| French Proofreading and Editing Tips |
| Key problem areas in French homework, papers, and translations |
Whether you're checking over homework, proofreading
a paper, or verifying a translation, there are certain key problem areas to
watch out for. This is not a definitive list by any means, but it indicates
areas of confusion and common mistakes caused by differences between French and
English and includes links to more detailed explanations and examples.
Before you turn anything in, check the following areas of your work.
| Vocabulary | ||
| Watch out for differences in meaning and/or spelling. | ||
| Accents | Missing and incorrect accents are spelling mistakes. | |
| Expressions | Double-check your idiomatic expressions. | |
| False Cognates | Many words are similar in spelling but not (always) in meaning. | |
| Spelling Equivalents | Study these differences between English and French spelling. | |
| True Cognates | These words are identical in spelling and meaning. | |
| Grammar | ||
| An endless topic, but here are some typical areas of difficulty. | ||
| Agreement | Make sure that your adjectives, pronouns, and other words agree. | |
| Articles | Don't forget - these are more common in French. | |
| Clauses | ||
| * Conjunctions | Use the right kind of conjunction. | |
| * Relative Clauses | Be careful with relative pronouns. | |
| * Si Clauses | Check that these are set up correctly. | |
| Gender | Make a real effort to use the correct gender. | |
| Negation | Be sure to use the best negative structure. | |
| Questions | Are you asking them correctly? | |
| Verbs | ||
| * Conjugations | Ensure that each conjugation matches its subject. | |
| * Modal Verbs | These are quite different in French. | |
| * Prepositions | Be sure to follow each verb with the right preposition. | |
| * Tense + Mood | Are your tenses consistent? Do you need to use the subjunctive? | |
| Word Order | Adjectives, adverbs, negation, + pronouns cause positioning problems. | |
| Mechanics | ||
| Written conventions can be very different in French and English, so check these over carefully. | ||
| Acronyms/Abbreviations | Make sure you write them the French way. | |
| Capitalization | Careful - this is much less common in French. | |
| Contractions | These are optional in English, but required in French. | |
| Punctuation + Numbers | Follow French spacing rules and use the correct symbols. | |
The free, twice-weekly About French Language newsletter keeps you informed about changes to this site, including new lessons, articles, and forum discussions. Subscribe today!
|
