The words that carry the question
| French | Means |
|---|---|
| il faut / vous devez | Obligation |
| à condition que / sous réserve de | A condition applies |
| sauf | Except — almost always the question |
| au plus tard | By this date at the latest |
| le cas échéant | If applicable |
| joindre / fournir | Attach or supply a document |
| délai | Deadline or waiting period |
*Sauf* is the single most productive word to watch for. Official French states a rule and then excepts a group, and the exception is what is asked about.
Reading method
- Work out who the document is addressed to and who is excluded.
- Find the dates and deadlines.
- Find the conditions — the *si*, *sauf*, *à condition que* clauses.
- Only then read the questions, which will be about exactly those.
This vocabulary is worth studying as a set. It is finite, it recurs in every session, and it is the same language you will meet renting a flat or registering at a French university.
Administrative French — FAQs
2 questions
Typically from B1, and it becomes more prominent at B2.
Yes. It is a finite, recurring vocabulary set with immediate practical use.
More compréhension des écrits question types
Sources
Written from the test board's own published material and checked on 1 October 2026.