C1 Present Tense 15 min read Medium

Doing Two Things at Once: The French Gerundive (en + -ant)

Use en + participe présent to elegantly link two simultaneous actions performed by the same subject.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'en' + present participle (-ant) to describe two simultaneous actions performed by the same subject.

  • Use for simultaneous actions: 'Il chante en travaillant' (He sings while working).
  • Use for manner: 'Elle est partie en courant' (She left running).
  • Use for cause: 'En mangeant trop, il a été malade' (By eating too much, he got sick).
en + [verb stem + ant]

Overview

The French gerundive, known as le gérondif, is an adverbial verb form fundamentally used to express that an action occurs concurrently with the main verb's action, executed by the same subject. It is constructed with the preposition en followed by the present participle of the verb (en + participe présent). This structure provides a concise and elegant alternative to subordinate clauses, enhancing fluidity and sophistication in advanced French expression.

Beyond simple simultaneity, le gérondif serves to indicate the manner or means by which an action is performed, to express a cause or reason, and, less frequently, a condition. Mastering its nuances at the C1 level involves understanding not only its formation and primary functions but also its stylistic implications, common pitfalls, and distinctions from similar grammatical structures.

Its significance lies in its ability to condense complex ideas into a more streamlined form. Instead of articulating two full clauses, you can often convey the interaction between two actions with a single gerundive phrase. This linguistic efficiency is a hallmark of native-like fluency, making le gérondif indispensable for both spoken and written French.

Conjugation Table

Verb (Infinitif) nous form (Présent de l'indicatif) Stem (after removing -ons) Participe Présent Gérondif (en + participe présent) Traduction approximative
:--------------- :----------------------------------- :-------------------------- :---------------- :---------------------------------- :-----------------------
parler nous parlons parl- parlant en parlant while speaking, by speaking
finir nous finissons finiss- finissant en finissant while finishing, by finishing
vendre nous vendons vend- vendant en vendant while selling, by selling
faire nous faisons fais- faisant en faisant while doing/making, by doing/making
prendre nous prenons pren- prenant en prenant while taking, by taking
venir nous venons ven- venant en venant while coming, by coming
s'asseoir nous nous asseyons assey- s'asseyant en s'asseyant while sitting down
lire nous lisons lis- lisant en lisant while reading, by reading
boire nous buvons buv- buvant en buvant while drinking, by drinking
avoir (Irrégulier) (Irrégulier) ayant en ayant while having
être (Irrégulier) (Irrégulier) étant en étant while being
savoir (Irrégulier) (Irrégulier) sachant en sachant while knowing

How This Grammar Works

Le gérondif functions exclusively as an adverbial modifier. This means it provides additional information about the main action, typically answering questions like when, how, why, or under what condition. Crucially, because it acts as an adverb, it is invariable: it never agrees in gender or number with the subject, nor does it agree with any object.
This lack of agreement simplifies its use considerably compared to adjectives or past participles.
Its structure, en + participe présent, establishes a direct and dependent relationship with the main clause. The en acts as a preposition linking the gerundive phrase to the main verb, signifying the concomitant nature of the actions or the means, cause, or condition. For example, in Il apprend le français en lisant des romans (He learns French by reading novels), en lisant des romans describes how he learns French.
The absence of agreement (lisant remains lisant regardless of who reads) reinforces its adverbial role.
The fundamental principle governing le gérondif is the absolute identity of the subject. The implicit subject of the action expressed by the gerundive must be the same as the subject of the main verb. If the two actions are performed by different individuals or entities, le gérondif cannot be used; an alternative construction, such as a subordinate clause (pendant que, tandis que), is required. For instance, Elle écoute la radio en cuisinant is correct because elle is both listening and cooking.
However, En écoutant la radio, le dîner brûlait is grammatically flawed as le dîner cannot listen to the radio.
Stylistically, le gérondif often implies a closer, more integrated connection between the two actions than a separate clause might. It suggests a single continuous process or a direct link between cause and effect, or means and result. This inherent conciseness makes it a powerful tool for sophisticated expression, particularly at advanced levels of French proficiency.

Formation Pattern

1
The formation of le gérondif involves a consistent three-step process for most French verbs. Understanding these steps is key to accurate usage.
2
Identify the nous form of the verb in the present tense (Présent de l'indicatif). This form provides the base for almost all present participles and, consequently, gerundives. For example, for parler, it's nous parlons; for finir, it's nous finissons; for vendre, it's nous vendons.
3
Remove the -ons ending from the nous form. This yields the verbal stem. For parlons, you get parl-; for finissons, finiss-; for vendons, vend-. This stem is crucial as it carries the core meaning of the verb.
4
Add the gerundive suffix -ant to this stem. This transforms the stem into the present participle. Thus, parl- becomes parlant, finiss- becomes finissant, and vend- becomes vendant. This present participle is the heart of le gérondif.
5
Precede the present participle with the preposition en. This final step completes the gerundive construction. So, you get en parlant, en finissant, en vendant. The en is an integral and mandatory component, distinguishing le gérondif from the standalone present participle.
6
Irregularities: As noted previously, there are only three primary irregular verbs whose present participles do not follow the nous form rule:
7
avoir → ayant → en ayant
8
être → étant → en étant
9
savoir → sachant → en sachant
10
It is essential to commit these three to memory. All other verbs, even those with irregular present indicative forms, adhere to the nous-form-based pattern for their present participle and gerundive. For instance, aller (nous allons → allant → en allant) and dire (nous disons → disant → en disant) are regular in their gerundive formation.
11
Reflexive Verbs: When forming le gérondif with reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun (e.g., me, te, se, nous, vous) remains, preceding the present participle and following en. The pronoun must correspond to the subject of the main verb, adhering to the fundamental rule of subject identity. For example, s'habiller (to get dressed) becomes en s'habillant (while getting dressed). En me rasant, je me suis coupé (While shaving, I cut myself). This highlights how le gérondif integrates seamlessly even with more complex verbal structures.

When To Use It

Le gérondif is a versatile tool, primarily used in four key situations, all predicated on the core rule of a single, identical subject for both the main and subsidiary actions.
  1. 1Simultaneity (Action Concomitante):
This is the most frequent application of le gérondif, indicating that two actions are happening at precisely the same time. The gerundive describes the accompanying action. It's often translatable as "while doing" or "as one is doing."
  • Il écoute la musique en travaillant. (He listens to music while working.) Here, listening and working occur simultaneously.
  • Elle parle au téléphone en marchant dans la rue. (She talks on the phone while walking in the street.) Both actions are performed by elle at the same time.
  • The phrase tout en can be used to emphasize the simultaneity, particularly when there is an element of contrast or surprise, or to suggest a longer duration of the accompanying action. Elle m'a souri tout en pleurant. (She smiled at me even while crying.) This emphasizes the surprising juxtaposition of emotions.
  1. 1Manner or Means (Comment ? / Par quel moyen ?):
Le gérondif can specify how an action is performed, detailing the method or instrument used. It answers the question "How?" and is often translated as "by doing" or "by means of doing."
  • On apprend beaucoup en voyageant. (One learns a lot by traveling.) Traveling is the means of learning.
  • Il a réussi l'examen en étudiant jour et nuit. (He passed the exam by studying day and night.) Intense study was the method of success.
  • Vous pouvez améliorer votre prononciation en écoutant attentivement les locuteurs natifs. (You can improve your pronunciation by listening carefully to native speakers.) Listening is the way to improve.
  1. 1Cause or Reason (Pourquoi ?):
When le gérondif expresses cause, it explains why the main action occurred. It offers a more concise alternative to parce que or comme clauses, particularly when the cause is a direct action of the subject.
  • En glissant sur la glace, il est tombé. (Having slipped on the ice, he fell.) The slipping was the direct cause of the fall.
  • Il s'est blessé en jouant au football. (He got injured by playing football.) Playing football was the activity that led to the injury.
  • En ne respectant pas le code de la route, elle a eu une amende. (By not respecting the highway code, she got a fine.) Her non-compliance was the reason for the fine.
  1. 1Condition (Si...):
Although less common than the other uses, le gérondif can imply a condition, suggesting that if the action described by the gerundive were to occur, then the main action would follow. It functions like a conditional si clause.
  • En travaillant plus, tu réussiras. (If you work more, you will succeed.) Working more is the condition for success.
  • En prenant ce raccourci, nous arriverons plus tôt. (If we take this shortcut, we will arrive sooner.) Taking the shortcut is the condition for earlier arrival.
  • En lisant ce livre, vous comprendrez mieux la culture française. (If you read this book, you will better understand French culture.) Reading the book is the prerequisite for understanding.

When Not To Use It

While le gérondif is highly useful, its application is governed by strict rules, particularly regarding the subject of the action. Misusing it can lead to grammatical errors or unclear meaning. Avoid le gérondif in the following scenarios:
  1. 1When the Subjects are Different: This is the most crucial rule. Le gérondif absolutely requires that the subject of the gerundive action be the same as the subject of the main verb. If the actors are different, you must use a different structure, typically a subordinate clause introduced by pendant que, tandis que, quand, or alors que.
  • Incorrect: En travaillant, la radio était allumée. (While working, the radio was on.) This implies the radio was working. La radio était allumée pendant que je travaillais is correct.
  • Incorrect: En lisant un livre, ma sœur m'a appelé. (While reading a book, my sister called me.) This incorrectly suggests the sister was reading. Pendant que je lisais un livre, ma sœur m'a appelé is the correct phrasing.
  1. 1For Actions that are Sequential (one after another):
Le gérondif expresses simultaneity, means, cause, or condition, not a sequence of distinct actions. If one action happens before another, even immediately before, le gérondif is inappropriate. For sequential actions, use après + infinitif passé (after having done something) or a temporal conjunction like quand or dès que.
  • Incorrect: En ouvrant la porte, il est entré. (While opening the door, he entered.) This implies a single, fused action. If opening precedes entering, use Après avoir ouvert la porte, il est entré.
  • Incorrect: Elle a fait ses devoirs en regardant la télévision. (She did her homework while watching TV.) If she finished homework and then watched TV, it's wrong. If she did both simultaneously, it's correct. Clarification of sequence is key here.
  1. 1As a Progressive Tense (e.g., "I am doing"):
French does not have a direct equivalent of the English continuous/progressive tenses (I am eating, she is sleeping). Le gérondif does not fulfill this role. Saying Je suis en mangeant is a common and significant error for English speakers.
The correct way to express an ongoing action is typically with the simple present tense (Je mange) or, if emphasizing the process of doing something at a specific moment, être en train de + infinitif (Je suis en train de manger).
  • Incorrect: Je suis en étudiant le français. (I am studying French.)
  • Correct: J'étudie le français. (I study French.) or Je suis en train d'étudier le français. (I am currently studying French.)
  1. 1When the Present Participle Functions as an Adjective or Noun:
The present participle alone (without en) can act as an adjective (une femme charmante) or sometimes as a noun (les étudiants). In these cases, it describes a quality or a person, rather than an accompanying action. Using en would fundamentally change its grammatical role and meaning.
  • Incorrect Context: Les enfants en jouant dans le parc sont bruyants. (The children while playing in the park are noisy.) Here, jouant describes the children. Les enfants jouant dans le parc sont bruyants is correct, where jouant functions as a reduced relative clause (qui jouent).
Understanding these limitations is as important as knowing when to use le gérondif effectively. Always pause to verify the subject identity and the nature of the relationship between the two actions.

Common Mistakes

Advanced learners often stumble on specific aspects of le gérondif, revealing a deeper misunderstanding of its syntactic and semantic constraints. Recognizing these pitfalls can help you avoid them.
  1. 1The "Dangling Gerundive" or "Dangling Participle": This is the most prevalent and significant error, directly violating the identical subject rule. It occurs when the implicit subject of the gerundive phrase differs from the explicit subject of the main clause, leading to illogical or nonsensical statements.
  • Error: En rentrant à la maison, le dîner était déjà prêt. (While returning home, dinner was already ready.) This implies the dinner was returning home. The gerundive rentrant must have the same subject as le dîner, which is impossible.
  • Correction: En rentrant à la maison, j'ai trouvé le dîner déjà prêt. (While returning home, I found dinner already ready.) Here, je is the subject of both rentrant and ai trouvé. Alternatively, Quand je suis rentré(e) à la maison, le dîner était déjà prêt clarifies the different subjects.
  1. 1Omission of en: Confusing le gérondif with the present participle used as an adjective or an independent clause. Without en, the present participle takes on different grammatical functions, drastically altering the meaning.
  • Error: Travaillant dur, il a obtenu une promotion. (Working hard, he got a promotion.) While sometimes seen in very formal or literary contexts, this is ambiguous. Is "working hard" a descriptive quality, or the means?
  • Correction: En travaillant dur, il a obtenu une promotion. (By working hard, he got a promotion.) The en explicitly marks the phrase as an adverbial gerundive indicating means/cause. Compare une personne travaillant (a working person, adjectival) vs. en travaillant (by working, adverbial).
  1. 1Using le gérondif for Sequential Actions: As mentioned, le gérondif denotes simultaneity or a close, often causal, connection, not simple succession. This error stems from incorrectly mapping English participial phrases to French.
  • Error: En lisant le message, il a répondu immédiatement. (While reading the message, he replied immediately.) This implies he was replying as he was reading, which is unlikely for a full reply. If reading finishes before replying, the gerundive is inappropriate.
  • Correction: Après avoir lu le message, il a répondu immédiatement. (After having read the message, he replied immediately.) This clearly establishes the sequence of actions.
  1. 1Incorrect Reflexive Pronoun Placement: For reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun must always precede the present participle and follow en.
  • Error: En se douchant, il a chanté. (While himself showering, he sang.) The se is correct.
  • Correction: En se douchant, il a chanté. (This example is actually correct, but the error would be en douchant se or en se douche which would be grammatically incorrect.) A common error might be omitting the reflexive pronoun if the verb is used reflexively: En lavant, il a pensé à son problème. (While washing, he thought about his problem.) If it means 'while washing himself', then en se lavant is required. The se is an integral part of the reflexive verb construction.
  1. 1Agreement Mistakes: Although less common at C1, some learners might mistakenly try to make the present participle agree in gender or number, confusing it with an adjective.
  • Error: Elle a mangé en parlante. (parlante is incorrect, parlant is invariant).
  • Correction: Elle a mangé en parlant. (She ate while speaking.) Remember, le gérondif is an adverb and remains unchanged.
By systematically checking for these common mistakes, you can significantly improve the accuracy and native-like quality of your French gérondif usage.

Memory Trick

To effectively recall the rules for le gérondif, particularly the critical identical-subject constraint and its adverbial nature, you can use a simple mnemonic that emphasizes its core function and form:

"ENsure the subject is the same, -ANTicipate a concurrent action."

- EN: This reminds you to always include the preposition en. It also serves as a mnemonic for

Gérondif Formation

Verb Nous Form Stem Gérondif
Parler
Parlons
Parl-
en parlant
Finir
Finissons
Finiss-
en finissant
Vendre
Vendons
Vend-
en vendant
Être
Sommes
Étant
en étant
Avoir
Avons
Ayant
en ayant
Savoir
Savons
Sachant
en sachant

Meanings

The gérondif is a grammatical structure used to express simultaneity, manner, or cause. It links two actions performed by the same subject.

1

Simultaneity

Two actions happening at the same time.

“Il lit en mangeant.”

“Elle téléphone en conduisant.”

2

Manner

How an action is performed.

“Il est entré en criant.”

“Elle a répondu en souriant.”

3

Cause

The reason for an action.

“En ne travaillant pas, il a échoué.”

“En arrivant en retard, j'ai raté le train.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Doing Two Things at Once: The French Gerundive (en + -ant)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
en + participe
Il chante en travaillant
Negative
en + ne + participe + pas
Il travaille en ne chantant pas
Causal
en + participe
En mangeant trop, il est malade
Simultaneous
en + participe
Elle lit en marchant
Manner
en + participe
Il est parti en courant

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Il travaille en écoutant de la musique.

Il travaille en écoutant de la musique. (Work habits)

Neutral
Il travaille en écoutant de la musique.

Il travaille en écoutant de la musique. (Work habits)

Informal
Il bosse en écoutant de la musique.

Il bosse en écoutant de la musique. (Work habits)

Slang
Il charbonne en écoutant du son.

Il charbonne en écoutant du son. (Work habits)

Gérondif Functions

Gérondif

Usage

  • Simultanéité Simultaneity
  • Manière Manner
  • Cause Cause
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Examples by Level

1

Je mange en regardant la télé.

I eat while watching TV.

2

Il marche en chantant.

He walks while singing.

3

Elle travaille en écoutant de la musique.

She works while listening to music.

4

Nous parlons en marchant.

We talk while walking.

1

Il a appris le français en voyageant.

He learned French by traveling.

2

Elle est partie en pleurant.

She left crying.

3

En courant, il a perdu ses clés.

While running, he lost his keys.

4

Ils ont réussi en travaillant dur.

They succeeded by working hard.

1

En ne faisant rien, tu ne réussiras pas.

By doing nothing, you won't succeed.

2

Il a répondu en souriant poliment.

He answered while smiling politely.

3

En arrivant à la gare, j'ai vu Paul.

Upon arriving at the station, I saw Paul.

4

Elle a gagné en jouant intelligemment.

She won by playing intelligently.

1

En analysant les données, nous avons trouvé une erreur.

By analyzing the data, we found an error.

2

Il a traversé la rue en courant.

He crossed the street running.

3

En étant patient, tout s'arrangera.

By being patient, everything will work out.

4

Elle a fini le projet en travaillant toute la nuit.

She finished the project by working all night.

1

En agissant ainsi, vous compromettez votre avenir.

By acting this way, you compromise your future.

2

Il a résolu le problème en réfléchissant longuement.

He solved the problem by thinking for a long time.

3

En ne tenant pas compte de ces faits, vous vous trompez.

By not taking these facts into account, you are mistaken.

4

En ayant fini ses tâches, il est rentré.

Having finished his tasks, he went home.

1

En persévérant malgré les obstacles, il a atteint son but.

By persevering despite the obstacles, he reached his goal.

2

En ne disant mot, elle a tout avoué.

By saying nothing, she confessed everything.

3

En ayant été prévenu, il aurait dû agir.

Having been warned, he should have acted.

4

En dépit des risques, il a continué en souriant.

Despite the risks, he continued while smiling.

Easily Confused

Doing Two Things at Once: The French Gerundive (en + -ant) vs Participe Présent

Both end in -ant.

Doing Two Things at Once: The French Gerundive (en + -ant) vs Pendant que

Both mean 'while'.

Doing Two Things at Once: The French Gerundive (en + -ant) vs Après + infinitif passé

Both show sequence.

Common Mistakes

✗

En mangeant, le téléphone a sonné.

✓

Pendant que je mangeais, le téléphone a sonné.

Different subjects.
✗

Il est venu en couru.

✓

Il est venu en courant.

Must use -ant form.
✗

En ayant mangé, il est parti.

✓

Après avoir mangé, il est parti.

Gérondif is for simultaneity, not sequence.
✗

En étant fatigué, il a dormi.

✓

Comme il était fatigué, il a dormi.

Gérondif is not always the best for cause.

Sentence Patterns

Je ___ en ___.

En ___, il a réussi.

Elle est partie en ___.

En ne ___ pas, vous ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

En profitant de la vie à la plage.

Job Interview common

J'ai géré ce projet en collaborant avec le marketing.

Texting common

Je t'écris en marchant.

Travel common

J'ai visité le musée en écoutant l'audio-guide.

Food Delivery occasional

En attendant ma commande, je travaille.

Academic Writing common

En analysant ces données, nous concluons que...

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🎯

The 'Tout' Trick

Add 'tout' before 'en' to sound more like a native when you want to express surprise or a contradiction (e.g., 'Tout en étant malade, il est venu').
⚠️

Subject Match

Always check that the subject of the gerundive is the same as the main verb. If they don't match, your sentence will sound very weird to a French person!
💬

Modern Usage

You'll see the gerundive constantly on social media captions like 'En attendant le weekend...' (Waiting for the weekend...).

Smart Tips

Use the gérondif to sound more fluid.

Il mange et il lit. → Il mange en lisant.

Use the gérondif instead of 'parce que'.

Il a réussi parce qu'il a travaillé. → En travaillant, il a réussi.

Use it to describe how you do something.

Il est entré et il criait. → Il est entré en criant.

Check the subject.

En marchant, le chien a aboyé. → Alors que je marchais, le chien a aboyé.

Pronunciation

/ɑ̃/

Nasal sound

The '-ant' ending has a nasal 'an' sound.

Rising-falling

En marchant ↗, il parle ↘.

Emphasis on the simultaneous action.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

En-ant is the way, two actions in one day.

Visual Association

Imagine a person walking (marchant) while holding a phone (en). The 'en' is the glue holding the two actions together.

Rhyme

Pour faire le gérondif, c'est très simple et actif : en + participe présent, c'est le mouvement.

Story

Sophie was cooking (en cuisinant). She was also listening to music. She realized she could combine them: 'Sophie cuisine en écoutant de la musique.'

Word Web

enparticipesimultanémanièrecausesujet

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about what you do while listening to music today.

Cultural Notes

Used frequently in professional and academic settings to show efficiency.

Similar usage, but sometimes replaced by 'à force de' for cause.

Often used in storytelling to maintain flow.

Derived from the Latin 'gerundium'.

Conversation Starters

“

Que faites-vous en écoutant de la musique ?

“

Comment avez-vous appris le français ?

“

En travaillant, préférez-vous le silence ?

“

En voyageant, qu'est-ce que vous aimez découvrir ?

Journal Prompts

Décrivez votre routine matinale.
Racontez une fois où vous avez appris quelque chose de nouveau.
Expliquez les avantages du télétravail.
Analysez un problème actuel dans votre ville.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Il mange ___ (lire) un livre.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: en lisant
Correct gérondif form.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: En marchant, je suis arrivé.
Subject must match.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Il est venu en couru.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il est venu en courant.
Must use -ant.
Transform using gérondif. Sentence Transformation

Il chante pendant qu'il travaille.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il travaille en chantant.
Correct structure.
Is this rule true? True False Rule

The subject of both verbs must be the same.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Fundamental rule.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Que fais-tu ? B: Je ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mange en lisant
Correct usage.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Elle / parler / en / marcher

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle parle en marchant.
Correct order.
Sort the words. Grammar Sorting

en / travaillant / il / chante

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il chante en travaillant.
Correct syntax.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Il mange ___ (lire) un livre.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: en lisant
Correct gérondif form.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: En marchant, je suis arrivé.
Subject must match.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Il est venu en couru.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il est venu en courant.
Must use -ant.
Transform using gérondif. Sentence Transformation

Il chante pendant qu'il travaille.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il travaille en chantant.
Correct structure.
Is this rule true? True False Rule

The subject of both verbs must be the same.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Fundamental rule.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Que fais-tu ? B: Je ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: mange en lisant
Correct usage.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Elle / parler / en / marcher

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle parle en marchant.
Correct order.
Sort the words. Grammar Sorting

en / travaillant / il / chante

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il chante en travaillant.
Correct syntax.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the sentence with 'savoir' in the gerundive. Fill in the Blank

___ qu'il était tard, j'ai pris un Uber.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: En sachant
Translate to French using the gerundive. Translation

I study while listening to music.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'étudie en écoutant de la musique.
Choose the correct reflexive gerundive form. Multiple Choice

Tu vas te faire mal ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: en te dépêchant
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

la / en / télé / dînant / regardons / Nous

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nous regardons la télé en dînant.
Correct the mistake. Error Correction

Il a réussi son examen en travailant beaucoup.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il a réussi son examen en travaillant beaucoup.
Match the infinitive to its gerundive. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: faire - en faisant
Use the gerundive of 'finir'. Fill in the Blank

C'est ___ ton assiette que tu auras un dessert.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: en finissant
Select the sentence expressing concession. Multiple Choice

Which sentence shows a contrast/concession?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tout en étant fatigué, il a continué à travailler.
Translate: 'You'll learn by doing.' Translation

You will learn by doing.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tu apprendras en faisant.
Fix the stem error. Error Correction

Elle parle en écrivons son mail.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle parle en écrivant son mail.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, the subject of both verbs must be the same.

Use 'en ne [participe] pas'.

It can be both formal and informal.

The gérondif uses 'en'.

Yes, it describes the circumstance of the action.

Yes, 'étant', 'ayant', 'sachant'.

Yes, very common.

No, use 'après avoir' for sequence.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Gerundio (-ando/-iendo)

No 'en' in Spanish.

German moderate

Indem-Satz

German uses a full clause.

Japanese moderate

Te-form

Japanese is agglutinative.

Arabic partial

Hal clause

Arabic uses a specific grammatical state.

Chinese high

一边...一边...

Chinese repeats the structure.

English high

While + -ing

English is less restrictive with subjects.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
French Future of the Past: The Narrative Imparfait
Next
French Rhetorical Questions: Sarcasm & Persuasion (N'est-ce pas)

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