The end of the sentence is the spotlight
A French sentence usually runs from what is known to what is new. The known part is called the thème, the new part the rhème. The new part goes at the end, where the sentence stress falls too. Unmarked word order works as long as the subject is known. If the subject is new, or you want to highlight another element, you need a marked order.
The longer, new element goes last
Il a présenté le projet à ses collègues.
He presented the project to his colleagues.
What is new: to whom.
Il a présenté à ses collègues un projet de réorganisation complète du service.
He presented to his colleagues a plan for a complete reorganisation of the department.
The object is new and long, so it goes last.
Moving the subject back
In reports, assessments and essays the subject moves behind the verb when it is the new information. In front there is then a verb that structures the text (rester, suivre, venir, s'ajouter), seul, or an adverb such as ainsi. The sentence reads like a list heading towards its content.
Same statement, two orders
Unmarked
Il reste deux questions : le coût et le calendrier.
There are two questions left: cost and timing.
Seul le résultat compte.
Only the result matters.
Marked
Restent deux questions : le coût et le calendrier.
There remain two questions: cost and timing.
Seul compte le résultat.
All that matters is the result.
More typical patterns
Suivent les résultats détaillés.
Below are the detailed results.
S'y ajoutent les frais de port.
On top of that come the shipping costs.
Ainsi s'achève notre enquête.
Thus ends our investigation.
Moving the complement forward
With être you can pull the adjective or tel to the front and put the subject after it. The judgement becomes the frame and the subject becomes the new information. It sounds elevated and pointed.
Rares sont les entreprises qui investissent encore ici.
Few are the companies that still invest here.
Unmarked: Peu d'entreprises investissent encore ici.
Tout autre est la situation en Suisse.
Quite different is the situation in Switzerland.
Telle est la question à laquelle ce rapport répond.
Such is the question this report answers.
Contrastive focus by register
When you set one element against another, the right device depends on register. In conversation stress does a lot of the work. In writing there is no voice, so the structure has to carry the contrast.
One contrast, three versions
| Register | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Conversation | C'est le directeur qui a signé, pas son adjoint. |
| Factual writing | C'est le directeur, et non son adjoint, qui a signé. |
| Formal, concise | Seul le directeur a signé. |
Meaning: the director signed, not his deputy.
C'est le directeur, et non son adjoint, qui a signé.
It was the director, not his deputy, who signed.
Ce n'est pas le prix qui pose problème, mais le délai.
It's not the price that is the problem, but the deadline.
