Exposé Structure

At B2, C1 and C2 you must deliver a structured talk from a document before a discussion. A clear plan and signposting matter as well as polished language.

What each level asks

The convocation gives your actual timings. Note how the source differs at each level.

Level	Source	Your task
B2	Short prompt text	Extract the issue, give your view with arguments, then debate
C1	Dossier of several documents	Present the issue, organise a plan, draw on the documents, then discuss
C2	A recording you hear	Summarise, build an argued monologue, then debate

SourceShort prompt text

Your taskExtract the issue, give your view with arguments, then debate

SourceDossier of several documents

Your taskPresent the issue, organise a plan, draw on the documents, then discuss

SourceA recording you hear

Your taskSummarise, build an argued monologue, then debate

Using the preparation time

Keep to this order. The shares are a personal rule of thumb. Write notes, not sentences, apart from your opening and closing lines.

Stage	Share	What to do
Understand	20%	Read or listen carefully. What's the issue? What's the author's view?
Find a question	10%	Turn the topic into one problématique
Plan	30%	Two or three parts, with headings and key words
Examples	20%	One concrete example per part, ideally from your own country or experience
Opening and closing	15%	Write your first and last sentences
Run-through	5%	Say the plan silently, check your timing

Understand

Share20%

What to doRead or listen carefully. What's the issue? What's the author's view?

Find a question

Share10%

What to doTurn the topic into one problématique

Plan

Share30%

What to doTwo or three parts, with headings and key words

Examples

Share20%

What to doOne concrete example per part, ideally from your own country or experience

Opening and closing

Share15%

What to doWrite your first and last sentences

Run-through

Share5%

What to doSay the plan silently, check your timing

The problématique

This is a question that your talk will answer. It should be open and real, and not yes or no if you can help it. Without one, you only list ideas.

Dans quelle mesure le numérique transforme-t-il notre rapport au travail ?To what extent is digital technology changing our relationship with work?
Comment concilier croissance économique et protection de l'environnement ?How can economic growth and environmental protection be reconciled?
Faut-il craindre l'intelligence artificielle ?Should we fear artificial intelligence?

Introduction script

After greeting the examiners, make five moves. This gives an immediate structure to everything you say next.

Move	Phrase
Hook	De nos jours, ... On entend souvent dire que...
Document	Le document que j'ai choisi est un article paru dans...
Author's idea	L'auteur y défend l'idée que... Ce texte aborde la question de...
Issue	Cela pose la question suivante : ...
Plan	Pour y répondre, je verrai d'abord..., puis... et enfin...

Le texte que j'ai lu traite du télétravail.The text I read deals with working from home.
L'auteur y soutient que cette pratique isole les salariés.The author argues there that this practice isolates employees.
On peut donc se demander si le télétravail est un progrès.So one may ask whether working from home is progress.

Plans that work

Keep it simple: two or three parts is enough. Name your parts out loud.

Plan	Parts	Works when
Dialectical	D'un côté, de l'autre, position personnelle	Clear debate
Problem-solution	Constat, causes, solutions	Social issue
Thematic	Plan économique, social, culturel	Broad topic
Then and now	Hier, aujourd'hui, demain	Change over time

Dialectical

PartsD'un côté, de l'autre, position personnelle

Works whenClear debate

Problem-solution

PartsConstat, causes, solutions

Works whenSocial issue

Thematic

PartsPlan économique, social, culturel

Works whenBroad topic

Then and now

PartsHier, aujourd'hui, demain

Works whenChange over time

Signposting

Spoken structure has to be audible. Use a signal at every transition.

Moment	Phrase
First part	Tout d'abord, je voudrais aborder... En premier lieu, ...
New point	Passons maintenant à... J'en viens à mon deuxième point.
Example	Prenons l'exemple de... Dans mon pays, par exemple, ...
Referring to source	Comme le souligne l'auteur, ... Le document 2 montre que...
Opposing view	Certains diront que... Certes, ... mais...
Own view	Pour ma part, je pense que... Personnellement, j'estime que...
Summing up a part	En résumé, ... On voit donc que...
Going to conclusion	Pour conclure, ... En définitive, ...

Conclusion and hand-over

Sum up, answer the question, and open out. Then end clearly: examiners should know you have finished.

Pour conclure, le télétravail n'est ni un progrès absolu ni une menace.To conclude, working from home is neither an absolute advance nor a threat.
Tout dépend des conditions dans lesquelles il est pratiqué.Everything depends on the conditions in which it's practised.
Je vous remercie de votre attention.Thank you for your attention.

Delivery

Examiners should feel you are talking to them.

1. Look up. Glance at your notes, then speak to the examiner. 2. Speak from key words only. 3. Slow down at transitions, and pause after each part. 4. Vary your voice and stress key words with c'est... qui. 5. Don't apologise for your French. 6. If you lose your place, restate your plan and go on.

The discussion after

The discussion is a real part of the mark. Expect questions on your examples or objections to your thesis. Respond, develop, nuance, and stay polite. See debate-moves for language.

C'est un point intéressant, je n'y avais pas pensé.That's an interesting point, I hadn't thought about it.
Je comprends votre objection, mais je maintiens que...I understand your objection, but I still maintain that...

Common faults

Watch for these.

1. Reading from notes, or reciting a learned text. 2. Summarising the document, then stopping. At B2, the text is a starting point for your opinion. 3. No clear problématique. 4. Listing ideas with no plan. 5. Generalities with no example. 6. Speaking too fast, or running out of time before the conclusion. 7. At C1: treating documents one by one instead of merging them.