Question

Complétez avec une préposition : Je vais à la plage ___________ me détendre.

Hint:

Unlike English, which uses "to" both as a preposition and as an infinitive marker, French verbs in the infinitive do not automatically have a marker. To express "in order to", you must explicitly insert the preposition pour.

Answer 1

Step 1: Identifying the Clause Relation:
The main clause is “Je vais à la plage” (I go to the beach) and the subordinate element is an infinitive phrase “me détendre” (to relax have fun). This represents a clear relationship of purpose, goal, or intent.

Step 2: Selecting the Correct Preposition of Purpose:
In French, an infinitive clause expressing a goal or purpose is introduced by the preposition pour (in order to to) or the formal phrase afin de.
• Formula: $\text{Verb} + pour + \text{Infinitive}$ Thus, pour is the most simple, standard, and appropriate preposition.

Step 3: Verification:
Substituting pour: Je vais à la plage pour me détendre. (I go to the beach to relax). This is syntactically pristine.
Final Answer: pour (or afin de)