Rephrasing
c'est-à-dire
StandardB1What follows
c'est-à-dire + a noun
Function
Rephrasing
Meaning
Says the same thing differently, to remove an ambiguity.
Position and punctuation
within the sentence · a comma before
Example
La demande doit être déposée en début de mois, c'est-à-dire avant le 5.
The request must be filed at the start of the month, that is, before the 5th.
In the DELF
the B1 letter · the B2 essay · the B2 oral presentation
The trap
Two hyphens, always: c'est-à-dire. The abbreviation exists but does not belong in an exam paper.
Read the full lesson : Advanced logical connectors →