Lycée Charif Al Idrissi – CPGE TAZA Mr.

Tarik Boussetta
2014-2015 All Streams & Levels

COLLE METHODOLOGY

Foreword

The " useful expressions " suggested in this document should in no means be considered passe-partout formulas to
learn by heart. 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.

A- THE PRESENTATION:

1- 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

- With the growing (gap / tension / difficulties…between…and….

- With the advent of (computer-based publishing / hybrid vehicules…)…
- Following the (recent / striking / unexpected / dramatic…)…development of…
- With the (considerable / significant…) progress of …
- In a context of…
- At a time when the issue of…is increasingly debated…
- It is often (claimed / asserted) that…
- It is sometimes forgotten that…
- In the recent (years, months,weeks)…became a matter of (prime importance/common
concern)….
 Recent event or news item.

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- Following what happened in…/In the wake of what happened in…

- The events that took place in… (raised a controversy/were widely covered by the
media…)
- A new situation has recently come into the news…
- The problem of …has stemmed from…

CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY

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  Then the document to analyse 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:
 The date: only if it is important in relation to a historical event,
 The journal or magazine: only if its editorial policy, nationality, and readership are significant,
 The author: only if he/she is a public figure or his/her position / status / occupation make the reading
of the text easier.

Furthermore, do not forget to clearly define the nature of the text:

 A news article/ a news report
 A leader / an editorial
 An opinion column
 A transcript of a speech
 A survey
 The analysis of an opinion poll (l’analyse d’un sondage)
 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

- This article, taken from…, (deals with / considers / addresses) the issue of…
- This article is taken from a recent edition of…
- The article under scrutiny reports on …
- The article’s main theme is…
- The article under study provides the reader with (an analysis/ a debate over…)
- The newspaper the article is taken from is well-known for its (left-wing / right-wing /
liberal / conservative…) leaning.
- The (title / subtitle) of the article is based on a (play on words/a pun).
- The eye-catching (title / subtitle) of the article arouses the reader’s interest at once.
- The subtitle gives us a clear idea of what the article is about.
- This article was published right after …which cast new light on the issue of…
- The author is not just any journalist. He/she is (a leading figure / an expert…) in the
field of…
- As the text is written by a politician, its aim is obviously not purely informative. It is
actually meant to…

 Avoid
- The article speaks / talks about…
- The article is a reflection on…

CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY

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  Next, state the issue the document raises: why the issue is worth debating/commenting.

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- The article raises the following question: …?

- The main question that arises from the text is…
- The issue raised by the article is a (thorny / highly sensitive / highly controversial /
much debated) one.
- The question that comes readily to mind is…
- What is at stake in the article is…
- The gist of the text is…
- The (crux / matter) of the article is…
- It all hinges on the question whether…

It is needless to specify the format of your presentation…: First I will summarize the text and then I will
comment upon it.

2- SUMMARY

 At this stage, it is about reproducing a “logical skeleton” of the text-which should not necessarily be
confused with its original linear development. Contrarily, it is preferable to showcase 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. The pitfall to avoid is summarizing a text in a linear and
laborious fashion- paragraph by paragraph. A candidate should not give the impression of cutting out the
text. Additionally, the journalist’s point of view had to be adopted so that the summary of the text would
look as if it is the author’s. Hence, it is recommended that you renounce the use of declarative
constructions, such as The journalist (says / points out / argues that…) in order not to vainly weigh
down the purpose.

 In case it might seem necessary or pertinent to reorganize the elements of the text for a clearer summary, it
is often possible to resort to the plan: 1/ Facts, 2/ Causes, 3/ Consequences. (2 and 3 may be reversed)

 As for examples, their dubious use in a summary (For example / For instance) merits careful thought.
The objective of the task (summary) is to sort out the essential from the accessory. Keeping some of them
depends on whether an element is too abstract to decipher.

 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;
thus, avoiding a line-to-line reformulation and an overall thematic overview. Your summary has to restore

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 the coherence of the arguments by making, if necessary, the logical connectedness / linkages that the
author would have chosen to leave out for stylistic purposes explicit.

 It is not necessary to announce your summary plan in detail. Make it short and simple by mentioning the
number of the steps you would have identified in your reasoning.

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- There are (two / three/ four…) main points in the article: ….

- Several points of interest arise from the article: …
- (two / three / four) points can be identified in the article: …

 Avoid
- The text can be (split up / divided) into…
- The journalist says that…and then the journalist says that…
-
3- THE TRANSITION SUMMARY / COMMENTARY

 Transitions, after a very short pause, should be brief and concise so that you can smoothly move on to the
commentary stage (purely reflective and personal).

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- I would now like to comment on: …

- What I found most significant in the text was: …
- What struck me most in the article was: …
- At this stage, I would like to focus on a few points that I find particularly (relevant /
challenging / interesting / thought-provoking / …): …
 Avoid
- I have finished my summary /synthesis, and I now wish to move on to my
commentary.
- So much for my summary, I will now present my commentary.

4- THE COMMENTARY

The (probably two or three) points to approach / touch upon would be the starting point of your commentary.

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- First, I wish to argue that… And my second point will be…

- I wish to raise the following points…
- I would like to make the following points…
- There are a few points that I wish to (expand on / to discuss further…): …
- I would like to dwell on some aspects, which I think, are worth commenting on: …

CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY

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  Avoid
- I will endeavour to demonstrate that…
- In a first part, I will try to show that…before focusing on…
- In a first part, we will show that… and then we will moderate this statement.

 It is the commentary stage that adds value to your 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.

 As your commentary proceeds from the text, any analysis of the tone, implicit opinion, and the ideological
bias that motivates the journalist’s standing point are always welcome. Thus, it may sometimes be useful to
dedicate a first part of your commentary to a detailed analysis of the tone / register / implicit point of view
of the author on one condition:

 This analysis should always relate to a, more or less, obvious intention of the author.

 Do it only if there is something particularly significant about the subject. For instance, it is feasible
in case you feel the author resorts to a humoristic tone that is marked by some detachment vis-à-vis
the subject under study.

 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 his / her own political / ideological…opinions.

 The journalist should not be systematically accused of ignoring some aspect or another 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 by 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 over 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?

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As a matter of fact, a commentary is about debating, comparing, illustrating, and sometimes generalizing within
limits, and always take sides based on a justification of your position.

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO DEVELOP IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE TEXT

- I wish to (elaborate / expand) on a point the journalist (already mentioned / merely

hinted at).

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO ANALYZE DEVELOPED ARGUMENTS, THE

WAY THEY ARE DEVELOPED, AND THE INTENTIONS OF THE AUTHOR

- According to the journalist…

- The journalist makes it quite clear right from the outset that…
- The journalist’s main concern seems to be…
- By maintaining that…, the journalist wants to make us aware that…
- The author is (well-known / notorious) for his/her views on…
- Unfortunately, the author makes no reference to…
- I think the journalist fails to consider a crucial point.
- The implicit stance that lies behind this text is…
- It seems that the journalist makes a point of not taking sides.
- The journalist’s ideas are strongly reminiscent of…
- The ideas developed here are (consistent / inconsistent) with the political stance of the
newspaper.
- As the journalist strikingly puts it, quote “…”unquote (fin de citation).
- Surprisingly enough, the article’s headline does not match its content.
- There is a sharp contrast between the playful title and the rather serious content.
- Through the headline, the reader is made to feel that…
- The caption below the cartoon / image / caricature reads “…”, which perfectly
illustrates …
- The underlying stance we feel throughout the article is that…
- The interest of the text lies in…
- It’s relatively easy to see which side of the political spectrum he / she is on.
- This argument (is the epitome of / perfectly exemplifies)…
-
 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO EXPRESS YOUR AGREEMENT WITH WHAT IS
SAID

- I entirely agree with the analysis developed by the journalist.

- I strongly support the journalist in his / her view that…
- The examples quoted by the journalist indeed bear out that…
- The journalist is perfectly right in saying that…
- As the journalist says, it is indeed reasonable to assume that…

CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY

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  USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO QUALIFY WHAT IS SAID

- The journalist forcefully showed that…. But I wish to qualify one of the assertions he
/ she makes.
- I have a few reservations about the journalist’s approach.
- To my mind, the problem needs to be seen through a different (angle / lens / prism)
- The journalist has every right to think that…but I am afraid I cannot be as positive.
- The article seems to me too harsh a criticism of…
- The criticism the journalist levels at…seems to me slightly overblown.
- I must say I am somewhat surprised by this argument.
- Although there can be no doubt that…, I think it would be going too far to say that…
- The argument sounds rather convincing at first sight, but on further examination…
- The (alleged / so-called) progress the journalist refers to seems to me…
- Such argument(s) should not be taken (for granted / at face value)
- Isn’t it rather paradoxical to maintain that…?
- I see what the journalist is driving at but I think one should remain wary of hasty
generalizations.
- Let’s not jump to conclusions.
- This is true only (up to a certain point / to a certain extent).
- Can these two elements really (be put on an equal footing / be equated)?

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO OPPOSE WHAT IS SAID

- I completely disagree with…

- Contrary to what the journalist claims, I wish to contend that…
- The journalist voices an opinion I disagree with.
- I do not share his / her view on the subject.
- I am afraid I cannot agree with such a statement.
- I strongly disagree with this argument.
- I wish to take issue with the journalist on this point.
- The arguments used here seem to be rather (objectionable / far-fetched / contentious /
dubious…)
- There is no point in trying to shame people into action.
- The journalist goes to great lengths to explain that…, but I am afraid I am far from
being convinced.
- The argument he / she uses does not (stand up / hold water)

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS TO INTRODUCE AND EMPHASIZE YOUR

PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW

- In my opinion / In my view / To my mind...

- As far as I am concerned, I tend to think that…
- I, for one, feel that…
- My (personal point of view / own opinion) on this topic is that…
- I do believe that…/ It is my strong belief that…
CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY
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 - I would contend for my part that…
- From my point of view / speaking for myself…
- I personally feel that…
- I would tend to advocate…(Noun / Gerund)
- I am perfectly aware that common wisdom has it that…, but I beg to differ.
- I know that public opinion is deeply divided over this issue, but I tend to side with
those who…
- When faced with such an ethical dilemma, I think you have to take sides.
- I really feel that there is a line here that must not be crossed.
- I think we all need to step back and gain a broader perspective.
- I think we all need to go beyond the yuk factor and gain some critical distance.
- Let me give you a particularly telling example to illustrate my point: …

5- THE CONCLUSION

 It should be open to further debate and not a mere recapitulation of what has been developed in your
commentary. Relate its content to a personal experience that has to do with the theme of the text, or
qualify the latter by mentioning an event that came after the publication of the article.
 Thank your oral examiner / the jury for their attention; it is the best way to conclude!

 USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

- In conclusion
- To conclude
- I would like to conclude this presentation (with one observation / by saying that…).

 Avoid

 As a conclusion… By way of conclusion

 That’s all! / I am finished! / I am done! / That’s pretty much all I had to say…

*Translated and abridged by Mr. Tarik Boussetta- EFL Teacher at CPGE Taza
*Edited by Mr. Saad Mounaim- EFL Teacher at CPGE Taza

GRENECHE, F. (2010) L’anglais aux concours commerciaux. Editions Ellipses Optimum. (pp. 161-173)

CPGE TAZA- Mr. Tarik Boussetta COLLE METHODOLOGY

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