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Reading · level B2 to C1 · 12 min

Understanding implied meaning, tone and the author's opinion

From B2 upward, questions are no longer only about what the text says, but about what the author thinks of it: « Quelle est l'opinion de l'auteur ? », « Quel est le ton du texte ? », « Que laisse entendre l'auteur ? » (what is the author's opinion, what is the tone of the text, what does the author imply?). The answer is almost never written out as such. You work it out from precise clues, which you can learn to spot.

TL;DR

  • From B2, questions ask what the author thinks, which is rarely written out: look for judging words like « hélas » or « prétendre ».
  • In a concession, the author's real opinion comes after « mais », « cependant » or « pourtant ».
  • At C1 and C2, watch for irony: praise that is not believable means the author thinks the opposite.

Goal: You will be able to say what the author of a text thinks, even when it is not stated clearly, based on their choice of words, their concessions and their tone.

Words that give away an opinion

A neutral author informs; a committed author chooses words that judge. Spot evaluative adjectives and adverbs (« heureusement », « malheureusement », « hélas », « enfin », « étonnamment »), verbs that take a stand (« prétendre », « regretter », « se féliciter », « déplorer ») and quotation marks that put distance between the author and a word.

In the first example below, « prétend » (claims) shows that the author doubts the promise; with « annonce » (announces), the author would be neutral. In the second, the quotation marks show that the author does not believe it is real progress.

Example in French, as in the exam
La mairie prétend que les travaux seront finis en juin.
Example in French, as in the exam
Ce “progrès” a surtout profité aux grandes entreprises.

Concession: the opinion comes after « mais »

To seem fair, an author often acknowledges the opposing argument first, then gives their own. The structure is always the same: « certes », « il est vrai que », « bien sûr », « on ne peut nier que », then « mais », « cependant », « pourtant », « il n'en reste pas moins que ». The author's opinion is in the second part.

In the example below, the author is rather reserved about remote work, even while granting it one advantage.

Example in French, as in the exam
Certes, le télétravail fait gagner du temps. Mais il isole les jeunes salariés, qui apprennent surtout au contact des autres.

Recognizing the tone

Tone questions often offer adjectives: « neutre », « critique », « enthousiaste », « ironique », « inquiet », « nostalgique » (neutral, critical, enthusiastic, ironic, worried, nostalgic). Look for what dominates the whole text, not a single sentence.

ToneCommon clues
« critique » (critical)negative verbs, questions that denounce, « on peut s'interroger »
« enthousiaste » (enthusiastic)exclamation marks, superlatives, « enfin », « formidable »
« ironique » (ironic)excessive praise of something absurd, a gap between the words and the situation
« inquiet » (worried)« risque », « menace », the conditional, « si rien ne change »
« nostalgique » (nostalgic)the « imparfait », « autrefois », « à l'époque », regret for the past

Irony: when the author says the opposite

Irony is the trap at C1 and C2: the words are positive, but the situation described is absurd or negative. Ask yourself whether the praise is believable. If it isn't, the author thinks the opposite.

In the example below, the words are full of praise, but the decision is being criticized.

Example in French, as in the exam
Quelle merveilleuse idée de fermer la seule piscine du quartier en plein mois de juillet !

What the author implies

A question such as « Que laisse entendre l'auteur ? » calls for an inference, not a quotation. Yet the correct answer is still firmly based on the text: it draws a logical consequence from it, without inventing anything. Rule out the options that go further than the text allows you to conclude.

In the example below, the author implies that the website has not met its goal. The author does not say that the website does not work at all.

Example in French, as in the exam
Le nouveau site de la mairie devait simplifier les démarches. Trois mois plus tard, la file d'attente devant l'accueil n'a jamais été aussi longue.

A common mistake

✗ “The text says that remote work saves time, so the author is in favour of it.”

✓ “The advantage is introduced by « certes », then the author writes « mais il isole les jeunes salariés »: the author is rather reserved.”

In a concession, the first part gives the opposing argument. The author's opinion comes after the linking word of contrast.

Frequently asked questions

How do I spot the author's opinion in a text?+
Look for words that judge: adjectives (« inquiétant », « remarquable »: worrying, remarkable), adverbs (« heureusement », « malheureusement »: fortunately, unfortunately), opinion verbs and hedging words (« sans doute », « il semble »: probably, it seems). A text that looks neutral often contains a few.
What does a verb in the conditional mean in a news article?+
In the press, the conditional signals unconfirmed information: « L'entreprise fermerait deux usines » means that the closure of two plants is announced or assumed, but not certain. This nuance is often tested in the questions.
How do I recognize irony?+
The author says the opposite of what they think, often by praising an absurd situation too much or by putting a word in quotation marks. Compare what is said with the facts in the text: if they contradict each other, it is probably irony.
What does « l'auteur laisse entendre » mean in a question?+
It means “the author implies”: the answer is not written as such, you have to infer it. Look at what the text suggests through its choice of examples, its conclusion or what it hints at, without going beyond what the text allows you to state.

Practice exercise with answers

1. Text: « On nous promettait des trains plus fréquents. Nous avons eu des trains plus chers. » What is the author's tone?

2. Text: « Il est vrai que les écrans permettent aux enfants d'apprendre en s'amusant. Il n'en reste pas moins que leur usage le soir nuit au sommeil. » What does the author think?

3. Text: « Bravo à la commune, qui a réussi l'exploit d'installer un parking à vélos… sans aucun arceau pour les attacher. » What is the author's intention?

4. Which verb shows that the author doubts what they are reporting?

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