REVISIONS de quelques structures complexes:… …afin de varier la

REVISIONS de quelques structures complexes:…
…afin de varier la construction des phrases dans vos essais
(au lieu de se cantonner à la structure « sujet + verbe + complément)
Not only : en début de phrase (+ forme d’insistance avec « do, does, did » et une
inversion sujet-verbe) (= non seulement…., mais…)
Not only does this strike hit all commuters, but it hampers industry as a whole.
Not only is the journalist biassed against immigrants, but he is dishonest.
No matter what/ where/ how/ when/ who/ whether etc… (= peu importe ce
que/ où/ quand/ comment…)
No matter what region, women are most vulnerable to economic downturns.
No matter whether the strikers were right or not, we must try to understand their
motivations.
Whatever, wherever, whoever, however…
Whatever the author tries to prove,…
Wherever you go, you will find McDonald’s restaurants.
Whoever is caught for a third offense will go to jail
However tempting the prospect of a single currency may be, some EU countries remain wary
(= prudent, sur ses gardes) = Aussi tentant que soit…
ADJECTIF + as + sujet + may…. (= Aussi …. Que…)
Paradoxical as it may seem,… ( = aussi paradoxal que cela puisse paraître)
Improbable as they may seem, these figures are right.

ADJECTIF + though + sujet + verbe (= Aussi …. Que…)
Slight though they may be, the signs of recovery are encouraging. (= aussi modestes soient-
ils, les signes de la reprise sont encourageants)
Unless… (= à moins que)
The farmers’ demonstrations will not stop unless they are granted subsidies
(to grant subsidies = accorder des subventions)
Provided = on condition that
All applicants can be hired provided they have the necessary skills (= qualifications)
For fear that + might / should ( = de peur que)
The Prime Minister has yielded for fear that social unrest might (should) spread.
The government has launched a new campaign for fear that the number of teenage smokers
might (should) further increase.
Once…(= une fois que…)
Once NATO had admitted that some east EUropean republics could join, there was no reason
why others should not follow suit. (to follow suit = to imitate)
No sooner…than ( = à peine … que…)
No sooner had the press disclosed the nuclear test than Greenpeace protested.
Hardly when ( = à peine … que…)
Hardly had lorry drivers put an end to their strike when bus drivers started theirs.
If + should (pour une hypothèse peu probable)
If the supply of hard drugs should be stamped out, it would be replaced by the black market

All the more + adjectif … as ( = d’autant plus …que…)
The backlash was all the more dramatic as the catastrophe had hit large cities
All the + adjectif –er … as (= d’autant plus …que…)
The birth rate is all the higher as the country is economically destitute
The more… the more (the less) ( Plus…, plus/ moins…)
The more they demand, the less they will obtain
The more we develop this sector, the higher our profits will be.
Souvent le verbe ‘be’ est sous-entendu
The more qualified the applicant, the higher his salary
The younger the population, the larger the families
The more, the merrier (= Plus on est de fous, plus on rit)
So … that / such … that (= tellement / si … que…)
The street riots were so violent that there were heavy casualties
The government has launched such an efficient campaign that the number of drug addicts
has dwindled