Writing Practice: Extended Writing on the Environment

From short lines to a real answer

You already know the words for the environment and how to say where things are. To reach the top marks in writing, you turn a short line into a longer one by adding a reason and joining ideas together. This module shows how to extend your French and build a paragraph about protecting the planet.

Environment words to reuse

These are words you will build with. They come from the topic you have already studied.

A short line against a strong one

The same idea can score very differently depending on how much you add.

Add a reason, join the ideas

A strong sentence states an idea and then explains it. Take a short line, add a connective such as parce que, and finish with a reason. A model to copy: dans ma region il y a trop de circulation, parce que nous prenons souvent la voiture. Say the idea, join it, give the reason.

Match the connective

Match the environment word

Complete the model paragraph

Dans ma ville, il y a beaucoup de _____ à cause de la circulation. Je pense que nous devons _____ la planète. Par exemple, nous pouvons _____ le papier et le verre. _____, la vie serait meilleure.

Build the idea and reason

Build the French for there is too much pollution because we take the car.

Build the opinion

Build the French for I think that we must protect the planet.

Order a strong paragraph

Put the parts of a strong environment paragraph in order, earliest first.

• State the problem
• Give the reason for it
• Add an example
• End with your opinion

Find what makes it stronger

This sentence scores well: il y a trop de pollution parce que nous prenons la voiture. Tap the TWO words that join the idea to its reason.

• parce
• que
• pollution
• voiture

Which line is strongest?

Which sentence would score the most marks in the writing exam?

• Je pense que nous devons recycler, parce que cela protège la planète.
• Il y a de la pollution.
• La pollution.
• La voiture, le papier, le verre.

Improve the sentence

Select the TWO things that would turn a short line into a stronger one.

• Add a reason with parce que
• Join two ideas with a connective
• Remove all the verbs
• Write part of it in English

Write about the environment

Write an extended paragraph in French about a problem for the environment and what people should do about it.

• State one environment problem where you live, using il y a
• Give a reason for it with parce que
• End with your opinion on what people must do, using nous devons