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Reading · level B1 to B2 · 12 min

Ruling out distractors without guessing

In a multiple choice question with four options, three are wrong, but not at random. They are written to catch candidates who read too fast. Recognizing them turns a hesitation between four answers into a choice between two, then into certainty. This lesson complements “« Compréhension écrite » (reading): the method”: you learn to justify every elimination with a passage from the text.

TL;DR

  • Wrong options follow four traps: same words with another meaning, true but not in the text, exaggeration, right fact for the wrong question.
  • Be wary of absolute words like « toujours », « jamais » or « tous » when the text says « souvent » or « certains ».
  • For each option, find the sentence that confirms or contradicts it before you choose.

Goal: You will be able to recognize the four usual traps in a reading multiple choice question and rule out at least two options for a precise reason before choosing.

Trap 1: the words of the text, without the meaning

The option repeats exact words from the document but links them differently. It feels reassuring because you “recognize” the text. Always check who does what, when and why.

In the example below, the distractor uses the same words but reverses the meaning: in the text, the mayor rejected the shopkeepers' parking project, not the other way around.

Example in French, as in the exam
Texte : « Le maire a refusé le projet de parking proposé par les commerçants. »
Example in French, as in the exam
Distracteur : « Les commerçants ont refusé le projet du maire. »

Trap 2: true in general, absent from the document

The option says something reasonable, sometimes even true in real life, but the document does not mention it. In the TCF, only the information in the text counts. If you cannot point to the sentence that supports an option, rule it out.

Example: in a text about a farmers' market, the distractor « Les produits locaux sont meilleurs pour la santé » (local products are better for your health) may be true, but the text does not say it.

Trap 3: exaggeration

The text adds nuance; the option generalizes. Be wary of absolute words in the options: « toujours », « jamais », « tous », « aucun », « uniquement », « obligatoirement » (always, never, all, none, only, compulsorily). Compare them with the words of the text: « souvent », « certains », « la plupart », « parfois », « peut » (often, some, most, sometimes, can).

The text saysThe distractor says
la plupart des habitantstous les habitants
peut être rembourséest toujours remboursé
conseilléobligatoire

Trap 4: the right information, the wrong question

The option is accurate according to the text, but it does not answer what you are asked. This is the costliest trap, because the option “checks out” in the document. Reread the question just before you tick an answer.

Example: for the question « Pourquoi l'auteur écrit-il ? » (why is the author writing?), the option « Il habite le quartier depuis dix ans » (he has lived in the neighbourhood for ten years) is true but off topic. It is a detail of the text, not its purpose.

The method in three steps

  • For each option, find the sentence in the text that confirms or contradicts it.
  • Cross out the options that are contradicted, absent or exaggerated, and name the trap.
  • Among the options left, choose the one that answers exactly the question asked.

If you are short of time, at least rule out the options that are not in the text, then choose among the others: a choice between two is better than a blank answer.

A common mistake

✗ “I recognize a sentence from the text in option B, so it must be the right answer.”

✓ “Option B repeats a sentence from the text but reverses who does the action: I rule it out.”

Repeating the words of the document is the most common distractor. The correct answer is more often a rephrasing than a copy.

Frequently asked questions

What is a distractor?+
A wrong answer designed to look right: it repeats words from the text, states an idea that is true in general but absent from the document, or exaggerates what is said.
Can an answer that is true in real life be wrong?+
Yes. The question is about what the document says, not about what you know. If an option is accurate in general but does not appear in the text, it is wrong for the question.
Should I be wary of words like « toujours » (always) or « jamais » (never)?+
Often, yes: they make an option absolute while the text adds nuance (« parfois », « en général », « la plupart »: sometimes, generally, most). Check whether the document really says something that strong.
Is it better to rule out options before choosing?+
Yes, especially when you hesitate: mentally cross out the options that the text contradicts or does not mention. Often only one answer is left, or two, and you then reread the key sentence to decide.

Practice exercise with answers

1. Document: « Beaucoup de parents trouvent que l'école commence trop tôt. La mairie étudie la possibilité de décaler l'entrée à 8 h 45 à la rentrée prochaine. » Which option is correct?

2. Document: « Le musée est gratuit le premier dimanche du mois. Les autres jours, l'entrée coûte 8 €. » Question: « Combien coûte l'entrée un mardi ? » Why is the option « Le musée est gratuit le premier dimanche du mois » wrong?

3. Document: « Le port du casque est fortement conseillé aux cyclistes adultes. » Which option is a distractor by exaggeration?

4. You have one minute left and you are hesitating between four options. What should you do?

Next step

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