La Synthèse
The DALF C1 synthèse merges several texts into one short, neutral text. It's a test of method as much as of language, and it follows strict rules that are easy to break.
The rules
Read your paper's instructions for the exact wording and the accepted word range. In broad terms, they ask for the following.
| Do | Don't |
| Give the whole a title | Summarise each text in turn |
| Write one single, continuous text | Add your own opinion |
| Group the ideas into your own order | Add outside facts, ideas or examples |
| Use your own words | Copy sentences or long passages |
| Reuse key terms where needed | Exceed the word range |
| Count your words, and state the total if asked | Use bullet points or headings inside the text |
How it differs from an essay
A synthèse has no I, no judgement and no argument of your own. The essay is where you give opinions. Your job here is to show the reader what the documents say together.
Opinion
SynthèseNone
EssayRequired
Sources
SynthèseOnly the documents
EssayYour own ideas and examples
Voice
SynthèseNeutral, third person
EssayPersonal, je or on
Order
SynthèseYour own thematic plan
EssayYour own argument
Goal
SynthèseMerge and reformulate
EssayConvince
Method, step by step
Allow time for each stage. Check your convocation for the time allowed. Most of the work comes before writing.
| Step | What to do |
| 1. Survey | Read titles, sources, dates. Who is writing, and why? |
| 2. Read | Read each document fully, and underline main ideas, not details |
| 3. Grid | Draw a table: themes across, documents down. Fill it in with brief notes |
| 4. Common thread | What single problem do the documents share? That's your angle |
| 5. Plan | Two or three parts, by theme. Each part merges several documents |
| 6. Title | Short, informative and neutral |
| 7. Write | Use your own words, and link ideas across documents |
| 8. Count and check | Word range, neutrality, spelling, agreement |
The comparison grid
This single tool prevents the main error, which is summarising documents one by one. Fill it with short notes, as in this example. Empty boxes are useful too: they show where the documents differ.
Causes
Document 1Coût du logement
Document 2Coût du logement, précarité
Effets
Document 1Santé mentale
Document 3Abandon des études
Solutions
Document 1Aides publiques
Document 3Résidences universitaires
Structure of the text
Keep all ideas proportionate. A strong text has a brief opening, parts that merge ideas, and a short close. Word budget for about 220 words.
Opening
Rough share1 or 2 sentences
ContentCommon theme, without naming each document at length
Part 1
Rough shareAbout 40%
ContentFirst theme, ideas from several documents
Part 2
Rough shareAbout 40%
ContentSecond theme, including differences between documents
Close
Rough share1 sentence
ContentOverall point from the documents, no opinion
Linking documents without listing them
Avoid le document 1 dit, puis le document 2 dit. Name the authors or sources only when it's useful for the contrast, and make the ideas the subjects.
| Function | Phrases |
| Common point | Tous s'accordent à dire que... Les auteurs constatent que... |
| Agreement | De même, ... De la même manière, ... Cette analyse rejoint... |
| Difference | Alors que certains..., d'autres... À l'inverse, ... |
| Nuance | Toutefois, ... Cette vision est nuancée par... |
| Attribution | Selon une enquête récente, ... D'après un sociologue, ... |
| Cause | Ce phénomène s'explique par... En raison de... |
| Consequence | Il en résulte que... Cela entraîne... |
| Solution | Pour y remédier, ... Plusieurs pistes sont avancées. |
| Close | Ainsi, ... En somme, ... |
- Si tous les auteurs dénoncent la hausse des loyers, ils divergent sur les solutions.While all the authors condemn rising rents, they differ on the solutions.
- Pour y remédier, certains préconisent des aides publiques, tandis que d'autres misent sur la construction de résidences.To remedy this, some recommend public aid, while others rely on building residences.
Reformulating
Reformulation is a large part of what's being marked. Change the structure, not only the words. Move from verb to noun, active to passive, and example to general idea.
Verb to noun
SourceLes loyers augmentent.
Your versionLa hausse des loyers
Noun to verb
SourceLa baisse du nombre d'étudiants
Your versionLes étudiants sont moins nombreux.
Synonyms
SourceIls ont peur de l'avenir.
Your versionIls redoutent l'avenir.
Generalising
SourceParis, Lyon et Lille manquent de logements.
Your versionLes grandes villes manquent de logements.
Combining
SourceIl pleut. Le match est annulé.
Your versionLe match est annulé en raison de la pluie.
Passive
SourceLe gouvernement a voté une loi.
Your versionUne loi a été votée.
Reporting verbs to use
Choose verbs that fit the source's stance, and stay neutral yourself.
| Function | Verbs |
| State | indiquer, montrer, rappeler, souligner, préciser |
| Claim | affirmer, soutenir, estimer, considérer |
| Warn | alerter sur, mettre en garde contre, dénoncer |
| Propose | proposer, préconiser, recommander, plaider pour |
| Question | s'interroger sur, remettre en cause, contester |
Common errors
These are the frequent reasons for lost marks.
1. Summarising each document separately. 2. Writing je, à mon avis, or il me semble. 3. Adding an example not in the documents. 4. Copying whole phrases. 5. Details at the expense of main ideas. 6. Leaving out one document. 7. No title. 8. Going outside the word range. Stay within what your paper allows. 9. Using dates or names not needed for the argument. 10. Using connectors that imply a judgement, such as heureusement or malheureusement.
Practice plan
1. Pick three press articles on one topic each week. 2. Fill in the grid in a limited time. 3. Write 220 words without looking back at the texts. 4. Check your text against the do and don't list, and underline any copied phrases. 5. Do the C1 mock exams in Lingo Pal, then compare with the models.