CEFR C1
What you will learn
- Choose an impersonal construction according to recommendation or finding.
- Distinguish impersonal il from a personal referent while preserving complement, mood and claim strength.
Before you start
- Have studied the stated prerequisites and reconstruct who acts before choosing a form.
The idea
Choose an impersonal construction according to recommendation or finding.
Il convient de + infinitive recommends an action without necessarily naming its agent. Il convient que + subjunctive specifies the agent: Il convient que chaque service réponde. Impersonal il does not refer back to a named man and remains third-person singular.
Il ressort du rapport que presents a conclusion drawn from a report and takes indicative here: Il ressort du rapport que les délais ont augmenté. Its form does not guarantee the report’s reliability. Il s’agit de identifies subject matter or a task: Il s’agit de comparer les versions. Do not make the subject matter the subject of s’agir.
Convenir also has a personal use: Il convient que le délai est court can mean that he admits that fact. Do not confuse it with impersonal il convient que, which recommends and takes subjunctive. Context and subject resolve the identical wording; a rule about que alone is insufficient.
Form and relation
| French case | What to preserve |
|---|---|
| Il s’agit de deux versions différentes. | Deux versions is a complement, not a subject. |
| Ces deux versions diffèrent. | Here versions is a plural subject. |
How it sounds
- Il convient que les responsables vérifient les annexes.Recommendation with an explicit agent.
- Il ressort des relevés que la consommation a baissé.Conclusion attributed to records, not advice.
Choose an impersonal construction according to recommendation or finding.Another context
Les relevés signalent déjà une annexe manquante. Le compte rendu doit attribuer ce constat aux relevés, puis recommander une nouvelle vérification par chaque responsable, sans affirmer qu’elle a eu lieu. Quelle rédaction respecte ces deux statuts ?
Les relevés indiquent une baisse de fréquentation mesurée en juin. Le texte doit attribuer ce constat aux relevés, puis recommander une comparaison par les analystes avec juillet ; les chiffres de juillet ne sont pas encore connus. Quelle rédaction préserve la source, les agents et la limite de l’information ?
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Il ressort des relevés qu’une annexe manque ; il convient que chaque responsable vérifie de nouveau les annexes. — This alternative is appropriate: «Il ressort des relevés qu’une annexe manque ; il convient que chaque responsable vérifie de nouveau les annexes.». Il ressort des relevés que attributes the observed missing appendix to the records; il convient que recommends with subjunctive and keeps each manager as agent. Alternatives assert unreported checking, recommend an appendix be missing or transfer the task to the writer.
Il ressort des relevés que attributes the observed missing appendix to the records; il convient que recommends with subjunctive and keeps each manager as agent. Alternatives assert unreported checking, recommend an appendix be missing or transfer the task to the writer.
Answer: Il ressort des relevés que la fréquentation a baissé en juin ; il convient que les analystes la comparent aux chiffres de juillet. — This alternative is appropriate: «Il ressort des relevés que la fréquentation a baissé en juin ; il convient que les analystes la comparent aux chiffres de juillet.». Il ressort des relevés que retains the source and measured decrease; il convient que les analystes recommends a pending comparison by the analysts. Alternatives turn the decrease into advice, present comparison as completed or change its agent.
Il ressort des relevés que retains the source and measured decrease; il convient que les analystes recommends a pending comparison by the analysts. Alternatives turn the decrease into advice, present comparison as completed or change its agent.
Distinguish impersonal il from a personal referent while preserving complement, mood and claim strength.Another context
« Il s’agit de trois documents à comparer. » Un élève met s’agissent parce qu’il voit trois documents. Quel diagnostic reconstruit la syntaxe ?
Paul admet que le délai est court. Dans « Il convient que le délai est court », il reprend Paul. Quelle lecture évite de confondre cet emploi avec une recommandation impersonnelle ?
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Il est impersonnel ; trois documents est le complément de de, pas le sujet. — This alternative is appropriate: «Il est impersonnel ; trois documents est le complément de de, pas le sujet.». Il is a singular impersonal subject; the complement’s number does not control agreement.
Il is a singular impersonal subject; the complement’s number does not control agreement.
Answer: Paul reconnaît un fait ; l’indicatif convient à cet emploi personnel. — This alternative is appropriate: «Paul reconnaît un fait ; l’indicatif convient à cet emploi personnel.». Context fixes il = Paul and convenir = admit; this personal use permits indicative and does not recommend shortening.
Context fixes il = Paul and convenir = admit; this personal use permits indicative and does not recommend shortening.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- Deux versions is a complement, not a subject.Il s’agit de deux versions différentes.
- Here versions is a plural subject.Ces deux versions diffèrent.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Ces annexes s’agissent de documents techniques.
Right Il s’agit d’annexes techniques.
English these are technical appendices needs restructuring for il s’agit de; the topic is not its grammatical subject.
Combine both decisions
Les relevés indiquent déjà un retard. Le texte doit ensuite recommander que chaque service vérifie son calendrier. Écrivez deux phrases impersonnelles en distinguant constatation et recommandation.
Answer available without interaction
- Write two impersonal sentences containing the requested information.
- Distinguish the documented information from the recommended action.
- Justify each subordinate verb’s mood by the meaning of its main expression.
Answer: Il ressort des relevés qu’un retard a été constaté. Il convient que chaque service vérifie son calendrier.
Il ressort des relevés attributes the observed delay to the records. Il convient que chaque service vérifie recommends with the subjunctive; an impersonal recommendation with an infinitive also works if it identifies each service as agent. The recommendation does not assert completed checking.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- Editorial selection for grammatical control, reformulation and precision. B2.1/B2.2 are internal subdivisions; the CEFR does not prescribe this structure list by school year. · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: The impersonal constructions of formal FrenchConditional for unconfirmed information: present, past and sourceFrench subjunctive: forms, triggers and contrast with the indicativeNominalisation in written French: formation, complements and style