Midterms: Donald Trump campaigns this last weekend before the 3 November vote

La BBC rappelle toutefois que les sondages ont déjà déçu les démocrates : ce sont des prévisions, pas des résultats.

Être in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.

Face au mécontentement sur les prix, il a cherché à le désamorcer et affirmé que les démocrates « ruineraient » les familles.

The passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.

Face au mécontentement sur les prix, il a cherché à le désamorcer et affirmé que les démocrates « ruineraient » les familles.

The conditional expresses possibility, supposition, unconfirmed information and polite requests (“would”, “might”). It uses the same stem as the future and the same endings as the imparfait (-ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient): pouvoir → il pourrait. In the news it is used to avoid asserting, as in “is reported to…” or “there is a possibility…”.

Les dates des faits et des annonces sont précisées dans le texte.

The passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).

En attendant les résultats

The gerund means “while doing”, “by doing” or “when doing”. Its form is en + present participle (-ant). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons and add -ant (faire → faisant). The subject is normally that of the main clause. It shows things happening at the same time, or the means.

Consultez les comptes rendus après le dépouillement.

The imperative expresses commands, requests and advice. It has no subject: the sentence starts with the verb (Consultez les informations.). The vous form ends in -ez, nous in -ons (Restons prudents.), and tu in -e for -er verbs (Consulte). It is very common in notices and warnings (Vérifiez, Consultez, Restez informé).

Selon la BBC, les élections de mi-mandat américaines ont lieu le mardi 3 novembre et portent sur les sièges du Congrès.

Selon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.

Un outil de prévision de Harvard, qui compile plusieurs sondages et des données historiques, leur donne 96 % de chances à la Chambre et 76 % au Sénat.

Qui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.

Cet article résume les informations du 2 novembre au matin et n’inclut pas de résultats.

Le 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.

La BBC rappelle que les prix du carburant, de l’alimentation et de la santé ont augmenté depuis le début de la guerre en Iran, il y a plus de huit mois.

Dès means “as early as” or “as soon as”, and à partir de means “from … onwards”. Depuis basically shows a state or period continuing from a point in time. All deal with a start, but they are not used the same way.

La BBC rappelle toutefois que les sondages ont déjà déçu les démocrates : ce sont des prévisions, pas des résultats.

These continue with something that contrasts with the preceding content, or a reservation to note. Mais is the widely usable “but” and en revanche stresses the contrast. After the connector, information may come that corrects the first impression.

BBCによると、アメリカの中間選挙は、11月3日（火）に行われます。

As in “LCPによると”, it shows where the information comes from. What that source reported follows. It is used differently from “私にとって”, which gives one’s own opinion.

BBCによると、世論調査は、民主党が議会の少なくとも一部を取る可能性が高いことを示しています。

These forms say something may happen. Even when “possibility” is written, it does not mean it will certainly happen. Check whose forecast it is, plus the time and conditions.

数字は予測であり、結果ではありません。

They negate a noun and similar content. “ではありません” is the polite form and “ではない” the plain form. “成立ではありません” shows that it cannot be said to have been concluded.

BBCによると、トランプ大統領は、これまでの選挙で勝ってきたフロリダ、アイオワ、カンザスの各州で集会を開き、ミシガン、オハイオ、ペンシルベニアの候補者向けには電話集会も行いました。

In “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.

BBCは、イランでの戦争が始まって8か月余りの間に、燃料・食料品・医療費が上がったと伝えています。

と takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.

多くの中間選挙では、大統領の政党が議席を失うことが多いと、BBCは説明しています。

“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.