Après la réunion, Paul fait un brouillon plus clair et l’attache avec un trombone rouge.

Paul

Breakdown of Après la réunion, Paul fait un brouillon plus clair et l’attache avec un trombone rouge.

• rouge: red
• et: and
• avec: with

Questions & Answers about Après la réunion, Paul fait un brouillon plus clair et l’attache avec un trombone rouge.

Why is it Après la réunion and not just Après réunion?

In French, nouns usually need an article much more often than in English. So la réunion means the meeting.

• après = after
• la réunion = the meeting

So Après la réunion is the normal way to say After the meeting.

Why is there a comma after Après la réunion?

The comma separates the time phrase from the main clause.

• Après la réunion, = a time-setting phrase at the beginning
• Paul fait... = the main action

In French, this comma is common and natural when a longer introductory phrase comes first. It works much like in English: After the meeting, Paul...

Why does the sentence use fait? Doesn’t faire usually mean to do or to make?

Yes, faire often means to do or to make, but it is also used in many wider senses. Here, Paul fait un brouillon means something like:

• Paul makes a draft
• Paul prepares a draft
• Paul writes up a draft

French often uses faire in places where English might choose a more specific verb.