French Writing And Speaking Guidelines

Range of Grammatical Structures

1. Frequent use of extended, well linked sentences (with a range of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions)

Exemplar of conjunctions

Coordinating: and, but, or, so / therefore for, neither/nor, either/or Et, Mais, ou, donc, alors, ni..ni, soit.. soit, ensuite, puis
Subordinating: although, because, even if, in order to, as, before, after Même si, parce que, car, tandis que, puisque, avant, après que, après avoir, que, lorsque, quand, comme, si

2. Pronouns

A variety of pronouns

Subject: The student should vary the use of pronouns and not stick to the use of “I” only (Je, tu, nous vous, il, elle On)
Disjunctive pronoun: Moi, toi, lui, elle, nous vous
Exemple, Je ne sais pas moi
Emphatic pronouns: Elle est plus drôle que lui
Reflexive pronouns: Je me douche

3. Comparisons

More than, less than, as much as
Le train est plus rapide que la voiture
Il est moins rapide que toi
J’ai autant de bonnes notes que mon petit frère

VERBS

Modal verbs

Affirmative: Have to, should, could, would, must
Negative:Don’t have to, should not, could not, would not, must not
Je dois, Nous devons, vous pouvez, elle voudrait, tu pourrais, il faut, il faudrait, nous devrions

Infinitives, past and present structures are used correctly

Après avoir mangé mon déjeuner, j’ai fait mes devoirs.
Il a appelé, après être rentré chez lui

Full range of tenses – choice of tenses is justified

Present, perfect, imperfect, conditional

NEGATIVES (range)

Simple negatives

Je ne fais pas mes devoirs
Je n’ai pas fait mes devoirs

Strong, Comparative and Exclusive negatives

Chloé n’a jamais fait du surf
On ne se voit plus depuis qu’elle a commence ses cours

TYPES OF SENTENCES –TYPES DE PHRASES

Imperative

Écris-moi vite!
N’oublie pas de m’écrire!

Interrogative

Et toi, tu fais quoi pendant tes prochaines vacances?

Exclamative(to give opinions)

Ah je déteste ce sport! C’est tellement ennuyeux!

Possessive adjectives and pronouns – adjective et pronom possessif

Adjectif possessif

Mon, ton, son, ma, ta, sa, mes, tes, ses , notre, nos, votre, vos, leur, leur Son sac(his/her bag) – agreement with the noun not the subject

Pronom possessif (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs)

Le mien, le tien, le sien, la mienne, la tienne, la sienne, les miens, les tiens, les siennes, le(s) nôtre(s), le(s) vôtre(s), le(s) leurs.

Vocabulary(range)

Needs to fit well in the style(appropriate)-

Fits the context
Sophisticated appropriate vocabulary Idiomatic expressions
Avoid repetitive vocabulary – vary as much as you can(low word count)
Learn topical vocabulary

Writing Guidelines

Conventions

Convention is clearly recognisable (letter, mail, article etiquette)

Salutations, dates, opening and closing formulas
Name of author, name of newspaper, date

Accuracy

Candidates do not need to be faultless to get a mark in the top bands, but certain criteria are crucial. We expect the spelling of common words, genders, adjectival agreements and basic prepositions to be almost always correct.

Consistency in the accurate use of tenses, subordinate clauses and pronouns is a good indicator of a strong candidate.

Be careful with the following:

Spelling
Manipulation of tenses
Verb endings
Accurate use of complex structures
Faulty partitive articles(article contraction)
Missing accents(French and Spanish)

Overall, candidates need to show a good control; there is consistency in the use of articles, prepositions, spellings and verbs. Candidates should show good knowledge and application of grammatical rules.

Speaking Guidelines

Respond confidently to questions:
Answer in full sentences and re-use the same verbs to the same tense
Communicate information which is consistenly relevant to the questions
Role play
Answer directly to the question without giving extra details that are not relevant
Topic conversation
Develop ideas and opinions frequently
Justify and explain your answers
Good pronunciation, fluency, intonation and expression

Samples with Examiners comments

Question 1

Answer

Vous vous appelez Sam. Vous cherchez un(e) correspondant(e) français(e). Complétez la fiche en français.

French Writing and Speaking Guidelines

[5]

Examiner comment

The candidate fulfils the task; each gap is filled in and clearly communicates the required piece of information. To fulfil the communicative purpose of this task (looking for a pen friend), where the form asks for character traits, only suitable characteristics will be credited.

The use of the capital letter for the nationality, the missing accent on étudiant and the different gender implied for nationality and character do not have an impact on the communication (articles are not needed in front of the nouns), so the candidate scores one mark for each item.

Total mark awarded = 5 out of 5

Question 2

Ma maison

Décrivez votre maison (où ? pièces ?).
Qu’est-ce que vous faites pour aider à la maison ?
Qu’est-ce que vous n’aimez pas faire à la maison ?
Où voudriez-vous habiter à l’avenir ? Expliquez pourquoi.

Écrivez 80–90 mots en français.

[12]

Answer

Ma maison est dans un village en Angletere. C’est une maison grande ; Il y a 4 chambres, une cuisine, une salle a manger et un salon.

Je fais mon lit tout les jours et quelquefois je passe l’aspirateur.

Par contre je deteste faire la vaiselle, c’est difficile.

Dans le futur, je voudrais habiter dans une grande ville, par example a Londres. Je prefere les villes parce que a mon avis il y a beaucoup des choses a faire, aussi je pense que la campagne c’est ennuyeux.

Examiner comment

The candidate has addressed all the tasks in the order they appear on the question paper; this is a logical and safe option. Candidates should be encouraged to tick each question once completed to ensure every task is fulfilled. This candidate starts each question with a new paragraph so the self-checking on completion of the task is easier.

The amount of details given for the description of the house is sufficient at this level, the range of structures is limited, but the task is completed. Similarly, for the second question, the candidate answers the question directly, and does not limit the response to just one chore.

Although no justification is needed for the third question, the candidate provides one. This is typical of a candidate who has been trained to justify systematically.

The last task requires the use of a future time frame, the candidate responds well by simply manipulating the verb used in the question with a first-person subject pronoun.

In the last task, the candidate must justify the response; “Expliquez pourquoi”. The candidate makes it obvious with a mon avis et je pense que as an introduction to his justification.

The first two criteria of the top band are therefore clearly fulfilled (completes all tasks with the required level of detail, information and opinions are consistently relevant).

There is a good number of correct examples of linking words and phrases, there are only a few grammatical inaccuracies and spelling errors: Angletere, tout les jours, vaiselle, example. Missing accents do not impact on the mark, unless they are part of the past participle.

All the criteria from the top band are exemplified.

Total mark awarded = 12 out of 12

Question 3

French Writing and Speaking Guidelines

Specimen answer 3(a)

Coucou Isabelle,
Samedi dernier je suis allé au restaurant avec toute ma famille parce que on a fêté l’anniversaire de ma grand-mère qui vient de etre 70 ans. Nous avons choisi le meilleur restaurant italien pres de chez elle parce que c’est celui que ma grand-mère prefere. Elle était très contente !
Ce que j’adore c’est la cuisine étrangere parce que je trouve la plus varié, et comme je suis végétarien depuis une année donc je ne mange plus de la viande, c’est meilleur pour la sante. Je pense que faire la fête avec mes copains c’est plus marrant que avec mes parents parce que je sent plus libre avec eux et on peut rigoler ensemble.
Pour mon prochain anniversaire, j’ai envie de voir un film avec mes copains, après avoir vu le film, on pourrait retrouver chez moi.
Est-ce que tu pourra venir ?
Bisous
Amy

Examiner comment

For Question 3(a), the candidate has written 143 words excluding letter etiquette.

Task Completion

The candidate completes all five tasks; some tasks are more detailed than others but none of the extra information is irrelevant. The “quand” and “avec qui” question is dealt with in a straightforward way and sets the pace for a very focused piece of writing.

The third and fourth tasks require opinions and justifications: the candidate deals with them in a logical way with the use of the appropriate conjunctions (parce que, comme). For the fourth bullet point, we expect more than one reason (donnez vos raisons); it is obvious the candidate is aware of it and provides three valid ones: plus marrant, plus libre, on peut rigoler.

For the fifth task, the candidate has to write about a wish and phrases it with j’ai envie de and the use of pouvoir in the conditional. This shows the candidate has understood the nature of the task and is able to write about it in the right context by using the correct time frame.

Overall, the whole piece fulfils all the criteria within the top band.

Mark awarded = 10 out of 10

Range

The candidate uses a range of structures successfully to enhance the writing, sentences vary in length and complexity. The vocabulary is sufficiently varied and fits the context. However, the lack of a wide variety of conjunctions (parce que is used four times) and the few repetitions of basic words prevented the candidate from achieving top marks for Range.

Regarding the range of tenses, the candidate can switch easily from the past to the present and future time frames. There is effective differentiation between perfect and imperfect tenses. The writing is not limited to the first person singular, instead we do get the full range of subjects, apart from the second person plural.

There are examples of comparative and strong negative; even if the agreement and placement are faulty, we must take them into account.

The use of the correct object (even if placed wrongly after the verb) and disjunctive pronouns is a reliable indicator of more advanced writing: chez moi, chez elle, avec eux.

The etiquette for emails is correctly observed with the use of coucou and bisous. There is also evidence here to confirm the candidate can cope with more complex grammatical structures such as après avoir, depuis + present tense and venir de. The candidate uses a number of subordinate and relative clauses (e.g. qui, celui que, ce que). This requires practice and confidence. The idiomatic phrase j’ai envie de shows the candidate is looking outside the commonly used set of expressions of wish such as je voudrais or j’aimerais in order to enhance the response.

Overall, however, the candidate plays it a little safe at the expense of variety and complexity.

Mark awarded = 8 out of 10

Accuracy

Consistency in the accurate use of tenses, subordinate clauses and pronouns is a good indicator of a strong candidate.

Here the candidate manipulates tenses correctly but there are a few errors in endings (pourra and sent where the reflexive pronoun is also missing). The subordination in all sentences is accurate and more complex structures (such as depuis and present tense and venir de followed by infinitive) are used correctly.

Chez is used correctly with disjunctive pronouns.

There are examples of a faulty partitive article (je ne mange pas de la viande) and adjectival agreements. Elisions are not made when needed and there is an awkward sentence construction comme je suis
donc .

Overall, the candidate shows good knowledge and application of grammatical rules. Most of the errors could have been corrected if the candidate had checked the answer more carefully.

The errors are occasional and do not impede communication.

Mark awarded = 7 out of 8

Total mark awarded for 3(a) = 25 out of 28

Total mark awarded for Paper 4 = 42 out of 45

Specimen answer 3(b)

Les vacances dernières, j’ai pu travailler dans un musée de porcelaine avec mon copain pendant un mois.
Chaque matin j’ai dû me lever plus tot que aller au collège parce que je commençais a 7 heures. D’abord, nous avons du ranger la salle de reception et après avoir fait ça, moi j’ai aidé dans la cafeteria à faire la vaisselle tandis que lui, il a nettoyé les tables.

Le travail était un peu barbant mais je l’ai trouvé très utile comme je fais des économies pour acheter un nouvel portable.
Je crois que c’est très necessaire et enrichissant de travailler pendant les vacances ; d’une part on rencontre des nouvelles personnes et j’aime parler avec eux ; d’autre part on apprend une routine différent.

Pour les prochaines vacances, je vais essayer de trouver un job dans un bureau parce que je n’ai jamais travaillé seul et je crois que ce serait moins fatigant.

Examiner comment

For Question 3(b), the candidate has written 153 words.

Task Completion

The candidate answers all the different points with varying amounts of information.
The first point is dealt with briefly, but all the information needed is there: un musée de porcelaine, pendant un mois.

The second point carries more details and makes for a more personalised development.

The impressions, barbant mais utile, summarise what the candidate thinks about the job; the explanation about the usefulness of the job is another valid point.

The importance of a holiday job is fully justified, the use of the adverbial phrase d’une part, d’autre part enables the candidate to articulate his reasons more clearly.

The last point is not limited to a basic statement of intent; the candidate is aware of the importance of opinions and justification in this question.

Overall, this is a very focused piece of writing, there is nothing that could be considered irrelevant. The information is sufficiently detailed, opinions and reactions are routinely justified.

All the criteria of the top band are met.

Mark awarded = 10 out of 10

Range

This is a reasonably fluid piece of writing. The candidate deals with each task within a paragraph but most of the sentences are extended in order to give opinions and justifications.

Sentences are well linked, the candidate uses a range of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions: d’abord, mais, d’une part, d’autre part, parce que, comme and tandis que. This can be considered as a very good range within a piece of writing of around 140 words. The use of the conjunction tandis que with the disjunctive pronoun lui enables the candidate to write a relatively long and well-structured sentence.

We have a number of comparisons, plus tot que, moins que; they are used to add details, we can see this candidate habitually uses relevant points in writing.

Modal verbs are used effectively and add to the contents: j’ai pu, j’ai dû. It would have been easy to just use a verb in the perfect tense to describe the activities, but the candidate enhances communication with devoir and pouvoir used with different subject pronouns.

Infinitives, past and present, are used correctly; the past one has a double function; it indicates not only a point in time in the sequence but also structures the sentence and gives more fluidity to the writing.

There is a full range of tenses: present, perfect, imperfect, conditional and correct use of the past infinitive after après. The choice of tenses is fully justified in each case. In one sentence we have the imperfect tense, followed by the perfect and present tenses. We have only one example of the conditional ce serait moins fatigant but it fits in well with the desire to justify a wish in the future.

The range of subjects is adequate, the candidate uses verbs correctly with different subjects. This is a feature that more confident candidates need to show in their communication. A piece of writing that limits itself to a first-person singular is not going to score high in this criterion. This candidate uses the first-person subject pronoun consistently which makes the piece sound a little repetitive.

Object pronouns are used, the almost correct use of the disjunctive pronoun eux after avec is a good indicator of a candidate who can use French with confidence. The majority of candidates limit themselves to the use of the more basic and commonly used disjunctive/emphatic pronouns such as moi, toi and sometimes struggle with lui and eux.

The strong negative ne jamais is used correctly; it would have been better if the candidate had included more examples of the negative form.

The vocabulary here is fairly unexciting, and we do get a few repetitions but enrichissant and barbant add variety and fit in well with this style of writing.

The candidate did not reach the top band for this criterion as the range of vocabulary and sentence patterns is not wide enough for the top band. The writing consists of five short paragraphs; it could have been more fluid and idiomatic with further linking phrases such as c’est pourquoi to link the fourth and last paragraphs.

Mark awarded = 8 out of 10

Accuracy

The writing is not faultless but shows the candidate has a sound knowledge of the grammatical rules candidates are expected to master in order to achieve a mark in the top band.

The adjectival agreement with portable and routine is wrong, and the wrong gender is also used for the disjunctive pronoun when referring to personnes. However, these errors are typical of a candidate who attempts to use more complex sentence patterns and is prepared to take a risk.

The missing accents on some of the nouns and adjectives do not impact on the mark (e.g. tot, reception), but the missing circumflex accent on du (nous avons du ranger) slightly impedes communication – however, the candidate correctly uses the past participle of devoir earlier in j’ai dû me lever.

Overall, the candidate shows good control; there is consistency in the use of articles, prepositions, spellings and verbs. The subordinate clauses are properly linked and tenses are used correctly and effectively.

Mark awarded = 7 out of 8

Total mark awarded for 3(b) = 25 out of 28

Total mark awarded for Paper 4 = 42 out of 45

French Writing and Speaking Guidelines