Describing with Comparisons & Opinions

SECTION 1

Historical Context & Motivation

The ability to describe, compare, and share opinions about people and places is one of the most fundamental acts of communication in any language. In French, this skill has been refined over centuries, shaped by the evolution of the language itself. The French language has always placed a high value on précision (precision) and élégance (elegance) in expression. Understanding how descriptions and comparisons developed helps us appreciate why French structures work the way they do today.

842

Serments de Strasbourg

The earliest known text in Old French, showing how descriptive and comparative structures began diverging from Latin. Adjective placement was already shifting toward the modern French pattern.

1635

Académie française Founded

Cardinal Richelieu established the Académie to standardize French grammar, including rules for adjective agreement, comparative forms, and the structure of descriptive sentences.

1694

First Official Dictionary

The Académie published its first dictionary, codifying descriptive vocabulary and formalizing expressions of opinion such as "je pense que" and "à mon avis."

1900s

Modern Communicative French

Language teaching shifted toward communicative competence. Describing, comparing, and expressing opinions became central goals of French curricula worldwide, as reflected in proficiency frameworks like ACTFL and the CEFR.

Today, being able to give a short prepared description of a person or place — complete with comparisons and personal opinions — is a key benchmark at the French 2 level. It mirrors what French speakers do every day: they describe a friend to someone new, compare two cities they have visited, or share their opinion about a restaurant. The core question this lesson addresses is: How do I combine descriptive adjectives, comparative structures, and opinion phrases to produce a clear, coherent description in French?

SECTION 2

Core Principles & Definitions

Before you can describe, compare, and share opinions in French, you need to master four interconnected building blocks. Each one plays a specific role in constructing a polished description. Think of these as the ingredients in a recipe — you need all of them to create a complete dish.

Descriptive Adjectives (Les adjectifs descriptifs)

Adjectives describe qualities of people and places. In French, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Most adjectives follow the noun: "une ville magnifique" (a magnificent city).

Comparative Structures (Le comparatif)

Comparisons use plus... que (more... than), moins... que (less... than), and aussi... que (as... as) to relate two items.

Opinion Expressions (Les expressions d'opinion)

Phrases like je pense que (I think that), à mon avis (in my opinion), and je trouve que (I find that) allow you to add your personal perspective.

Sentence Connectors (Les connecteurs)

Words like aussi (also), mais (but), parce que (because), and en plus (moreover) link ideas smoothly within a description.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of describing in French like building a sandwich. The descriptive adjectives are the fillings (the substance), the comparisons are the condiments (they add flavor and contrast), the opinion phrases are the seasoning (your personal touch), and the connectors are the bread that holds everything together. Without any one layer, your description feels incomplete.

SECTION 3

Visual Explanation — The Anatomy of a French Description

This diagram shows the five layers of a French description. You begin with an introduction, add descriptive adjectives, layer in a comparison, include your opinion, and tie everything together with connectors.

Notice how each box in the diagram builds on the one before it. A strong description does not just list adjectives randomly — it follows a logical flow. You introduce your subject, paint a picture with adjectives, add depth through comparison, inject personality with an opinion, and glue the pieces together with connectors. This structure works whether you are describing a person, a city, a school, or a favorite vacation spot.

SECTION 4

How It Works — Grammar Structures in Detail

Adjective Agreement Rules

In French, every adjective must match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun it describes. The general pattern is straightforward: add -e for feminine, -s for plural, and -es for feminine plural. Some adjectives are irregular and must be memorized — for example, "beau" becomes "belle" in the feminine, and "bon" becomes "bonne."

Regular adjective agreement patterns in French

Form	Pattern	Example
Masculine singular	base form	Il est grand. (He is tall.)
Feminine singular	+ e	Elle est grande. (She is tall.)
Masculine plural	+ s	Ils sont grands. (They are tall.)
Feminine plural	+ es	Elles sont grandes. (They are tall.)

The Comparative Formula

COMPARATIVE STRUCTURE

Subject + être + plus / moins / aussi + adjective (agreed) + que + second term

plus... que = more... than; moins... que = less... than; aussi... que = as... as. The adjective still agrees with the first subject.

There is one important irregular form to know: the adjective bon (good) does not use "plus bon" in the comparative. Instead, it becomes meilleur(e) (better). For example, "Marie est meilleure que Paul en maths" (Marie is better than Paul in math). Similarly, "mauvais" (bad) can become "pire" (worse), though "plus mauvais" is also acceptable in everyday speech.

Opinion Expression Patterns

OPINION STRUCTURE

Opinion phrase + que + Subject + verb + complement

Common opinion phrases: je pense que (I think that), je crois que (I believe that), je trouve que (I find that), à mon avis (in my opinion — placed at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a comma).

SECTION 5

Essential Vocabulary for Descriptions

Having the right vocabulary at your fingertips is essential for producing fluent descriptions. Below you will find organized categories of adjectives commonly used to describe people and places, along with a visual reference showing how adjective placement works in French sentences.

This vocabulary map organizes key adjectives into three categories: personality, appearance, and places. The BANGS rule reminds you which adjectives go before the noun, while most other adjectives follow it.

💡 Quick Memory Tip

Remember BANGS: Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size. These adjective types go before the noun. Everything else goes after. For example, "une jolie fille" (a pretty girl) versus "une fille intelligente" (a smart girl).

SECTION 6

Worked Example — Describing a Person

Let's walk through the process of writing a complete description of a person, step by step. Imagine you are asked to describe your best friend for a class presentation.

Describing Your Best Friend — Mon meilleur ami

Step 1 — Introduce Your SubjectStart by introducing who you will describe. Use a simple sentence such as "Je vais décrire..." (I am going to describe...) or "Je voudrais parler de..." (I would like to talk about...). Since our friend is male, we write:

Je vais décrire mon meilleur ami, Lucas. (I am going to describe my best friend, Lucas.)

Step 2 — Add Physical & Personality AdjectivesDescribe your subject using at least 3–4 adjectives. Make sure each agrees in gender and number. Lucas is masculine singular, so adjectives stay in their base form. Use "il est" (he is) to introduce characteristics, and "il a" (he has) for features like eyes and hair.

Il est grand et mince. Il a les yeux bleus et les cheveux bruns. Il est aussi très amusant et intelligent. (He is tall and thin. He has blue eyes and brown hair. He is also very funny and intelligent.)

Step 3 — Make a ComparisonNow compare Lucas to someone or something else. Choose the appropriate comparative structure: plus... que, moins... que, or aussi... que. Remember that the adjective agrees with the first subject (Lucas = masculine singular).

Il est plus sportif que moi, mais je suis aussi intelligent que lui. (He is more athletic than me, but I am as intelligent as him.)

Step 4 — Express Your OpinionAdd a personal opinion using one of your opinion phrases. This is where your description becomes uniquely yours. You can express what you think about the person or explain why the friendship matters.

Je pense qu'il est le meilleur ami du monde parce qu'il est toujours là pour moi. (I think he is the best friend in the world because he is always there for me.)

Step 5 — Connect & ConcludeUse a connector to wrap up your description with a final thought. Words like "en conclusion" (in conclusion) or "en résumé" (in summary) work well. Read through the full paragraph to make sure it flows naturally.

En résumé, Lucas est une personne formidable. À mon avis, tout le monde a besoin d'un ami comme lui. (In summary, Lucas is an amazing person. In my opinion, everyone needs a friend like him.)

📝 Full Description — All Together

"Je vais décrire mon meilleur ami, Lucas. Il est grand et mince. Il a les yeux bleus et les cheveux bruns. Il est aussi très amusant et intelligent. Il est plus sportif que moi, mais je suis aussi intelligent que lui. Je pense qu'il est le meilleur ami du monde parce qu'il est toujours là pour moi. En résumé, Lucas est une personne formidable. À mon avis, tout le monde a besoin d'un ami comme lui."

SECTION 7

Common Errors & How to Avoid Them

Even with the right vocabulary and structures, French 2 students frequently stumble on a few predictable pitfalls. Knowing these in advance can save you from losing points on presentations and written assignments. The table below highlights the most common errors alongside their corrections.

Five most common mistakes in French descriptions and comparisons

Common Error	Why It's Wrong	Correct Version
"Elle est plus bon que lui."	"Bon" has an irregular comparative. You cannot say "plus bon."	"Elle est meilleure que lui."
"La ville est grand."	"Ville" is feminine, so the adjective must agree: grand → grande.	"La ville est grande."
"Je pense il est intelligent."	Missing "que" after the opinion phrase. "Je pense que" is the complete expression.	"Je pense qu'il est intelligent."
"Paris est plus animé comme Lyon."	"Comme" means "like/as" but is not used in comparatives. Use "que" (than).	"Paris est plus animé que Lyon."
"Une intelligente fille."	"Intelligent" is not a BANGS adjective. It goes after the noun.	"Une fille intelligente."

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of adjective agreement like matching your phone case to your phone — they have to fit. A masculine noun needs a masculine adjective, and a feminine noun needs the feminine form. If you mismatch them, it's like putting an iPhone case on a Samsung: it just doesn't work, and everyone notices.

SECTION 8

Connection to Advanced French — The Superlative & Beyond

The comparative structures you are learning now serve as the direct foundation for more advanced grammar in French 3 and beyond. The most immediate next step is the superlative (le superlatif), which lets you express the most or the least rather than simply more or less. You will also encounter comparative structures for adverbs, nouns, and verbs — not just adjectives.

From comparative to superlative — the next step in French grammar

What You Know Now (Comparative)	What's Coming Next (Superlative)
Paris est plus grand que Lyon.	Paris est la plus grande ville de France.
Elle est moins timide que son frère.	Elle est la moins timide de la classe.
Ce restaurant est meilleur que l'autre.	C'est le meilleur restaurant de la ville.
Uses: plus/moins/aussi + adj + que	Uses: le/la/les + plus/moins + adj + de

Notice the pattern: the superlative simply adds a definite article (le, la, les) before the comparative and replaces "que" with "de" (of/in). Mastering comparisons now makes superlatives feel like a natural extension, not a new concept. You will also begin to express more nuanced opinions using the subjunctive mood with expressions like "il est important que" and "je doute que" — but that is a story for French 3!

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

What are the three types of comparative structures in French? Give the French phrase and its English equivalent for each one.

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the adjective and comparative word: "Marie est _____ (plus / intelligent) _____ Pierre." Then translate the complete sentence into English.

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Write three sentences in French describing your school: one using a descriptive adjective, one using a comparison with another school, and one expressing your opinion. Make sure all adjective agreements are correct.

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

You are preparing a short oral presentation comparing two cities: Paris and your hometown. Write a 5–6 sentence paragraph in French that includes at least two descriptive adjectives, two comparisons (using different comparative structures), one opinion expression, and at least one connector.

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

A classmate writes: "Mon frère est plus bon que moi en sport. Ma sœur est intelligente mais elle est moins grande comme moi. Je pense elle est très amusant." Identify all the errors in this passage, explain why each is wrong, and rewrite the entire passage correctly in French.

SUMMARY

Summary — Describing with Comparisons & Opinions

To describe a person or place in French, you combine four essential building blocks. First, you use descriptive adjectives that agree in gender and number with the noun they modify, remembering the BANGS rule for placement. Second, you add depth with comparative structures — plus... que, moins... que, and aussi... que — while watching for irregular forms like meilleur(e) (better) instead of "plus bon."

Third, you personalize your description with opinion expressions such as je pense que, je trouve que, and à mon avis. Finally, you tie everything together with connectors like "mais," "aussi," "parce que," and "en plus" to produce a coherent, polished description. This skill prepares you for the superlative in French 3 and builds the foundation for all presentational communication in the language.