Skip to content
PlayOwl

French · Grade 9

Explain and Defend an Idea

Should volunteering be compulsory for high-school students? Starting from an original model essay, learners build an arguable thesis supported by reasons and examples, choose the right mood after expressions of opinion, certainty, doubt and necessity (je pense que c'est… / je ne pense pas que ce soit…), answer the other side with concession and rebuttal (certes… mais, bien que + subjunctive, même si + indicative), and write and defend their own short argument on a school or community question.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 125 minutes
  • Argue in French: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, choose a reply, highlight a text, match pairs and put in order
Try it now (no account) One of the five free starter courses Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • State a clear, arguable thesis and support it with distinct reasons, explanations and examples, organized with connectors (tout d'abord, de plus, par exemple, par conséquent, en conclusion).
  • Choose the mood after expressions of opinion and certainty (je pense que, je suis sûr que, il est évident que, j'espère que + indicative) and of doubt, necessity and wish (je ne pense pas que, je doute que, il faut que, il est important que + subjunctive).
  • Anticipate an objection and answer it with a concession and a rebuttal (Certes…, mais…; Il est vrai que…, cependant…; bien que + subjunctive; même si + indicative).
  • Write and defend a short argumentative text on a school or community question, responding to at least one objection.

Lessons

  1. Thesis, reasons, examples 6 steps3 practiceabout 30 min
  2. Je pense que c'est… / Je ne pense pas que ce soit… 6 steps4 practiceabout 32 min
  3. Answering the other side 6 steps4 practiceabout 30 min
  4. Write and defend your argument 5 steps2 practiceabout 33 min
  5. Argue in French 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

More 9th grade world language

Guide for grown-ups