Linking ideas · French grammar C1

Contents · C1

At B2, ideas were linked with the connectors of cause, result, purpose, opposition and concession of standard French: parce que, si bien que, pour que, bien que. Formal writing adds connectors that are more precise, and each of them is followed by a fixed mood: purpose and concession by the subjunctive, cause and consequence by the indicative. In a text, the connector is chosen from the logical relation between two clauses, and the mood comes with the connector.

Formal connectors of purpose, cause, consequence and concession#

Purpose. A purpose, or a result one works for, is expressed with a verb followed by à ce que and the subjunctive, and a fear with de crainte que or de peur que.

Purpose

Veiller à ce que (to make sure that) is followed by the subjunctive: veiller à ce que chacun reçoive sa part. Before a clause, veiller, tenir, s’attendre and other verbs followed by à have à ce que: je tiens à ce que vous soyez là, il ne s’attendait pas à ce qu’elle vienne. De crainte que and de peur que (for fear that) are followed by the subjunctive, often with a ne that does not negate: de peur qu’il ne pleuve. That ne belongs to careful French and may be left out. When both clauses have the same subject, de crainte de or de peur de + infinitive is used: de peur de tomber.

Cause. These connectors give a cause presented as a fact, and are followed by the indicative.

Cause

Considérant que gives the reason for a decision in formal and legal writing: considérant que les travaux sont terminés. Étant donné que, vu que and du fait que are less formal, and attendu que belongs to legal texts. D’autant que adds a further reason that strengthens the first: je reste ici, d’autant que je suis fatigué. D’autant plus… que and d’autant moins… que say that a cause makes a quality or an action stronger or weaker: elle est d’autant plus heureuse que…, il travaille d’autant moins que…. Surtout que has the meaning of d’autant que in everyday speech.

Consequence. These connectors give a result presented as a fact, and are followed by the indicative.

Consequence

À tel point que and au point que (so much so that, to the point that) stress how far a situation goes: il a travaillé à tel point qu’il est tombé malade. Tant et si bien que gives the result of a long or repeated action: elle a insisté tant et si bien qu’il a accepté. When both clauses have the same subject, au point de + infinitive is used: fatigué au point de s’endormir à table. The words of each phrase are fixed: à tel point, au point, tant et si bien.

Concession. These connectors admit a fact or a degree without letting it change the main clause, and are followed by the subjunctive.

Concession

Encore que (although) belongs to careful French and is followed by the subjunctive, like bien que and quoique: encore que la salle soit petite. Si (or, more formally, aussi) + adjective or adverb + que + subjunctive means “however”: si riche qu’il soit, si loin qu’elle habite. Quelque + adjective + que has the same meaning, and quelque is then an invariable adverb: quelque habiles qu’ils soient. Quelque + noun + que + subjunctive means “whatever”, and quelque agrees with the noun: quelques difficultés qu’il rencontre. Before être, quel que is written in two words, and quel agrees with the subject that follows the verb: quel que soit le jour, quelle que soit l’heure, quels que soient les risques, quelles que soient vos raisons.

Relation	Connectors	Mood	Example
purpose	veiller à ce que, de crainte que, de peur que	subjunctive	Il veille à ce que tout soit prêt.
cause	considérant que, d’autant que, d’autant plus… que, surtout que	indicative	Je reste, d’autant qu’il pleut.
consequence	à tel point que, au point que, tant et si bien que	indicative	Il a plu à tel point que la rue est inondée.
concession	encore que, si… que, quelque… que, quel que	subjunctive	Si fatiguée qu’elle soit, elle sourit.

Choosing the connector in a text. The connector depends on the relation between the two clauses: a further reason is given by a link of cause, a result by a link of consequence, a contrast by a link of concession, a fear by a link of purpose. The mood follows the link chosen: Nous partirons tôt, d’autant que la route est longue (indicative); Nous partirons tôt, de peur que la route ne soit bloquée (subjunctive).

Le professeur veille à ce que chaque élève puisse poser ses questions.The teacher makes sure that every pupil can ask their questions.
Elle parlait bas de peur que les enfants ne se réveillent.She spoke quietly for fear that the children would wake up.
Considérant que le bâtiment est dangereux, le maire a décidé de le fermer.Given that the building is dangerous, the mayor has decided to close it.
Je suis d’autant plus inquiet qu’il ne répond pas au téléphone.I am all the more worried because he isn’t answering the phone.
Le vent soufflait au point qu’on ne pouvait plus marcher.The wind was blowing so hard that it was no longer possible to walk.
Il a répété la question tant et si bien qu’elle a fini par répondre.He repeated the question so often that she ended up answering.
Encore qu’il fasse froid, nous mangerons dehors.Although it is cold, we will eat outside.
Quelque décision que vous preniez, nous vous aiderons.Whatever decision you make, we will help you.
Quels que soient vos projets, prévenez-nous.Whatever your plans are, let us know.

Common mistakes

~~Veillez que la porte soit fermée.~~ → Veillez à ce que la porte soit fermée.Before a clause, veiller is followed by à ce que.
~~Il est d’autant plus content qu’il soit en vacances.~~ → Il est d’autant plus content qu’il est en vacances.After d’autant plus… que, the cause is a fact, in the indicative.
~~Encore qu’il est malade, il travaille.~~ → Encore qu’il soit malade, il travaille.Encore que is followed by the subjunctive, like bien que.
~~Quelque soit la raison~~ → Quelle que soit la raisonBefore être, quel que is two words, and quel agrees with la raison.
~~Elle travaillait au point d’oubliant de manger.~~ → Elle travaillait au point d’oublier de manger.Au point de is followed by an infinitive.

Difference from English

English “make sure that”, “for fear that” and “although” are followed by an ordinary verb, but French veiller à ce que, de crainte que and encore que are followed by the subjunctive. English “all the more… because” is one phrase in French, d’autant plus… que, where que gives the cause and is followed by the indicative. “However rich he is” has no subjunctive in English; French has si riche qu’il soit.

Remember

Purpose, concession: subjunctive (veiller à ce que, de crainte que, encore que, si… que). Cause, consequence: indicative (d’autant que, à tel point que). Quel que soit before être.

In short

Connector	Meaning	Followed by
veiller à ce que	to make sure that	subjunctive
de crainte que, de peur que	for fear that	subjunctive, often with ne
considérant que	given that (formal)	indicative
d’autant que, d’autant plus… que	all the more as, all the more… because	indicative
surtout que	especially as (speech)	indicative
à tel point que, au point que	so much so that	indicative
tant et si bien que	so much that in the end	indicative
encore que	although (careful French)	subjunctive
si… que, quelque… que	however	subjunctive
quel que soit	whatever	subjunctive

Practise

“Linking ideas: purpose, cause, consequence and concession”, Purpose: veiller à ce que, de crainte que “Linking ideas: purpose, cause, consequence and concession”, Cause: considérant que, d'autant plus que, surtout que “Linking ideas: purpose, cause, consequence and concession”, Consequence: à tel point que, au point que, tant et si bien que

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