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WRITING EXERCISE
PARTS OF THE BODY

Describe someone whose body or mind you really like or hate.   No real names please.  Invent a fictional name.

SUMMARY OF RULES FOR REFERRING TO PARTS OF THE BODY:

When modifying a body part or mental faculty use:

1.  mon, son, ton in the subject of verbs other than être ("Ses cheveux tombent en cascades")

2.  le, la, les in the direct object of verbs, especially "avoir" (a. "Elle a haussé la main"; b. "Elle a les yeux noirs"; c. "Elle s'est coupé le doigt"; d. "Elle tire les cheveux de Lucie.") or as the object of a preposition ("Elle a mal au pied").

EXCEPT:

    a. after a non-pronominal verb which signifies a non-typical action done with one's own body ("Elle a posé sa tête sur le lit").  Use a possessive adjective.

    b. after "avoir" when an adjective precedes the body part.   ("Tu as de beaux yeux"; "Tu as un joli nez.") or when it is unusual or unexpected ("Elle a des épaules larges et musclés").   Use an indefinite article.

    c. after a verb other than "avoir" when an adjective qualifies the body part (J'ai pris sa main froide).

3. le, la, les when a body part or a piece of clothing is in apposition to the verb ("Il est parti, l'oeil fixé sur son camarade"; "Elle est partie, le chapeau sur la tête.")

Click for a complete review of the rules for referring to parts of the body in French.

Click for a French/English Dictionary to find translations or spellings of parts of the body.

Write two sentences each describing a part of his/her body or mind.  Follow the pattern: "His/her X is......"  Use adjectives that normally follow the noun. Remember that French does not use the verb "être" in this situation (See Review A and B5)::

1.

2.

Write a sentence describing a part of his/her body or mind using an adjective that normally precedes the noun.  Follow the same pattern as in 1. and 2. (adjectives that precede the noun:. beau, joli, jeune/vieux, bon/mauvais, jeune, gros, long, petit/grand) (See Review B5Note2a).

3.

Write two sentences recounting two different common or typical actions that he/she does with his/her body or mind (not on his/herself) (See Review B1 for an explanation and list of common verbs):

4.

5.

Write two sentences recounting two different common or typical actions that he/she does to his/her own body or mind (See Review B2 for an explanation and list of common verbs):

6.

7.

Write two sentences recounting two different common or typical actions that you would like to do to a part of his/her body or mind (see Review B3.  You can use the verbs in B2, but you must make them non-pronominal).

8.

9.

Write one sentence describing a body part in a clause that is in apposition to a verb signifying an action that he/she once did (Review B6):

10.

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