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Grammar
Objective: Build two-part concessions with certes followed by mais, cependant, néanmoins, or toutefois, and place each pivot in its correct register and position.
| Pivot | Register | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mais | neutral | Certes, il est jeune, mais il est compétent. |
| cependant | formal, written | Certes, le projet est risqué, cependant il est nécessaire. |
| néanmoins | very formal | Certes, la solution est coûteuse, néanmoins elle est durable. |
| toutefois | formal | Certes, il a raison, toutefois sa méthode est contestable. |
| en revanche | formal, balancing | Certes, le coût est élevé, en revanche les bénéfices sont importants. |
| mais | neutral, casual pivot | Certes, c'est difficile, mais on peut essayer. |
The concession admits one point and the pivot rejects it in a single clause. Stacking two mais breaks the two-part structure.
This is a register mismatch rather than a grammatical error. Certes belongs to a formal register, and the conversational par contre clashes with it.
The neutral pivot mais matches the concession and completes the structure.
The formal pivot néanmoins matches the elevated register of certes.
The pivot cependant introduces the overriding clause in a formal written register.
The pivot toutefois concedes the point about the argument while contesting the method.
The pivot en revanche balances two aspects of the same decision against each other.
7 exercises · about 11 minutes
Certes is an independent adverb and never takes que. The concession clause is a full main clause separated from the pivot by a comma.
This is a stylistic slip rather than a grammatical error. The two-part structure follows a fixed order, with certes opening the concession before the pivot.
The two-part structure opens a paragraph and carries the argument forward in the pivot.
The neutral register uses the simple pivot mais rather than a formal alternative.
The concession admits the limits of the model, and the pivot confirms its dominant position.