Il vaudrait mieux qu'on attende : Why We Should Wait to Teach the Subjunctive

ABSTRACT: This article provides data-driven responses to the questions of whether and when we should introduce the subjunctive mood in the communicative classroom. Challenging to teach and to learn, le subjonctif can be frustrating for educators and students alike. Yet it is so quintessentially French, and it continues to have a dedicated place in textbooks. The author confronts this issue by conducting a literature review of studies in linguistics and SLA that address the frequency of native speaker use, the semantic weight of the subjunctive, and the process of acquisition by L2 learners. This research informs her recommendations for French teachers.