Logical Connectors at DELF B1 — The Essential List — passdelf.com
Writing Skills
By PASS DELF · Connectors Series — Post 1 · May 2026 · 5 min read

Logical Connectors at DELF B1 — The Essential List


One connector can transform a list of ideas into an argument. At DELF B1, examiners are not just reading what you say — they are reading how you organise it. Connectors are the clearest signal that you can structure your thoughts in French.

What the Examiner Is Actually Grading

The DELF B1 written production grid includes a criterion called cohérence et cohésion — coherence and cohesion. This criterion is directly tied to your use of connectors. Without them, ideas sit side by side. With them, they form a logical chain.

A response with no connectors reads like a list. A response with three well-placed connectors reads like an argument. The difference can be two to four points.

💡 Examiner insight

At B1 level, examiners expect at least three different logical connectors in a written production of 160–180 words. Using the same connector repeatedly (for example, et… et… et…) is penalised.

The Four Categories You Need

Connectors are not random vocabulary — they belong to four logical functions. Knowing one or two per category is enough to meet B1 requirements.

1. To add an idea
De plus (moreover) · En outre (furthermore) · Également (also) · Par ailleurs (besides)

2. To oppose or contrast
Cependant (however) · Néanmoins (nevertheless) · Pourtant (yet) · En revanche (on the other hand)

3. To express cause
Car (for, because) · Puisque (since) · En effet (indeed, because)

4. To express consequence
Donc (therefore) · Ainsi (thus) · C'est pourquoi (that is why)

⚠ Common B1 error

Car is never used at the beginning of a sentence. It always connects two clauses within the same sentence.

J'aime cette ville. Car elle est calme.
J'aime cette ville car elle est calme.
J'aime cette ville. En effet, elle est calme.

Structure Your Response in Three Moves

The simplest B1 structure uses connectors at three moments: to open, to add, and to conclude. This is known as the tripartite plan and it is explicitly what examiners look for.

D'abord (first of all) — introduce your first idea.
Ensuite / De plus (then / moreover) — add a second idea.
Enfin / Pour conclure (finally / to conclude) — close your argument.

This three-step framework, used consistently, covers the coherence criterion reliably at B1 level.

💡 Quick formula

D'abord… De plus… Pour conclure… — three connectors, three paragraphs, one complete B1 structure. This alone can earn full marks on the cohesion criterion.

One Connector to Avoid

Many candidates overuse mais (but) as their only contrast connector. While mais is correct, using it exclusively signals a basic level of expression. Replace it with cependant or en revanche at least once — this variety is precisely what earns points on the lexical range criterion.

🎯 B1 production tip

Write your response, then go back and highlight every connector. If you have fewer than three different ones, add or vary them before submitting. This one revision habit consistently improves scores.

Why This Matters for Your DELF Score

Connectors are the single most efficient investment you can make before the DELF B1 written exam. They require no knowledge of complex grammar — only the discipline to use them deliberately. Ten minutes of daily practice with the four categories above is enough to make them automatic.

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