What should you understand before the blank?
Completing a coherent argument is part of the Expression content described by FNEGE. Our method is to hide the answer choices first. Restate both ideas in simple terms, then ask whether the second explains the first, follows from it, qualifies it, or adds an argument.
Concession is not limited to two different opinions. It presents a fact that would lead you to expect a different outcome: “la salle est petite ; pourtant, tous les participants ont trouvé une place” (the room is small; yet everyone found a seat). Contrast can simply compare two situations: “cette salle est petite, tandis que l’autre est vaste” (this room is small, while the other is spacious). The context determines the relevant relationship.
Syntax provides a second filter. A connector that introduces a full clause is not necessarily used like a preposition followed by a noun. Read the whole sentence with your choice: meaning, verb tense, and punctuation must remain coherent. A familiar word is not automatically correct just because it belongs to the right general category.
Does the second idea follow from the first?
Look for the direction of the reasoning. “Car” generally introduces an explanation; “donc” introduces a conclusion drawn from what came before.
« Le seul pont d’accès est fermé à toute circulation. Aucun autre itinéraire ne permet de rejoindre le site ; …, la visite de ce matin est annulée. » Choisissez le connecteur adapté.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
“par conséquent.”
The method in action
- The inability to access the site is presented as the reason for the cancellation. The second statement gives its consequence.
- “Pourtant,” “en revanche,” and “au contraire” would introduce a contrast that is absent from the text. “Autrefois” would shift the discussion to the past without explaining the current decision.
- The connector alone does not prove real-world causation; it indicates the relationship the speaker builds between ideas.
What expectation does the second statement contradict?
Silently say, “We might have expected…” If the next statement contradicts that expectation, a concession may fit.
« Le dossier était incomplet la veille de l’échéance. …, l’équipe a obtenu les pièces manquantes et l’a déposé à temps. »
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
“Pourtant.”
The method in action
- An incomplete application just before the deadline suggests a likely delay; the second sentence describes the opposite outcome.
- “Par conséquent” would make success a consequence of the incomplete application. “En effet” would introduce a justification; “autrement dit,” a restatement; and “de même,” a parallel case. None conveys the contrast.
The pitfall
Treating all contrast connectors as interchangeable
“En revanche” often weighs two elements against each other; “pourtant” emphasizes a contradicted expectation. They may overlap in some contexts, but not automatically. Do not look for one fixed word-for-word translation; explain the full relationship between the two statements.
If several choices seem possible, examine the scope of the connector. Does it link two sentences, two noun phrases, or an entire paragraph to what came before? Looking only at the words next to the blank may cause you to miss the central argument.
When should you weigh characteristics against each other?
Two different features of the same thing can create a balanced contrast without contradicting each other.
Complétez en mettant explicitement les deux critères en contraste, sans exprimer de relation de cause à effet : « Le local est éloigné de la gare ; …, son loyer est inférieur à celui des autres offres. »
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
“en revanche.”
The method in action
- The first statement presents a drawback and the second an advantage. “En revanche” weighs these two criteria against each other.
- “C’est pourquoi” and “de ce fait” would express a consequence; that interpretation might be defensible without further instruction, but the requested contrast rules it out here. “En effet” would introduce an explanation; “autrement dit” would equate two distinct facts.
How can you preserve the direction of the argument?
In an argument, a new reason can support the same conclusion without restating the previous one.
« Cette salle est facile d’accès. …, elle dispose de tables adaptées au travail en groupe. Ces deux atouts répondent à nos besoins. »
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
“De plus.”
The method in action
- The text adds a second advantage, then explicitly groups the two together with “ces deux atouts” (these two advantages).
- “Cependant,” “en revanche,” and “malgré cela” would introduce an unnecessary contrast. “C’est-à-dire” would make the tables an explanation of easy access, even though the criteria are independent.
Key takeaways
- Name the relationship before reading the suggested connectors.
- Check both meaning and grammatical construction.
- Reread the full passage with your answer.