Stage 4 · A2+–B1
The French gerund — use it independently in context
The French gerund: progressive explanation, topic-specific examples, guided exercises and a corrected assessment.
1. Objective
By the end, you will reuse “The French gerund” in a sentence or situation of your own.
2. Discover
Read the “The French gerund” examples as models. Identify what stays stable and what can change.
3. Understand
To understand “The French gerund”, start from the examples rather than an abstract definition. Identify the subject first, then the verb form, then what the sentence says about time or intention.
Start with the subject and time reference. Only then choose the tense or verb form: word-for-word translation often leads to the wrong tense.
4. Guided practice
5. Independent practice
6. Write / speak
Create two personal examples with “The French gerund”: one close to the model and one from your own day.
7. Check your learning
8. Remember
For gérondif en + participe présent, identify the context first, then the form carrying the useful information. Always check your answer in a complete sentence.
9. Now I can…
- I can recognise “The French gerund” in a new example.
- I can justify my choice and create an example.
