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Reading · level A2 to B1 · 10 min

Finding specific information: dates, amounts, conditions

Many A2 and B1 questions ask for one specific piece of information: when, how much, on what condition. These are easy points, as long as you read the right passage and check what surrounds it. This lesson builds on “« Compréhension écrite » (reading): the method” and focuses on a single skill: finding the exact information.

TL;DR

  • Turn the question into something to look for: « Quand ? » means a date or time, « Combien ? » a number or a price.
  • Read the whole sentence around the number: documents often contain several dates or prices, and only one fits.
  • Watch for words that limit the information, such as « sauf », « uniquement » or « à partir de ».

Goal: You will be able to find a date, an amount or a condition in an ad or an email in under a minute, without falling for the trap of similar numbers.

Turn the question into something to look for

Before reading the document, turn the question into a type of information: « Quand ? » (when?) means a date, a day or a time; « Combien ? » (how much, how many?) a number or a price; « À quelle condition ? » (on what condition?) a sentence with « si », « à condition de », « seulement », « uniquement » or « sauf ». Your eyes then scan the text for that type of element, without reading everything.

Numbers, capital letters and the € or % signs stand out at a glance. A condition is harder to see: it often hides in a subordinate clause or in parentheses.

  • Question « Jusqu'à quand peut-on s'inscrire ? » (until when can you register?): look for a date after « avant », « jusqu'au », « au plus tard ».
  • Question « Qui paie moins cher ? » (who pays less?): look for « tarif réduit », « gratuit pour », « moitié prix », followed by a group of people.

Read the whole sentence, not just the number

The most common trap: a document contains several dates or several prices, and only one matches the question. Once you have found the number, read the whole sentence and the next one. They tell you what the number applies to, and sometimes that it has changed.

In the first example below, the right date for the Tuesday evening class is the 13th, not the 6th. In the second, the question « Combien paie un étudiant ? » (how much does a student pay?) calls for 25 €, not the first price you read.

Example in French, as in the exam
Les cours reprennent le 6 janvier. Attention : le cours du mardi soir ne reprendra que le 13.
Example in French, as in the exam
Abonnement : 30 € par mois, 25 € pour les étudiants, gratuit pour les moins de 12 ans.

Spot conditions and exceptions

Words that limit a piece of information often change the answer. Underline them in your head: « sauf », « uniquement », « seulement », « à condition que », « si », « à partir de », « au-delà de », « dans la limite de ». An answer that leaves out the condition is wrong, even if the rest is accurate.

Words in the textWhat they change
sauf le dimancheevery day, Sunday excluded
à partir de 18 ansage 18 included
dans la limite des places disponiblesnot guaranteed for everyone
sur présentation d'un justificatifyou need proof

A complete example

Below are a document and a question in exam style. The answer: the job seeker cannot swim on Thursday at 7 p.m., because the pool closes at 6 p.m. (« 18 h ») on Thursdays. The reduced rate is a distractor: it is true, but it does not answer the question.

Example in French, as in the exam
Piscine municipale. Ouverte du lundi au samedi de 7 h à 20 h. Le jeudi, fermeture à 18 h pour l'entretien. Entrée : 4 €. Tarif réduit à 2,50 € pour les demandeurs d'emploi, sur présentation d'une attestation.
Example in French, as in the exam
Question : Un demandeur d'emploi veut nager jeudi à 19 h. Que se passe-t-il ?

A common mistake

✗ I see « 25 € » in the text and tick the option that contains « 25 € ».

✓ I read the whole sentence: « 25 € pour les étudiants ». The question is about a retiree, who pays the full price.

TCF documents often contain several similar numbers. The right number is the one that applies to the person or the situation in the question.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do when the text contains several dates or several prices?+
Reread the question to know exactly what it asks for (the reduced price, the deadline, the Saturday hours), then read the whole sentence around each number. The trap is often the right number attached to the wrong situation.
How do I spot an exception in a text?+
Watch for words that limit a rule: « sauf », « hormis », « à l'exception de » (except), « uniquement », « seulement » (only), « sous réserve de » (subject to). The information you need often hides right after them.
Why doesn't the correct answer use the words of the text?+
Because the questions rephrase: « la boutique ferme plus tôt » (the shop closes earlier) can match « fermeture anticipée » (early closing). Look for the same meaning, not the same words.
Do I need to read the whole document for a specific question?+
No. First spot the key word in the question (a day, a price, a place), find it in the text, then read the whole sentence and the next one carefully.

Practice exercise with answers

1. Document: « Bibliothèque fermée du 1er au 15 août. Réouverture le 16 août, aux horaires habituels, sauf le samedi : fermeture à 13 h jusqu'à fin août. » A reader wants to come on Saturday, August 23, at 3 p.m. What happens?

2. Document: « Stage de cuisine : 120 € les trois séances. Inscription avant le 10 mars. Les personnes inscrites à deux avant le 1er mars paient 100 € chacune. » Two friends sign up together on March 5. How much does each of them pay?

3. Document: « Le forum de l'emploi est ouvert à tous. Les ateliers CV sont réservés aux personnes inscrites en ligne, dans la limite de 20 places. » Which statement is true?

4. Which expression should catch your attention when the question asks « À quelle condition ? » (on what condition?)

Next step

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