Living in Paris: pros and cons

"Vivre à Paris : les pour et les contre"
French C1 writing exercise

Parisians Bastien and Louise discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living in the French capital.

Pay attention to the hints!

Some vocabulary you may want to look up before or during this exercise: "born and raised", "a Parisian", "without a doubt", "no other city", "a music venue", "to be bored", "to move [somewhere]", "I must admit that...", "you can say that again!", "to be stuck [somewhere]", "crowded", "rush hour (transport)", "not to mention", "cost of living", "to be out of control (thing)", "housing", "to do without [something]", "despite", "a flaw", "can't see oneself [doing]", "anywhere else", "to leave [someone] indifferent".

I’ll give you some sentences to translate into French

  • I’ll show you where you make mistakes
  • I’ll keep track of what you need to practise
  • Change my choices if you want
Start the exercise

Here's a preview of the text for the writing challenge, when you're ready click the start button above:

- Louise, as a born and raised Parisian, what would you say (that) you like the most about Paris? - Without a doubt, I'd say its cultural richness. No other city has so many museums, theatres and music venues. - Absolutely! I haven't been bored one day since I moved here! - But I must admit that the constant stress can be exhausting sometimes. - You can say that again! I hate being stuck in a crowded metro during rush hour! Not to mention the exorbitant cost of living, which is out of control. Finding decent housing is a true uphill battle! - But I couldn't do without the diversity of neighbourhoods and atmospheres of Paris, where each street corner has its own fascinating story. - Yes, despite all its flaws, I can't see myself living anywhere else. - That's so true... Paris, you either love it or hate it, but it never leaves you indifferent.

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