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COLLE METHODOLOGY
In conformity with the requirements of the French Examinations
Foreword
The “useful expressions” suggested in this document should by no means be considered as catch-all formulas
to learn by rote. When misused, they may generate an inverse effect other than the expected one.
Moreover,
they do not replace the learning of a larger bank of argumentation vocabulary terms.
Finally, the candidate should take into account the appropriateness of the language register as expected
by the oral examiner. Obviously, indulging in familiarity should be avoided.
If you have inspiration and ideas, so much the better, but remember at all times that the oral is, above all, a
test
of English and that the examiner is less interested in what you are saying than in the way you are saying it.
You are probably not a specialist in whatever is dealt with in the text, but you are supposed to have spent
almost half your life so far learning English and that is what you are being judged on. Your grade must be
deserved. Try not to be ridiculous.
Nota bene: «Dans votre prestation enlevée et convaincante, vous devrez alterner coups d’oeil furtifs
sur vos notes et regards soutenus avec vos examinateurs» . You get it! The biggest difficulty resides then
in your management capacity in 20 minutes.
(A)
THE PRESENTATION
I.
INTRODUCTION
□
The first sentence is meant to put the article in its
context
. Sometimes it has to do with:
• A sociological, political, scientific... phenomenon.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
With the growing (gap / tension / difficulties...) between ... and ...
o
With the advent of (computer-based publishing / hybrid vehicles...),...
o
Following the (recent / striking / unexpected / dramatic...) development of ..., ...
o
With the (considerable / significant...) progress of ...
o
At a time when the issue of ... is increasingly debated ...
o
It is often (claimed / asserted) that ...
o
In the recent (years, months, weeks), ... has become a matter of (prime importance/common
concern ...)
•
Recent event or news item.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
Following what happened in... / In the wake of what happened in...
o
The events that took place in... (raised a controversy / were widely covered by the media.)
o
The problem of ... has stemmed from...
□
Then the document to analyze should be situated in the simplest and lightest ways and an announcing
its
main theme follows.
However, mentioning the source, date, and the author of a given article has been under debate. Heavy
introductory sentences such as
‘The article we are going to study is extracted from a newspaper, which was published on…’ are to
avoid. In other words, mention at this stage only the elements that are of some significance:
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o
The date:
only if it is important in relation to a historical event,
o
The journal or magazine:
only if its editorial policy, nationality, and readership are significant,
o
The author:
only if he/she is a public figure or his/her position / status / makes the reading of the text easier.
« Certains candidats font un exposé trop formel. Il n’est pas nécessaire de lire le titre de l’article, le
journal, la date de publication et l’auteur.» (Rapport du jury HEC/ESCP admission directe, 2003) .
Furthermore, do not forget to clearly define the nature of the text:
o
A news article/ a news report
o
A leader / an editorial
o
An opinion column
o
A transcript of a speech
o
A survey / an analysis of an opinion poll (l’analyse d’un sondage)
o
A (film/book) review
The author of the text should be designated as “ journalist ” . Avoid the term author (and a fortiori writer).
In general, try to make the best out of the title and the author’s status if they are specified: They necessarily
reflect the adopted point of view, the targeted readership, and sometimes the rhetoric used.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
This article, taken from ..., (deals with / considers / addresses) the issue of ...
o
This article is taken from a recent edition of ...
o
The article under scrutiny reports on ...
o
The article’s main theme is ...
o
The article under study provides the reader with (an analysis of
/
a debate over ) ...
o
the article is well-known for its (left-wing / right-wing / liberal / conservative) leaning.
o
The (title / subtitle) of the article is based on a (play on words / pun).
o
The eye-catching (title / subtitle) of the article arouses the reader’s interest at once
.
□
Avoid
o
The article speaks about / talks about.
□
Next, state the issue the document raises : why the issue is worth debating/commenting on.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
The article raises the following question: ... ?
o
The main question that arises from the text is ...
o
The issue raised by the article is a (thorny / highly sensitive / highly controversial / much
debated) one.
o
The question that comes readily to mind is ...
o
What is at stake in the article is ...
o
The gist of the text is ...
o
The (crux / heart) of the matter is ...
o
What is at stake in the article is ...
□
Avoid First I will summarize the text and then I will comment upon it. .
(Needless reminding the jury, who are well aware of the presentation format, of the order and plan you are
adopting)
II.
SUMMARY
□
At this stage, it is about reproducing a “logical skeleton” of the text. It should not necessarily be
confused with its original linear development. Contrarily, it is preferable to show case the journalist’s line
of reasoning which would lead to a thorough comprehension of the content of the document by any
interlocutor who would not have access to it.
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□
The journalist’s point of view has to be adopted so that the summary would look as if it is the author’s.
□
it is recommended that you renounce the use of declarative structure such as “ The journalist (says
/
points out
/
argues that...) ” in order not to vainly weigh down the purpose.
□
Do not forget that a summary is a reformulation task. The latter necessitates your effortful use of a rich
vocabulary bank to be able to express, in your own words, ideas that are already in the text. The use of
paraphrasing techniques is a must to avoid the pitfall of plagiarism.
□
A judicious use of linking words
/
transitions makes it easy to present elements in a structured manner.
□
It then goes without saying that the examinee should present only what appears essential without
retaining everything in the text. Your summary is NOT a verbatim précis:
« Ce que nous voulons, c’est que le candidat ne raconte pas un enregistrement (qu’il reproduit souvent
sans comprendre) de façon linéaire et sans distinguer l’essentiel de l’anecdotique. Le candidat doit
reformuler le dialogue dans un ordre différent, le recomposer en utilisant peut-être d’autres termes,
en montrant la ligne directrice et en dégageant les idées générales illustrées si besoin est par des
exemples» (Rapport du jury BCE).
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
There are (two / three/ four...) main points in the article: ....
o
Several points of interest arise from the article: ...
o
(Two / three / four) points can be identified in the article: ...
III.
THE TRANSITION “SUMMARY / COMMENTARY”
□
Transitions, after a very short pause, should be brief and concise so that you can smoothly move on from
the summary (purely analytical) to the commentary (purely introspective and personal).
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
I would now like to comment on ...
o
What I found most significant in the text was ...
o
What struck me most in the article was ...
o
At this stage, I would like to focus on a few points that I find particularly (relevant
/
challenging
/ interesting / thought-provoking / ...): ...
□
Avoid
o
I have finished my summary /synthesis, and I now wish to move on to my commentary.
o So much for my summary, I will now present my commentary.
IV.
THE COMMENTARY
□
It is the commentary stage that adds value to your linguistic potential and where your knowledge,
value system, critical thinking, and opinion come into play. The best way to work on it is by focusing
on the very themes a given text evokes other than broadly making use of your prior knowledge of its
general theme.
□
You need to be
convincing, so
you need to have a
good lintguistic
,
cultural
, and
rhetorical
baggage.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
o
First, I wish to argue that ... . And my second point will be ...
o
I wish to raise the following points: ...
o
I would like to make the following points: ...
o
There are a few points that I wish to (expand on
/
to discuss further...): ...
o
There are some points I would like to develop further: ...
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□
Avoid
o
I will endeavour to demonstrate that ...
o
In a first part, I will try to show that ... before focusing on ...
o
In a first part, we will show that ... and then we will moderate this statement.
« Dans le commentaire, les candidats se précipitent un peu vite vers des thèmes connus, car vus en
classe. Ils n’hésitent pas à tenter un grand écart pour rattacher ce qu’ils savent au thème général du
texte étudié. Encore une fois, il vaut mieux que les candidats se concentrent véritablement sur les
thèmes directement évoqués par le texte» (Rapport du jury ESCP, 2008).
□
You may advance
/
state an idea that is directly linked to the subject, develop an argument that is
skimmed over by the author, or even contradict him/her. Nevertheless, do not criticize for the sake of
criticizing.
• Some texts could legitimately be qualified as being biased (subjective/partial), but this partiality should
not be considered as cunning or malignant throughout the whole text. It is quite common that a journalist
expresses their own political
/
ideological opinions.
• The journalist should not be systematically accused of ignoring some aspect on the pretext that you wish to
add it. However, it may be interesting to revise the presuppositions, to add touches to them.
□
Express yourself using the subject pronoun I , and avoid , at all costs, the royal We ( We can see
/
say ).
□
Starting by a commentary closer to the text would be the right thing to do. Over a second phase, you
can expand the debate, but in reasonable proportions.
□
If you are having a difficult time building your commentary (preparation phase), ask yourselves
questions that would nourish your reflection:
• Can the example(s) given in the text be generalized?
•
Can the situation be compared with that of another country?
• Is the theme developed convincingly illustrated?
•
Are there conflicting views on the issue at stake? Why is it so (contentious / controversial / polemical)?
•
Is there one striking sentence or phrase that could be worth commenting on?
•
Can a (political / moral / ethical / sociological ...) standpoint be read between the lines?
□
As a matter of fact, a commentary is about debating , comparing , illustrating , and sometimes
generalizing within limits. But, remember, taking sides with or against has to be based on a justification of
your stance.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO DEVELOP IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE TEXT
o
I wish to (elaborate / expand) on a point the journalist (already mentioned / merely hinted at).
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO ANALYZE DEVELOPED ARGUMENTS (Author’s)
o
The journalist makes it quite clear right from the outset that ...
o
The journalist’s main concern seems to be ...
o
Unfortunately, the author makes no reference to ...
o
I think the journalist fails to consider a crucial point ...
o
The implicit stance that lies behind this text is...
o
Through the headline, the reader is made to feel that ...
o
The caption below the cartoon / image / caricature reads “...”, which perfectly illustrates ...
o
The underlying stance we feel throughout the article is that ...
o
It’s relatively easy to see which side of the political spectrum he / she is on.
o
This argument (is the epitome of / perfectly exemplifies)
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IV.
COMMENTARY
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO EXPRESS YOUR AGREEMENT .
o
I entirely agree with the analysis developed by the journalist.
o
I strongly support the journalist in his / her view that ...
o
The examples quoted by the journalist indeed bear out that ...
o
The journalist is perfectly right in saying that ...
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO QUALIFY WHAT IS SAID.
o
I have a few reservations about the journalist’s approach.
o
To my mind, the problem needs to be seen through a different (angle / lens / prism)
o
The journalist has every right to think that ..., but I am afraid I cannot be as positive.
o
The article seems to me too harsh a criticism of ...
o
I must say I am somewhat surprised by this argument.
o
The argument sounds rather convincing at first sight, but, on further examination, ...
o
The (alleged /so-called) progress the journalist refers to seems to me ...
o
Such argument(s) should not be taken (for granted /at face value)
o
Isn’t it rather paradoxical to maintain that ... ?
o
I see what the journalist is driving at, but I think one has to remain wary of hasty generalizations.
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO OPPOSE WHAT IS SAID.
o
I completely disagree with...
o
Contrary to what the journalist claims, I wish to contend that ...
o
The journalist voices an opinion I disagree with.
o
I do not share his / her view on the subject.
o
I am afraid I cannot agree with such a statement.
o
I strongly disagree with this argument.
o
I wish to take issue with the journalist on this point.
o
The arguments used here seem to be rather (objectionable/far-fetched/contentious/dubious...)
o
The journalist goes to great lengths to explain that, but I am afraid I am far from being
convinced.
O
The argument he / she uses does not (stand up / hold water)
✔ USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO INTRODUCE AND EMPHASIZE YOUR PERSONAL
POINT OF VIEW
o
In my opinion / In my view / To my mind ...
o
As far as I am concerned, I tend to think that ...
o
I, for one, feel that ...
o
My (personal point of view
/
own opinion) on this topic is that ...
o
I dobelieve that ... / It is my strong belief that ...
« Il ne faut pas s’éterniser sur le résumé et il faut accorder un temps au moins égal au commentaire.
C’est en effet dans le commentaire que les candidats donnent en général la mesure de leurs
connaissances linguistiques, en particulier leurs capacités pour l’expression spontanée, révélant leur
culture et leur originalité » (Rapport du jury HEC, 2006).
V.
CONCLUSION
□
It should be open to further debate and not a mere recapitulation of what has been developed in your
commentary.
□
Thank your oral examiner
/
the jury for their attention; it is the best way to conclude!
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