier millimétré – Graph paper

Le correcteur fluide  – White-out

Les ciseaux  – Scissors

L’agrafeuse  – Stapler

Le devoir  – Assignment/paper

Les devoirs – Homework

Yes, a specific assignment and homework in general (which may include multiple assignments) are differentiated simply by making the word plural. Languages are weird, aren’t they?

L’interro  – Quiz

L’examen  – Exam/test

L’attestation de DELF /DALF – DELF/DALF certification

If you study abroad or study at a language school, you might try to earn your DELF or DALF certification .

DELF stands for  Diplôme d’études en langue française , or “Diploma in French Studies.” DALF stands for  Diplôme approfondi de langue française , or “Diploma in Advanced French.”

Le discours  – Speech

Le diplôme  – Degree

J’ai un diplôme en… – I have a degree in…

J’ai un diplôme en  pédagogie de langue française. (I have a degree in French education.)

À rendre…  – Due

Mes devoirs de sciences sont à rendre demain.  (My science homework is due tomorrow.)

Désolé, je ne peux pas sortir ce soir. J’ai un long devoir  à rendre cette semaine. (Sorry, I can’t go out tonight. I have a long paper due this week .)

Now that you know these terms and basic phrases for talking about school in French, you can show off to your teachers and classmates!

Don’t get schooled by tricky vocabulary. Show it who’s in charge!

FluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native French videos with reach. With interactive captions, you can tap on any word to see an image, definition and useful examples.

For example, if you tap on the word "crois," you'll see this:

Practice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with learn mode. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning, and play the mini-games found in our dynamic flashcards, like "fill in the blank."

All throughout, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you’re learning and uses this information to give you a totally personalized experience. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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Ultimate Guide to the AP French Language and Culture Exam

Do you know how to improve your profile for college applications.

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now — it only takes 3 minutes and it's 100% free.

The AP French Language and Culture exam is one of the most popular AP language exams, second only to Spanish. In 2019, over 23,000 students took the exam—about 75% of which were standard foreign language students, with the remainder being students who regularly spoke or heard the foreign language outside of school, or who studied abroad for more than one month. 

Students who are interested in gaining proficiencies in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of French communication are best suited for this line of study. If you are interested in taking the AP French Language and Culture exam—whether you have taken the class, are a native-speaker, or have self-studied—read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare for it.

When is the AP French Language and Culture Exam?

On Friday, May 15, at 8 am, the College Board will administer the 2020 AP French Language and Culture exam. For a comprehensive AP exam schedule, along with study tips and more, check out our blog post 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.

About the AP French Language and Culture Exam

The AP French Language and Culture exam aims to promote both fluency and accuracy in French language use. To accomplish this, the AP French Language and Culture course is taught primarily in French, and students will read and listen to authentic texts from the francophone world throughout the course. The course focuses on the three foundational modes of communication as defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational.

Though it is easy to get caught up in grammatical nuances when learning a foreign language, the AP curriculum explicitly seeks not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. As such, while grammar is tested on the exam in the context of written and oral responses, a higher weight is placed on general communication skills.

A spelling reform known as La Nouvelle Orthographe is currently underway in France. The new spelling is officially encouraged but not required by the French government. The AP French Development Committee notes that students will not be penalized for using the new spellings in the writing portion of the AP French Language and Culture exam. 

AP French Language and Culture Course Content

There are no formal prerequisites for the AP French Language and Culture course; however, most students who take it are in their fourth year of high school-level French study. Native speakers or students with exceptional exposure to the French language may take a different course of study leading to the AP French Language and Culture course, or might completely self-study for the exam.

The framework of the AP French Language and Culture course is made up of six units, and contained within those six units are five to seven contexts. Through the exploration of these units and their contexts, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of French language and culture and engage with it in a variety of ways. Below are the six units and their contexts:

Throughout the AP French Language and Culture course, you’ll develop and hone eight language and communication skills. Below is a list of the eight course skills, a description of each, and the weight given to each skill on the multiple-choice section of the AP French Language and Culture exam: 

AP French Language and Culture Exam Content

The AP French Language and Culture exam is one of the longer exams, consisting of two sections, and clocking in at three hours and three minutes. The first section takes one hour and 35 minutes to complete, contains 65 multiple-choice questions, and accounts for 50% of your total score. 

The multiple-choice section of the AP French Language and Culture exam is two parts. In the first part, you will spend 40 minutes completing 30 multiple-choice questions based on printed texts. In the second part, you will have 55 minutes to complete 35 multiple-choice questions based on audio or combination audio and print texts.

Section 1(a): Multiple-Choice Text

40 minutes | 30 questions | 23% of score

The first multiple-choice section of the exam uses print materials—such as journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables—as a stimulus. The questions require you determine the main idea and details of the stimulus, determine the meaning of words in context, identify the author’s point of view or target audience, and demonstrate cultural knowledge or interdisciplinary information contained in the stimulus. 

Examples of text-based multiple-choice questions:  

Answers – 1: C | 2: B | 3: D

Section 1(b): Multiple-Choice Audio 

55 minutes | 35 questions | 27% of score

The second part of the multiple-choice section uses audio material—interviews, podcasts, PSAs, conversations, and brief presentations—as a stimulus. In this part of the exam, students will encounter two subsections of questions. One set of questions uses audio files in combination with print materials as the stimulus, and the other set of questions uses only audio material as the stimulus. 

Examples of audio-based multiple-choice questions (click on the question for audio): 

Answers – 12: B | 13: D

The free response section of the AP French Language and Culture exam is also broken down into two parts. The first part of the free response section is focused on writing, the other part is centered on speaking. 

Section 2(a): Free Response Written

1 hour 10 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The first part of the free response questions consists of two questions. The first question requires you to read and reply to an email. You’re alloted 15 minutes to answer this question and it accounts for 12.5% of your total score. The second question tasks you with writing an argumentative essay based on three provided sources. You’re given 55 total minutes—15 to review sources and 40 minutes to write—to form your essay. This question also accounts for 12.5% of your exam score. 

Example of an email free response question: 

Section 2(b): Free Response Spoken

18 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

During the second part of the free response section, you will listen and respond orally to prompts. You will first need to complete five exchanges (20-second responses) in a simulated conversation. You will then deliver a 2-minute presentation comparing a cultural feature of a French-speaking community to another community you’re familiar with. 

Example of a spoken free response question: 

AP French Language and Culture Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, students generally did quite well on the AP French Language and Culture exam. Of all test takers, more than 77% received a score of 3 or higher, including 73.9% of standard group students (excluding native or heritage speakers). Only 16.1% of all students received the top score of 5, while less than 5% scored a 1 on the exam.

Keep in mind that credit and advanced standing based on AP scores varies widely from college to college. While a 3 is generally considered passing, you may need a 4 or 5 to receive credit. Some schools don’t grant credit at all, and only use AP exams for placement. You can find regulations regarding which AP exams qualify for course credits or advanced placement at specific colleges on the College Board’s website . 

A full course description that can help to guide your studying and understanding of the knowledge required for the test can be found on the College Board AP French course website . If you’re curious about other score distributions, see our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Best Ways to Study for the AP French Language and Culture Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge of the material. Although the College Board does not provide a complete practice test, you can find sample questions with scoring explanations included in the course description . Additionally, there are free practice exam questions available on practiceexam.com . You may also find practice or diagnostic exams in many of the commercial study guides.

Step 2: Study the Theory

To really devote yourself to this study, you should endeavor to immerse yourself as much as possible in French language and culture. You should listen to, speak, and read French as much as you can. You can find interesting books in French, watch Youtube videos in French, read the French news (like Le Monde) , follow French blogs, or listen to French podcasts. Try to find engaging sources of information presented in French and use them as much as possible. You will be amazed by how much your own listening, spoken language, and written French will improve simply from exposing yourself to the language more often.

You can also prepare for the exam by reviewing the College Board’s AP World Language Practice Tips and by previewing the exam’s sample AP French audio files . 

For a more specific idea of where to focus your studying, you may consider using a commercial study guide. Barron’s AP French Language and Culture with MP3 CD offers a comprehensive guide to the exam content, including two full-length practice exams with all questions answered and explained, along with an MP3 CD containing exemplary conversations and oral presentations. Barron’s is the top-rated choice for AP French Language and Culture study guides.

Another solid option is the AP French Language & Culture All Access w/Audio: Book + Online + Mobile , which receives good reviews for the volume of practice material it includes, though some users note that it contains some typos and should be used only in conjunction with other study materials to reinforce existing skills.

In addition, there are tons of study resources available online, including many from AP teachers who have posted comprehensive outlines and study guides. This AP French website , created by a long-time teacher, has a host of links, references, and courses. Best of all, it’s free! 

Another convenient way to study is to use one of the recently-developed apps for AP exams.. The FluentU app has a free version with basic video content that is highly rated for foreign language acquisition, but watch out for in-app purchases—the “Plus” version can set you back between $30 and $240.

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. You could also try taking the multiple-choice section of another practice exam.

The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple choice questions along with explanations of their answers. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any vocabulary that is still unfamiliar.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Your preparations for the free response section of the AP French Language and Culture exam will differ from the preparations for those of other AP exams. Although you’ll still need to practice some writing responses, you’ll also need to practice your listening skills and oral responses.

Regardless, you should begin your preparations for the free response section by brushing up on your vocabulary and grammar. Quizlet and Brainscape both have good online flashcards available for free. Make sure you have a solid selection of verbs to fall back on in both conversational and formal tones, and practice using them in multiple contexts. Although you won’t officially be scored on your grammar, you’ll still need to be able to communicate effectively, so make sure you can get your point across.

Your best preparation for the written prompts is simple: repeated practice prompts. You can find tons of past exam prompts dating back to 2012 on the College Board’s AP French Language and Culture exam homepage . While you’re there, also check out the Student Performance Q&A links, which give you insights from the Chief Reader of the AP Exam. This figure compiles feedback from members of the reading leadership to describe how students performed on the free response questions, summarize typical student errors, and address specific concepts with which students have struggled the most that particular year.

The oral portion of the free response section is perhaps the hardest to prepare for, since it can be difficult to gauge your own speaking abilities. One suggested practice method is to record your own sample answers using the past exam prompts, and then replay them for yourself after you’ve reviewed the scoring criteria. You might also team up with a classmate to compare responses and offer each other some constructive criticism. Another less direct method of preparation is simply to make sure you are hearing and speaking as much French as possible on a daily basis.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the very beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge you’ve accumulated, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics 

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

For more information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

• 2020 AP Exam Schedule
• How Long is Each AP Exam?
• Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

How to Write an Effective Essay

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

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30 Phrases to Describe Your Daily Routine in French

How do you describe your daily routine in french what are the most common phrases and vocabulary in this article, i share my daily routine in french with 30 sentences. , table of contents.

• My morning routine
• My afternoon routine
• My evening routine
• Reflexive verbs (conjugaison) 
• The verb "faire" (to do)
• Daily routine (French video)

Le matin (In the morning)

Let's take a look at these phrases describing my morning routine including getting up and getting ready for work! 

Note that these sentences are all in present tense which describe what I usually do. 

1. Je me réveille.

2. je me lève. , 3. je me lève à sept heures..

I wake up at 7.

4. Comme tout le monde,  je regarde sur mon téléphone portable.

Like everyone, I look at my cellphone.

5. Je regarde mes messages.

I look at my messages.

6. Ensuite, je me lave le visage. 

Then, I wash my face.

7. Je me brosse les dents.

I brush my teeth.

8. Puis, je me fais du café.

And then, I make myself a coffee.

9. Je ne peux pas commencer ma journée  sans café. 

I can’t start my day without coffee.

10. Donc, je bois mon café.  

So, I drink my coffee.

11. Puis, je m’étire.

Then, I stretch.  

12. Je déjeune, bien sûr.

I have breakfast, of course.

13. Je prends mon petit déj.   

I have my breakfast. 

14. Je travaille chez moi. 

I work from home.

15. Donc, je commence tout de suite  à travailler. 

So, I start immediately working.

16. Je prépare mes cours.

I prepare my lessons. 

17. Je réponds à mes mails.  

I respond to my emails. 

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À midi (At noon)

18. à midi, je prends mon déjeuner. .

At noon, I have my lunch. 

19. J’enseigne. 

20. je suis professeur de français..

I’m a French Teacher. 

21. Donc, j’enseigne tout l’après-midi.  

So, I teach all afternoon. 

Le soir ( In the evening)

22. après le travail, je fais une balade..

After work, I go for a walk. 

23. Ou je fais des exercices en écoutant  de la musique. 

Or I exercise while listening to music.

24. Puis, je prends une douche. /Je me lave.   

After, I take a shower. 

25. Je fais un smoothie.

I make a smoothie. 

26. Et je dîne vers sept heures.

And I have dinner around 7. 

27. Puis, je passe du temps  avec ma famille. 

Then, I spend some time with my family.

28. Vers onze heures, je vais au lit.

Around 11, I go to bed. 

29. Et je lis un peu avant de dormir.  

And I read a bit before sleeping. 

30. Enfin, je me couche.

Finally, I go to bed.

Reflexive verbs in French

To describe daily routine, we use reflexive verbs such as : "se réveiller" (to wake up), "se lever" (to get up), "se laver" (to wash yourself) and "se coucher" (to go to bed).

"Se" is called a reflexive pronoun and it changes to "me", "te" , "nous" and "vous" depending the subject.

Let's have a look.

Je me réveille (I wake up)

Tu te réveilles (You wake up)

Il/elle se réveille (He/she/one wakes up)

Nous nous réveillons (We wake up) 

Vous vous réveillez (You -plural/formal- wake up) 

Ils/elles se réveillent ( They -masculine/feminine- wake up)

Faire (To do, make) 

Similar to the reflexive verbs, the verb "faire" is a very useful verb to talk about daily routine. Let's look at these examples. 

Je fais une balade.

I go for a walk. 

Je fais des exercices.

I exercise. 

Je fais un smoothie.

The conjugaison   of the verb "faire".

Faire is an irregular verb. Here's how to conjugate it with different subjects in present tense. 

Je fais  (I do/make)

Tu fais  (You do/make)

Il/elle/on fait  (He, she, one does/makes)

Nous faisons  (We do/make)

Vous faites  (You -plural/formal- do/make)

Ils/elles font  (They -mas./fem.- do/make)

Daily routine in French video

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

When the supreme court ended affirmative action, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions.

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait in the school library where he often worked on writing his college essays, in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

Amanda Loman / AP

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” wrote Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds.

FILE - Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, in this June 29, 2023 file photo, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor.

Jose Luis Magana / AP

Writing about feeling more comfortable with being Black

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, his first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child. Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “I wrestled with that a lot.”

Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

Related: Oregon colleges, universities weigh potential outcomes of US Supreme Court decision on affirmative action

Essay about how to embrace natural hair

When Hillary Amofa started writing her college essay, she told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

Hillary Amofa, laughs as she participates in a team building game with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. "I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping," said the 18 year-old senior, "And I'm just like, this doesn't really say anything about me as a person."

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

Related: Some Oregon universities, politicians disappointed in Supreme Court decision on affirmative action

The first drafts of her essay didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay describes how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“Criticism will persist,” she wrote “but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

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When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education , it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Supreme Court strikes down race-based affirmative action in college admissions

In another major reversal, the Supreme Court forbids the use of race as an admissions factor at colleges and universities.

June 29, 2023

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote that universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds.

Post-affirmative action, Asian American families are more stressed than ever about college admissions

Parents who didn’t grow up in the American system, and who may have moved to the U.S. in large part for their children’s education, feel desperate and in-the-dark. Some shell out tens of thousands of dollars for consultants as early as junior high.

Nov. 26, 2023

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, his first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child. Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “I wrestled with that a lot.”

Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and being made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Ore., had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

‘We’re really worried’: What do colleges do now after affirmative action ruling?

The Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action has triggered angst on campuses about how to promote diversity without considering race in admissions decisions.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word Is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word Is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” wrote Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane in New Orleans because of the region’s diversity.

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

A lot of what you’ve heard about affirmative action is wrong

Debate leading up to the Supreme Court’s decision has stirred up plenty of misconceptions. We break down the myths and explain the reality.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay describes how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“Criticism will persist,” she wrote “but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Noreen Nasir write for the Associated Press. Binkley and Nasir reported from Chicago and Ma from Portland, Ore.

More to Read

Editorial: Early decision admissions for college unfairly favor wealthy students

Jan. 4, 2024

HBCUs brace for flood of applications after Supreme Court affirmative action decision

Sept. 22, 2023

Opinion: In a post-affirmative action world, employers should learn from California’s experience

Sept. 16, 2023

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• International Law / Law of War / LENS Essay Series / Use of Force
• LENS Essay Series: “Reviving the Right to Rescue: Analyzing International Law on the Use of Force for Hostage Rescue in the 21st Century”

by Charlie Dunlap, J.D. · 27 March 2024

One way of defeating and, importantly, deterring hostage-taking is through the rescue of those taken–by deadly force if necessary. 

What are those complications?  Ms. French’s essay, “ Reviving the Right to Rescue: Analyzing International Law on the Use of Force for Hostage Rescue in the 21st Century “ details the legal issues involved (and you may be surprised at some of the objections).  She concludes (correctly in my view) that the “right to rescue” exists and that it ‘is not only legally permissible but morally and practically desirable.”

Here’s the abstract of Katherine’s extremely timely (and well-researched) article:

The capture of foreign nationals is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for bad actors seeking global attention or change. The recent practices of Hamas, Russia, Iran, and other enemies of the rules-based international order demonstrate this trend. While States universally recognize the illegality of hostage-taking, they fail to reach a consensus regarding how they may respond. The choice to use force to bring these nationals home is the most controversial of all.

The so-called “right to rescue” was once standard practice, but its support has faded since the signing of the United Nations Charter, which reset the guidelines on uses of force. Nevertheless, the right to rescue has not gone away. This paper explains how international law continues to support States’ legitimate ability to use force to rescue nationals held abroad by governments or non-state actors. Such a right is not only legally permissible but morally and practically desirable, as no end to the upsetting practice of hostage-taking is in sight.

If you want to really understand this in-the-headlines topic, be sure to read Katherine’s full essay found here .

About the Author

At Duke, Katherine is Co-President of the International Law Society, VP of Outreach for the National Security Law Society, 2L Rep for the Women Law Student Association, a Notes Editor for the Duke Law Journal, and a member of the Moot Court Board. Following law school, she will serve as an Army Judge Advocate.

Remember what we like to say on  Lawfire ® : gather the facts, examine the law, evaluate the arguments – and then decide for yourself !

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

Hillary Amofa listens to others member of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. (AP Video: Noreen Nasir)

Hillary Amofa listens to others member of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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Hillary Amofa, laughs as she participates in a team building game with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait in the school library where he often worked on writing his college essays, in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa, second from left, practices with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, stands for a portrait outside of the school in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

*Hillary Amofa, reflected right, practices in a mirror with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait outside of the school in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

Hillary Amofa, left, practices with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Hillary Amofa sits for a portrait after her step team practice at Lincoln Park High School Friday, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. When she started writing her college essay, Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. She wrote about being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana, about growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. She described hardship and struggle. Then she deleted it all. “I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18 year-old senior, “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.” (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

FILE - Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, in this June 29, 2023 file photo, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

CHICAGO (AP) — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Hillary Amofa, reflected right, practices in a mirror with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team after school, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

WONDERING IF SCHOOLS ‘EXPECT A SOB STORY’

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Max Decker, a senior at Lincoln High School, sits for a portrait in the school library where he often worked on writing his college essays, in Portland, Ore., March 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

A RULING PROMPTS PIVOTS ON ESSAY TOPICS

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process . They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

Max Decker reads his college essay on his experience with a leadership group for young Black men. (AP Video/Noreen Nasir)

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Demonstrators protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, in this June 29, 2023 file photo, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, saying race cannot be a factor. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

SPELLING OUT THE IMPACT OF RACE

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black .

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Hillary Amofa stands for a portrait after practice with members of the Lincoln Park High School step team, March 8, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

WILL SCHOOLS LOSE RACIAL DIVERSITY?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

Hillary Amofa reads her college essay on embracing her natural hair. (AP Video/Noreen Nasir)

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair . She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel affirmative action ruling leaves no choice

When the supreme court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions..

By The Associated Press

5:20 AM on Mar 28, 2024 CDT

CHICAGO — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

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Related: Gov. Abbott issues executive order fighting antisemitism at Texas colleges

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action. The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

Do schools ‘expect a sob story’?

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

Related: Texas colleges risk millions if they break DEI ban, lawmaker says

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. ... I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

Ruling prompts pivots on essay topics

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Ore., had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process. They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Related: Dallas approves more than $30 million in contracts to improve sidewalks citywide

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

Spelling out the impact of race

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black.

Related: Federal appeals court questions legality of Texas immigration law

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

Will schools lose racial diversity?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair. She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

By Collin Binkley, Annie Ma and Noreen Nasir of The Associated Press

The Associated Press

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