This was marked incorrect: "...mais ma sœur fait de la natation tous les Samedis." I think it's right though?

Tom E.C1Kwiziq community member

This was marked incorrect: "...mais ma sœur fait de la natation tous les Samedis." I think it's right though?

This was also marked incorrect: "ou si l'on préfère les activités sportives" (specifically the "l'"). I thought it was correct to place an "l" in that context (i.e., before a vowel")?

Asked 5 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Tom,

It could be because you have put a capital letter to samedis?

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I think the first sentence would be: ....ma soeur fait la natation tous les samedis.

And the l'on: this is a higher register of language. It isn't wrong but may just not have been recognized as correct because it wasn't programmed to do so.

Jane D.Kwiziq community member

I was also tempted to write “si l’on” , but figured it would be marked wrong. It is correct although, as Chris said, it is apparently considered a higher register these days. Chris, it couldn’t have been “fait la natation” as you need a form of “de” after “faire” in these expressions. And Cécile, I do not agree with the translation of “ma soeur va nager” because that sounds like the near future tense “my sister is going to (“gonna”) swim on Saturdays”. Either “nage” or “fait de la natation”. I am a French teacher who discovered this website while looking for interesting activities for my students. ;)

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Jane,

This is a good point but tricky to explain -

aller nager = faire de la natation which means the activity of going swimming/ to go for a swim

You might use 'nager' on its own to say for instance -

Ma petite fille nage très bien pour son âge My grand-daughter swims really well for her age

or 

Elle nage comme un poisson = She swims like a fish

There you are talking of what fish do which is making the required movement to move through water, or a human does to stay afloat in water , you could also say -

Elle apprend à nager She is learning to swim

Elle nage sous l'eau = She swims under water

But,

Elle fait de la natation/va nager tous les jours = She goes swimming every day 

The tense used is the present.

If you wanted to express a near future you would have to say -

Ma fille va aller nager cet après midi = My daughter is going to go for a swim this afternoon.

Hope this helsp!

This was marked incorrect: "...mais ma sœur fait de la natation tous les Samedis." I think it's right though?

This was also marked incorrect: "ou si l'on préfère les activités sportives" (specifically the "l'"). I thought it was correct to place an "l" in that context (i.e., before a vowel")?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Getting that for you now...