Avoid Common Mistakes in French Descriptive Writing

He is 16 years old.

• Il a 16 ans.

• Il est a 16.

• Il est 16 ans.

• Il a 16.

Answer explanation

avoir... ans = to be ...years old.

French don't say "I AM 16". They say "I HAVE 16 (years experience on this earth)".

She's a pretty girl.

• Elle est jolie.

• Elle est un fille jolie.

• C'est une jolie fille.

• Elle est joli.

Answer explanation

C'est un/C'est une = He is A.../ She is A .../It is A....)

Adjectives Agree!

Joli is a BAGS adjective (Beauty), so it comes before the noun.

Their son's name is Luc.

• Le fils's nom est Luc.

• Leur fils's nom a Luc.

• Leur fils s'appelle Luc.

• Leur fils s'apele est Luc.

Answer explanation

Remember: 's does NOT exist in French. Also, to give names, use the verb s'appeler. There are double p's and l's for all forms except nous and vous.

He has blue eyes.

• Il les yeux bleus.

• Il a bleu yeux.

• Il est bleus yeux.

• Il a les yeux bleus.

Answer explanation

Use le, la, les before body parts (hair and eyes). Also, cheveux (hair) and yeux (eyes) are always MP, even if they are on a girl. That means that hair and eye color always end in an -s (except marron, which is invariable).

Also, avoir = to HAVE ... colored hair/eyes.

He loves his dogs.

• Il adore il cheins.

• Il adore ses chiens.

• Il adorent les chiens.

• Ils adore le cheins.

Answer explanation

Ses = his/her/its, and make the s's match up!

his wife

• sa femme

• son femme

• ses femmes

• la femme

Answer explanation

Son, sa, ses ALL mean his. Choose the one that matches the word after. (SA = FS, femme = FS)

She is not polite.

• Elle ne polie pas.

• Elle ne est pas polie.

• Elle n'est pas polie.

• Elle ne pas polie.

Answer explanation

Ne/n'...pas wraps around the VERB like earmuffs. The verb is the action word, the one that takes endings or we sing a song for and copy on the pink sheet if irregular.

The children's names are ...

• Les enfants s'appellent est...

• Les enfants s'appelent sont...

• Les enfants est...

• Les enfants s'appellent ...

Answer explanation

Les enfants = ils. Conjugate appeler with an

-ent ending (SENT).

Think of "ils s'appellent" as "they are called/named... " No need for an am/is/are verb after.

The grandparents have gray hair.

• Le grand-parents avoir les cheveux gris.

• Les grands-parents ont les cheveux gris.

• Les grand-parents a cheveux gris.

• Les grands-parents ont gris cheveux.

Answer explanation

Avoir = TO have. Les grands-parents (ils) ont = They have. Also, AA rule for hair color.

Julie and Chantal are beautiful.

• Julie et Chantal sont belles.

• Julie et Chantal est belle.

• Julie et Chantal est beaux.

• Julie et Chantal ont belle.

Answer explanation

ont = have; sont = are.

a = has; est = is

Also, AA rule.