TOP GRADES TRAINING PACK OCR GCSE FRENCH B – A*

TOP
GRADES
TRAINING
PACK
OCR GCSE
FRENCH
B – A*
Rationale
The aim of this pack is to enable you to focus on the skills necessary in order
to achieve a top Grade (B – A*) in your GCSE French examination.
As you will receive detailed guidance in lessons on how to gain grades B – A*
in your coursework, the exercises in this training pack are focussed on
improving your skills in the externally examined skills of speaking and
reading.
These two skills with Listening combine to a value of 75% of the GCSE
examination.
Contents
1. Speaking Test revision tips
2. Section 2 role play vocabulary
3. Section 2 role play practice
4. Section 3 role play vocabulary
5. Reading examination tips
1. Speaking Test Revision Tips
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The French Speaking Test constitutes 25% of the overall GCSE
examination.
You should aim to start your practice for the speaking test at the beginning
of September in Year 10.
Your teacher will run extra sessions at lunchtimes in Year 11 for you to
practise the test with them. It is well worth taking advantage of these
sessions, as your teacher will be your examiner in the final examination.
The test is divided into three sections as follows:
Role Play 2
8 points
Role play 3
8 points
1 Minute Presentation
4 points
Discussion and Conversation
10 points
Overall quality of language mark
20 points
Total mark
50 points
How to revise for each section
Role play 2
Learn the vocabulary and key phrases for these role plays.
Practise each week, both out loud at home and at school at the extra
sessions.
Work your way through all of the practice role plays contained in this pack
until you can do them all from memory – it is likely that you will get
something very similar in your examination.
Role Play 3
Learn the vocabulary and key phrases for these role plays.
Practise each week, both out loud at home and at school at the extra
sessions.
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Work your way through all of the practice role plays contained in this pack
until you can do them all from memory – it is likely that you will get
something very similar in your examination.
1 Minute Presentation
Your teacher will help you to prepare a one minute presentation based on
one of the topic areas from the orange conversation booklet. You should
choose an area that you feel confident talking about, and try to be as
original as possible with your content. You will be asked questions about
your presentation at the end.
Think about the kind of questions that lead naturally from what you have
said in your presentation – you can almost predict what they will be if you
think carefully. Prepare answers to these questions and learn them!
It is worth recording your presentation onto tape and playing it back to
yourself, to help you to remember it.
YOU MUST NOT TALK FOR LONGER THAN ONE MINUTE - anything
that you say beyond this point receives no marks.
Tenses are also very important in your presentation – make sure that you
refer to the past, the present and the future in what you say – failure to
do so will result in your maximum mark for this section being the
equivalent of a grade C only.
You can take 5 cue cards into the examination room with you to help you
to remember your presentation. These cards can contain 5 short
sentences in French – no more.
Discussion and Conversation
When you have finished your presentation, your teacher / examiner will
ask you questions about your presentation.
You will then be asked questions on TWO more topics from the orange
conversation booklet.
The best way to practise for this section of the exam is out loud! You can
listen to a tape of the questions and practise answering them walking
down the street, in bed, in the bath – wherever – it doesn’t matter as long
as you are speaking French!
Make sure that you have answers written into your orange booklets
for all of the topics and that you have learned them. Your teacher will
help you to prepare these answers in class.
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Practise with a friend or parent – take it in turns to ask and answer all of
the questions in the booklet. The more familiar you are with the questions,
the better you will perform in the exam.
2. Role Play 2 Key Phrases and Vocabulary
Role play 2 is all about surviving in everyday situations in French. You will
have to say 4 short sentences in French as part of a conversation with the
examiner. You will see three of these in English before entering the exam
room, and will have 12 minutes to prepare them along with role play 3.
The fourth sentence will be in response to a question that the examiner
will ask you. You will not know what this question will be beforehand, but it
is possible to predict the kind of thing that you will be asked. What is the
logical question? Think about this during preparation time and prepare a
couple of logical answers.
Role play 2 is marked as follows:
2, 1 or 0 points for each of the 4 items communicated - total 8 points
Favourite topics of the exam board include:
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At the doctor’s / chemist’s / dentist’s
Lost property
At the hotel
At the restaurant
Shopping for clothes
A job interview
Breaking down
At the bank / bureau de change
Booking a trip / holiday
Sending an email
Useful Vocab and Phrases – these are taken from past examination papers
from years 1999 - 2005:
At the doctor’s / chemist’s / dentist’s
J’ai mal à la tête – I have a headache
J’ai mal aux dents – I have a toothache
J’ai mal au dos – I have a backache
J’ai mal au ventre – I have a stomachache
J’ai mal à la gorge – I have a sore throat
Je me sens malade – I feel ill
Je suis malade – I am ill
J’ai de la fièvre – I have a temperature
Combien de fois par jour? – How many times a day?
Je voudrais payer avec carte de crédit – I would like to pay by credit card
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Je suis malade depuis deux jours / hier / ce matin – I have been feeling ill for
two days / since yesterday / since this morning
Je n’ai rien mangé aujourd’hui – I haven’t eaten today
Je voudrais des medicaments / des pastilles pour la gorge / des comprimés –
I would like some medicine / some throat lozenges / some pills
Lost Property
J’ai perdu – I have lost
J’ai laissé – I have left
Mon passeport / mon portefeuille / mon parapluie / mon sac à main / mon sac
à dos / ma valise / ma casquette / mon walkman – my passport / umbrella /
handbag / rucksack / suitcase / cap / walkman
Dans le train / dans le bus / dans le métro / dans le restaurant / dans le café /
dans le bar - in the train / bus / tube / restaurant / café / bar
Je vais rester en France / à Paris une semaine / deux jours / trois mois – I will
be staying in France / in Paris for a week / two days / three months
Je reviendrai demain / lundi prochain / le weekend – I will come back
tomorrow / next Monday / at the weekend
C’est grand / petit / noir / orange / en cuir / en plastique – it’s big / small /
black / orange / leather / plastic
Il y a une photo / de l’argent / des vêtements dedans – there is a photo / some
money / some clothes in it.
At the Hotel
Je voudrais résérver une chambre – I would like to reserve a room
J’ai une résérvation au nom de MYERS – I have a reservation in the name of
Myers (be able to spell your name)
C’est pour une grande chambre / une chambre double / une chambre simple /
une chambre à un grand lit / une chambre à deux lits -it’s for a large room / a
double room / a single room / a room with a double bed / a room with twin
beds
Avec salle de bains / WC / télevision / balcon / terrasse - with bathroom / toilet
/ television / balcony / terrace
Y – a - t – il ……………à l’hôtel ? – Is / are there ………………at the hotel?
C’est pour …….personnes – it’s for ……..people
C’est pour …….nuits – it’s for ……….nights
A quelle heure ouvre le restaurant / la piscine / le bar? – at what time does the
restaurant / pool / bar open?
A quelle heure ferme l’hôtel / le café / la piscine? – at what time does the hotel
/ café / pool close?
Il y a un parc / des monuments historiques / une boite de nuit près de l’hôtel?
– Is there a park / monuments / a night club near to the hotel?
On voudrait manger à ………………. heures – we would like to eat at
…..o’clock
Je voudrais résérver une table dans le restaurant pour ………..heures – I
would like to reserve a table in the restaurant for …..o’clock
Je suis arrivé(e) hier / mardi - I arrived yesterday / on Tuesday
Il y a un problème avec ma chambre – there is a problem with my room
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Ma chambre est trop petite / il fait trop chaud / trop froid dans ma chambre –
my room is too small / too hot / too cold
Je voudrais changer de chambre – I would like to change my room
La douche / la télé / la climatisation ne marche pas – the shower / the TV / the
air conditioning is not working
Mon lit / le frigo / l’armoire est cassé(e) – my bed / the fridge / the wardrobe is
broken
Je voudrais payer par carte de crédit - I would like to pay by credit card
At the Restaurant
J’ai une résérvation au nom de MYERS – I have a reservation in the name of
Myers (be able to spell your name)
Je n’ai pas de résérvation – I don’t have a reservation
Je voudrais une table pour quatre personnes – I would like a table for four
Je voudrais une table dans la section fumeur / non fumeur / à la terrasse / a
côté de la fenêtre / dans le jardin – I would like a non smoking / smoking table
/ on the terrace / near to the window / in the garden
Je voudrais le menu à 40 Euros – I would like the 40 Euro menu
La carte s’il vous plaît – the menu please
C’est la chambre numéro douze – it’s room number 12
Il y a un problème – there is a problem
J’ai commandé le poisson / l’omelette / le poulet – I ordered the fish / the
omelette / the chicken
Ma soupe est trop froide / trop salée - my soup is too cold / too salty
Il y a une mouche dans ma salade – there is a fly in my salad!
Je voudrais de l’eau / du vin / de la limonade s’il vous plaît – I would like some
water / wine / lemonade please
Qu’est- ce que vous avez comme soupes / boissons? – What sort of soup /
drinks do you have?
Je n’ai pas de couteau / forchette / cuillère / verre – I don’t have a knife / fork /
spoon / glass
Ma / mon couteau / forchette / cuillère / verre est sale – my knife / fork / spoon
/ glass is dirty
Shopping for clothes
J’ai acheté le manteau / la jupe / le pantalon / les chaussures / le short hier /
lundi – I bought the coat / skirt / trousers / shoes / shorts yesterday / on
Monday
Il est / elle est / elles sont trop petit(es) / trop grand(es) - it is / they are too big
/ too small
Je fais du 42 – I take size 42
C’est possible de les / l’échanger? - Is it possible to exchange them / it?
Je voudrais acheter une chemise / des chaussettes – I would like to buy a
shirt / some socks
Je suis grand(e) / petit(e) / de taille moyenne – I am big / small / medium
sized
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Je le / la / les voudrais en coton / cuir / jean / soie / rouge / bleu / vert – I
would like them in cotton / leather / denim /silk / red / blue / green
Je voudrais les / l’essayer – I would like to try them on
Je voudrais payer par carte de crédit / par cheque – I would like to pay by
credit card / by cheque
Je le / la voudrais en taille 12 / 14 / 16 – I would like it in size 12 / 14 / 16
A job interview
Je m’appelle Fred Bloggs – my name is Fred Bloggs
Je suis anglais(e) - I am English
J’ai seize / quinze ans – I am 16 / 15 years old
J’ai travaillé dans un restaurant / un café / un bar / un bureau / un hôtel / un
magasin en Angleterre – I have worked in a restaurant / a café / a bar / an
office / a hotel / a shop in England
Je peux commencer le 12 avril / la semaine prochaine – I can start on the 12th
April / next week
Je gagnerai combien par semaine / par jour / par mois? – How much will I
earn per week / day / month?
Je travaille dans un restaurant / un café / un bar / un bureau / un hôtel / un
magasin en Angleterre en ce moment – I work in a restaurant / a café / a bar /
an office / a hotel / a shop in England at the moment
Je gagne 25 livres par semaine – I earn 25 pounds a week
Je commence à huit heures et je finis à seize heures – I start at eight o’clock
and I finish at four o’clock
J’adore / je n’aime pas mon petit boulot – I love / don’t like my part time job
Je sais parler anglais / français / espagnol – I know how to speak English /
French / Spanish
Je suis honnête / travailleur/euse / enthusiaste – I am honnest / hardworking /
enthusiastic
Je suis toujours à l’heure – I am always punctual
A quelle heure commencera / finira le travail? – At what time will work start /
finish?
Quelles seront mes heures de travail? – What will my working hours be?
Je resterai deux semaines / trois mois / un an en France / Belgique / Suisse I will be staying in France / Belgium / Switzerland for two weeks / three
months / one year
Breaking Down
J’ai un problème avec ma voiture – I have a problem with my car
J’ai laissé les clés dans la voiture – I have left the keys in the car
Elle est une Renault / Citroën / Porsche rouge / bleue / verte – It is a red /
blue / green Renault / Citroën / Porsche
On est sur l’autoroute A13, près de la sortie numéro 20 – we are on the A13
motorway near to exit number 20
Vous arriverez à quelle heure? – At what time will you arrive?
Je suis tombé(e) en panne – I have broken down
C’est les freins / le moteur qui ne marche(nt) pas – it’s the breaks / engine
which are / is not working
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Le pare - brise est cassé – the windscreen is broken
Les phares ne marchent pas – the headlights are not working
On est au centre–ville / prés des magasins / du jardin publique / de la poste /
du supermarché – we are in the town centre / near to the shops / the park /
the post office / the supermarket
At the bank / Bureau de change
Je voudrais changer des cheques de voyage / retirer de l’argent – I would like
to change some traveller’s cheques / withdraw some money
A quelle heure ouvre le bureau de change / la banque – at what time does the
bureau de change / bank open?
J’ai cinquante livres en cheques de voyage – I have 50 pounds in traveller’s
cheques
Voici mon passeport / permis de conduire – here is my passport / driver’s
licence
Je voudrais changer de l’argent – I would like to change some money
Quel est le taux de change? – what is the exchange rate?
La livre est à combien? – how many Euros are there to a pound?
Je voudrais changer cent livres / dollars / Euros – I would like to change 100
pounds / dollars / euros
J’ai laissé mon passeport à l’hôtel – I have left my passport at the hotel
Booking a trip / holiday
Je voudrais un / des ticket(s) / billet(s) tarif étudiant / adulte / enfant – I would
like a / some tickets for students / adults / children
C’est pour …….personnes – it’s for………people
Je voudrais la visite guidée – I would like the guided tour
Je voudrais visiter le château / les monuments historiques – I would like to
visit the castle / the monuments
La visite durera combien de temps – How long will à
On arrivera le 15 juillet - we will arrive on the 15th July
Nous sommes …..personnes…..adultes et……..enfants – we are………adults
and ……….children
On voudrait voyager en avion / en Eurostar / en Ferry – we would like to travel
by plane / Eurostar / ferry
Où est l’aeroport? – where is the airport?
Le vol / train / ferry part à quelle heure? – at what time does the flight / train /
ferry leave?
Sending an email
Je voudrais envoyer un e-mail / un courrier éléctronique – I would like to send
an email
Je n’ai pas de résérvation – I don’t have a reservation
Je pourrais revenir à…….. – I could come back at…….
Ca coûte combien? – how much does it cost?
J’ai travaillé sur les ordinateurs à l’école – I have worked with computers at
school
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3. Section 2 Role play practice
Work your way through the following role plays. They are taken from the
examination papers from 1999 – 2005. Make sure that you can do them all
from memory – you will get something very similar in the exam.
When you are practising there is no need to write anything down, just speak
your answers out loud and then check back to the previous section to see if
you were correct.
1999
1. You arrive at a hotel
You will have to:
• Say you have made a reservation and spell your family name
• Give two details of the reservation (number of rooms? Shower?)
• Answer the receptionist’s question
• Ask for a further detail about the hotel
• Say at what time you would like to eat
2. You do not feel well and go to the chemist’s
You will have to:
• Give your age and nationality
• Explain where you have the pain
• Describe one other symptom
• Answer the chemist’s question
• Ask for one detail about the medication (when to take it? How
much?)
3. You talk to a restaurant owner about a job
You will have to:
• Say your name and age
• Say when you are free to start
• Say which languages you speak
• Say what you did last summer!
• Answer the question
4. You are telephoning for information about a holiday home in
France
You will have to:
• Say why you are phoning
• Say how many people thee are and when you will be arriving in
France
• Answer the question
• Ask for 2 details about the house (number of rooms? Garden? TV?)
• Ask for one more detail about the town (monuments? Sports
facilities?)
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5. You are in a restaurant in France where you would like to work
as a waiter / waitress
You will have to:
• Say why you are there
• Give your name and age
• Answer the question
• Say why you are a good candidate for the job (interests?
Experience? Personal qualities?)
• Say where you will stay in France
2000
1. You arrive at a hotel and you want to book a room
You will have to:
• Say what you want to do
• Explain what sort of room you would like (how many people? Beds?
Shower?)
• Ask what time the hotel closes
• Ask another question about the hotel (lift? Garden?)
• Reply to the question
2. You are in a travel agency to reserve a flight to England
You will have to:
• Say what you want to do
• Reply to the question
• Ask if there is a seat available
• Ask how to get to the airport
• Say how you are going to pay
3. You are at a tourist office in France, where you want to change
some traveller’s cheques
You will have to:
• Say what you want to do
• Ask at what time it opens
• Say how many pounds worth of traveller’s cheques you have
• Say what form of identity you have
• Reply to a question
4. You are talking about your part-time job
You will have to:
• Say where you work (supermarket? Shop?)
• Reply to your pen friend's question
• Say how much you earn
• Say what time you start and finish work
• Say what you think of your job
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5. You are discussing what you do in the evening
You will have to:
• Say that you watch television
• Give your opinion of the programmes
• Say how long you watch TV for each evening
• Say what else you do (music? Computer?)
• Reply to your penfriends question
2001
1. You are at a job interview in France
You will have to:
• Give your name and nationality
• Say where you have worked
• Reply to a question
• Say when you can start
• Ask a question about your pay
2. You are at the dentist’s as you have a toothache
You will have to:
• Say why you are there
• Give your age and nationality
• Reply to a question
• Say where you are staying
• Sat at what time you will return
3. You take part in a survey
You will have to:
• Say when you arrived in France
• Say how you are travelling
• Reply to a question
• Say that there are 2 adults and 2 children
• Say what you think about France
4. You are at a hotel in France
You will have to:
• Say you have made a reservation
• Give your name and spell it
• Reply to a question
• Ask if there is a swimming pool
• Ask another question about the hotel
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5. You are at a restaurant in Belgium
You will have to:
• Say that you have made a reservation
• Give your name and spell it
• Say where you would like to sit
• Say which menu you would like
• Reply to a question
6. You have gone into a shop to buy a shirt
You will have to:
• Say what you want
• Choose a colour and a fabric
• Reply to a question
• Ask for trousers
• Say how you will pay
7. You are planning a trip to France
You will have to:
• Give the date of your arrival in France
• Reply to a question
• Name 2 things that you would like to do
• Say how you will be travelling
• Say at what time you will be arriving
8. You are speaking to a garage mechanic in France
You will have to:
• Say that you have a problem with the car
• Say that you have left the keys in the car
• Give two details about the car
• Reply to a question
• Ask when he / she will arrive
2003
1. You go to the chemist’s
You will have to:
• Say that you are ill
• Say what exactly is wrong with you (headache, stomach ache)
• Reply to a question
• Say you would like to pay by credit card
2. You are at a restaurant in Belgium
You will have to:
• Say that you have reserved a table
• Say where you want to sit
• Reply to a question
• Say that you have no knife
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3. You are at a hotel in France
You will have to:
• Say that you have made a reservation
• Give your name and spell it
• Reply to a question
• Ask about facilities at the hotel
4. You are at a campsite in Switzerland for a job interview
You will have to:
• Give your name and nationality
• Give two of your qualities (friendly, honest, intelligent)
• Reply to a question
• Ask at what time you will start work
5. You are on holiday in Belgium and your car develops a
problem.You phone a garage.
You will have to:
• Say that your car has broken down
• Explain what is wrong (e.g. brakes, engine)
• Reply to a question
• Say that you are in the town centre
6. You are talking to a Belgian friend about holidays
You will have to:
• Say that you always go to France
• Say how you travel (e.g. car, train)
• Reply to a question
• Explain that the weather was good
7. You have arrived at a bank in France to change some money
You wll have to:
• Say you would like to change money
• Reply to a question
• Ask how many Euros that makes
• Say what form of identity you have (e.g. passport, driving licence)
8. You are buying clothes in a shop in Belgium
You will have to:
• Say what you would like to buy (e.g. shirt, trousers)
• Reply to a question
• Say what material and colour you want
• Ask if you can try it on
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2004
1. You are in a shop in France to exchange a pair of shoes
You will have to:
• Say that you bought the shoes yesterday
• Say what is wrong (e.g. they are too big, too small)
• Say you take a size 42
• Reply to a question
2. You are in an airport in France to catch a plane home
You will have to:
• Say that you have a passport
• Explain who you stayed with (e.g. with friends, with relatives)
• Reply to a question
• Ask if the plane is leaving on time
3. You are in a Post Office in France as you want to send an email
You will have to:
• Say you want to send an email
• Ask if you have to pay
• Reply to a question
• Say where you have worked with computers (e.g. at school, at
work)
4. You have arrived at a supermarket in France for a job interview
You will have to:
• Give your name and age
• Say where you have worked (e.g. shop, restaurant, office)
• Reply to a question
• Ask how much you are going to earn
5. You are in a restaurant in Belgium
You will have to:
• Say there is a problem
• Say what you have ordered (e.g. fish, meat)
• Reply to a question
• Ask for some water
6. You are at the doctor’s in France
You will have to:
• Say you have a stomach ache
• Reply to a question
• Say what you have eaten (e.g. fish, eggs)
• Ask when you have to take the tablets
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7. You are at the lost property office in France
You will have to:
Say you have lost a coat
Give to details about the coat
Reply to a question
Say when you can return (e.g. tomorrow, next week )
8. You are leaving a hotel in France
You will have to:
• Give your name and room number
• Say you would like to pay
• Reply to a question
• Say what you didn’t like about the room (e.g. too small, noisy)
2005
1. You are changing traveller’s cheques in a bank in France
You will have to:
• Say you want to change some traveller’s cheques
• Say how much you want to change (e.g. ten pounds / fifty dollars / a
hundred euros)
• Say you have left your passport at the hotel
• Answer the question
2. You go into a cyber café in France to use the computers
You will have to:
• Say you have not made a reservation
• Say what you want to do (e.g. work / do homework / send an email)
• Say you would like to wait
• Answer the question
3. You are in a chemist’s in France feeling unwell
You will have to:
• Say you do not feel well
• Say that you have not eaten today
• Give your age and nationality
• Answer the question
4. You are buying clothes in a shop in France
You will have to:
• Say what you would like to buy (e.g. shirt / dress / trousers)
• Give the size and the material
• Answer the question
• Say that you will pay by credit card
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5. You are staying in a hotel in France and have a problem
You will have to:
• Say you arrived yesterday
• Say what is wrong with the room (e.g. hot / small / the shower
doesn’t work)
• Answer the question
• Ask if you can change rooms
6. You have arrived at a restaurant in France
You will have to:
• Say you have not reserved
• Say where you would like to sit (e.g. non-smoking / near the
window)
• Answer the question
• Say you want the 30 euro menu
7. You have arrived at a castle in France with a group of friends
You will have to:
• Say you would like a visit with a guide
• Ask how long it will last
• Say what sort of tickets you want (e.g. for students / for a group)
• Answer the question
8. You have gone to the police station in France as you have lost
your passport
You will have to:
• Say you have lost your passport
• Give your name and nationality
• Answer the question
• Say when you will return (e.g. tomorrow / next week / at 3 o’clock)
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4. Section 3 role play vocabulary and phrases
The section 3 narrative role play is all about telling a convincing story about
an experience abroad in a French speaking country.
You are given this role play to prepare outside the exam room along with role
play 2 – you have 12 minutes to prepare both role plays.
Key points to remember:
1. You will be talking in the past tense – a mixture of perfect and
imperfect tenses
2. You will be given a series of pictures to help you to tell the story –
make the most of them and add as much detail as possible
3. You will be given some French phrases to help you to tell your story.
The verbs in these phrases are always in the infinitive form – you
must be able to put them into the past tense - practise this a lot!!
4. The examiner will interrupt you and ask you questions to help you
along – listen carefully for the tense of the verb in the question and
use this to help you to answer
5. You must be able to give opinions and to justify your opinions
about what you say, in order to attain the highest grades
This role play is marked out of 8 points acording to how well you
perform in the above.
The time frame for the role play is 3 minutes – you don’t need to worry
about this too much when you are preparing outside the exam room – your
teacher will either keep you talking or stop you as appropriate during the
exam.
Starting your story with style
L’année dernière, je suis allé(e) – en France / en Suisse / en Belgique / au
Québec / à Paris / à Cherbourg – last year I went to France / Switzerland /
Belgium / Quebec / Paris / Cherbourg
Pendant les vacances d’été / de Pâques / de Noël – during the summer /
Easter / Christmas holidays
J’ai travaillé comme serveur / serveuse / guide / vendeur / vendueuse /
moniteur / monitrice de ski – I worked as a waiter / waitress / shop
assistant / ski instructor
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J’ai fait un stage dans un magasin / un bureau / un hôpital / une colonie de
vacances – I did a work experience placement in a shop / office / hospital /
holiday camp
J’y suis allé(e) en vacances avec ma famille / ma soeur / mon frère / mes
copains / mes copines / mon école – I went there on holiday with my family
/ my sister / my brother / my friends / my school
J’ai vu / été témoin d’ / un accident – I saw / witnessed an accident
J’ai eu un accident – I had an accident
J’ai fait un échange en France – I did an exchange to France
J’ai passé une semaine / une quinzaine / un mois en France chez mon /
ma corréspondant – I spent a week / a fortnight / a month in France at my
penfriend’s house.
J’adore la France / la Suisse / la Belgique, J’y vais souvent avec ma
famille – I love France / Switzerland / Belgium – I often go there with my
family
Ce jour là, il faisait beau / il faisait mauvais / il pleuvait / il neigeait / il y
avait du vent – that day the weather was nice / not nice / it was raining / it
was snowing / it was windy
Les oiseaux chantaient dans les arbres – the birds were singing in the
trees
Useful Verbs
Je me suis réveillé(e) à………….heures – I woke up at…………..
Je me suis levé(e) à……………….heures – I got up at ………
(NOTE: YOU MUST BE ABLE TO TELL THE TIME IN FRENCH!!!)
Je me suis lavé(e) le visage – I washed my face
Je me suis maquillé(e) – I put on my make up
Je me suis brossé(e) les dents – I brushed my teeth
Je me suis brossé(e) les cheveux – I brushed my hair
Je me suis habillé(e) en jean, mon T shirt orange préféré et mes baskets
jaunes – I got dressed in my jeans, my favourite orange T – shirt and my
yellow trainers
Je suis arrivé(e) au (m) / à la (f) / aux (pl) / à l’ (v)…………… I arrived
at….
Nous sommes arrivé(e)s à……………..heures – we arrived at
……o’clock
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J’ai / Nous avons pris le petit déjeuner à……heures – I / we had
breakfast at………o’clock
J’ai / On a mangé des toasts tartinés du beurre et de la confiture à la
fraise / des céréales / des pains au chocolat / des pains aux raisins / des
croissants / du bouillabaise / du steak haché frites / des langoustines / une
mousse au chocolat – I / we ate toast spread with butter and strawberry
jam / cereals / pains au chocolat / raisin croissants / croissants / fish stew /
steak and chips / shrimp / a chocolat mousse
J’ai / Nous avons bu du café / du chocolat chaud / du thé / du lait / du jus
de pommes / du jus d’orange / du jus de pamplemousse / du champagne
– I / We drank coffee / hot chocolate / tea / milk / apple juice / orange juice
/ grapefruit juice / champagne
J’ai / nous avons voyagé en voiture / en train / en avion / en car - I / we
travelled by car / train / plane / coach
Je suis / nous sommes monté(es) dans le train – I / we got on the train
Je suis / nous sommes descendu(es) du bus - I / we got off the bus
Je suis / nous sommes parti(es) en voiture – I / we left by car
Le voyage a duré……………….minutes – the journey lasted….minutes
Nous avons / on a / j’ai décidé de sortir / partir / rester à la maison - we /
I decided to go out / leave / stay at home
J’ai dû – (+ infinitive) – I had to………
J’ai / nous avons / on a vu – I / we saw
J’ai / nous avons / on a regardé – I / we watched
Je me suis promené(e) le long de…..I walked along the…………..
J’ai / nous avons / on a admiré….I / we admired………………..
J’ai / nous avons / on a achété…….. – I / we bought……………
J’ai / nous avons / on a visité……. – I / we visited…………….
Nous sommes retourné(es) en voiture – we came back by car
Je suis / nous sommes / on est rentré(es) à la maison / à l’hôtel – we
returned to the house / hotel
J’ai / nous avons pris des photos – we took photos
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J’ai / nous avons / on a joué – I / we played
Je me suis couché(e) à – I went to bed at……………
C’était – it was
J’étais – I was
Useful links for maximum points
D’abord – first of all
Ensuite - then
Tout de suite – immediately
Soudain – suddenly
Heureusement – fortunately
Malheureusement – unfortunately
Puis – then
Quand / lorsque - when
Après avoir mangé / joué / regardé / visité – having eaten / played /
watched…….
Après être arrivé(e) / parti(e) / rentré(e) – having arrived / left / returned
J’étais en train de regarder le match de foot / d’écouter la radio, lorsque
mon frère est arrivé – I was watching the match / listening to the radio
when my brother arrived
Avant de jouer au foot, nous avons visité le marché – before playing
football, we visited the market.
Opinions and how to justify them
Je me suis bien amusé(e) - I had a great time
J’ai beaucoup aimé…... – I really liked………..
C’était vachement cool de voir…… - it was really excellent to see…….
Je l’ai trouvé formidable / vraiment nul - I found it great / really rubbish
J’ai passé des vacances fantastiques / terribles – I had a great / terrible
holiday
Quelle journée géniale! – what a great day!
Quelle journée horrible! – what a horrible day!
A mon avis – in my opinion
J’ai horreur de….. – I can’t stand…..
…………m’a beaucoup plu – I liked…………………a lot
…………m’a beaucoup intéressé……. – I liked………………a lot
J’ai trouvé…………… super / terrible - I found the ……….super / terrible
Parce que…………………. – because
A cause de………………… - because of
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Snazzy ways to finish your story
Nous sommes rentrés à la maison, fatigués mais heureux! – we returned
home, tired but happy!
Tout va bien qui finit bien – all’s well that ends well
J’aimerais revenir en France l’année prochaine, tellement je me suis bien
amusé(e) – I would like to return to France next year, I had such a good
time
Je ne reviendrais jamais en France, tellement ma visite était affreuse – I
would never return to France my visit was so awful!
6. Reading Examination tips
The reading examination constitutes 25% of the final GCSE grade. The
exam paper is made up of different sort of texts in French, which you must
read and respond to.
Your answers can take several different formats:
•
•
•
•
•
•
choose the correct letter of the alphabet
tick the correct box
complete a sentence with the correct French word from the box
write a short answer in English (full sentence not necessary)
identify the correct person's name
write a short answer in French (full sentence not necessary)
The examiners’ reports for the last 5 years state that the most common
mistakes made by students are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
failure to tick the correct number of boxes as a result of not reading the
question properly
not realising that they can use the same letter twice, where stated in
the question
writing more than one answer / letter in the hopes that they will both be
taken into consideration - this receives no marks automatically
answering in French instead of English and vice versa
in open - ended answers to write brief and relevant answers
Failure to attempt all the questions
Take note of the above and don't fall into the same traps!
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The reading examination is marked out of 50. The amount of points available
for each question is written at the side - use this to guide the length of your
answers.
More tips to perfect your reading in French:
1. Read the question once, then the possible answers, then the question
again before making your choice.
2. When choosing a French word to complete a sentence, look at the type of
word required to make sense. Does the sentence need a verb? an adjective?
a noun? does the word need to agree with the subject of the sentence?
masculine? feminine? plural?
3. When matching the beginning and end of a sentence - as above look at the
type of word required to make sense. Does the sentence need a verb? an
adjective? a noun? does the word need to agree with the subject of the
sentence? masculine? feminine? plural?
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