A good message about an interest has a clear opening, a middle that answers every point, and a friendly ending, in one consistent register. The ideas can be simple if they are connected.
This lesson brings together description, past events and comparison from the rest of people and personal experiences. For longer pieces, see also developing an original written response.
What makes a message coherent?
Coherence means the reader can follow you from the first line to the last. Four habits create it:
- Answer what was asked. If the message asks about your hobby, say what it is and why you like it.
- Keep one register. A friend gets tu, Salut and À bientôt. Do not mix in vous.
- Link your sentences with et, mais, parce que, puis and donc.
- Give one detail such as when you started, or what happened last time.
How do I build the message, step by step?
- Greet with Salut Manon, and thank the person for their message.
- Answer the question directly: Mon passe-temps préféré, c’est la photographie.
- Say since when with il y a or depuis.
- Add one detail or reason with parce que and a recent example in the perfect tense.
- Ask something back: Et toi, qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire?
- Close with À bientôt, and your name.
Worked example
Task: a pen-friend asks what you do in your free time.
Salut Manon,
Merci pour ton message. Tu me demandes quel est mon passe-temps préféré: c’est la photographie. J’ai commencé il y a deux ans, quand mon oncle m’a prêté son vieil appareil photo. Maintenant, je prends des photos de ma ville chaque week-end, surtout au marché, parce que les couleurs sont superbes. La semaine dernière, j’ai photographié un vendeur de fruits, et il m’a offert une mangue. Et toi, qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire? Tu veux m’envoyer une photo de ta ville?
À bientôt, Aisha
Step 1, greeting: Salut Manon and Merci pour ton message fit a friend.
Step 2, answer: c’est la photographie answers the question in the first lines.
Step 3, since when: J’ai commencé il y a deux ans gives a start point, then quand mon oncle m’a prêté son vieil appareil photo adds the story.
Step 4, detail and reason: parce que les couleurs sont superbes is a specific reason, and la semaine dernière adds a recent event.
Step 5, question and close: the two questions invite a reply, and À bientôt ends warmly.
What mistake should I watch for?
A common slip is to mix registers and give one-line answers with no links.
Mistaken answer: Salut Manon, comment allez-vous? J’aime la photographie. C’est bien. Au revoir.
Allez-vous is formal, but Salut is informal. The message has no reason and no link, and the closing is abrupt.
The correction is Salut Manon, comment vas-tu? J’adore la photographie parce que j’aime les belles couleurs. À bientôt. Reread for register, for one linking word and for the closing.
Check yourself
Try these on paper, then open each answer.
1. Which closing suits a message to a friend: Veuillez agréer mes salutations distinguées or À bientôt?
Show answer
À bientôt. The first is a very formal closing for official letters.
2. Rewrite for a friend: Comment allez-vous? Parlez-moi de votre famille.
Show answer
Comment vas-tu? Parle-moi de ta famille. The verbs and the possessive all change to tu forms.
3. Write two linked sentences about an interest that include il y a or depuis.
Show answer
One possible answer: J’ai commencé la guitare il y a trois ans, et maintenant je joue chaque samedi avec mon frère. Another: Je joue de la guitare depuis trois ans parce que j’adore la musique.
Where does this lead next?
Test the whole module in the integrated practice for people and personal experiences. After that, places, travel and the environment uses the same message skills for a new topic.
A teacher can read your message and mark structure, register and links with you. Our online one-to-one French tuition includes that kind of feedback.