Tips for students :

General :

• Getting the question order right here is an option : Start with the questions with more points Q2, do translation and then questions worth less points Q1. So you don't run out of time.
• Always try to include your 3 time frames within Q1 and Q2

Question 1 :

Write a separate paragraph per bullet point - this will not only help to see what you have answered but also help the examiner!

They MUST tackle all 4 bullet points otherwise the most you can get for Communication will be 6/10.

Be aware of HOW to cope with the wording of the bullet points too - e.g .for ‘les aspects positifs et négatifs de votre collège’ they need to write something like: ‘j’aime la piscine au collège car j’adore la natation’ / ‘je déteste les devoirs, c’est ennuyeux’

NOT to attempt ‘les aspects positifs de mon collège sont……’ too complicated!!

Look for clues for the tenses :

- récemment/une visite récente requires the PAST

- vos projets/à l’avenir requires the FUTURE

Many wrote TOO MUCH - 90 words in 4 paragraphs = 20/25 words per bullet point - so answer the question but don’t waffleyou will need the time on the next question.

Avoid common confusions with words from the same family:

• stressant / stressé / le stress
• étudier / j’étudie / les études
• les examens [not generally known]
• les sucreries / le sucre
• Spelling of ‘par exemple’

INCLUDE ACCENTS!!

mère / père / frère - still not known / c’était / j’étais

Keep it simple…...save the special structures / clever bits / idiomatic phrases for question 2!

Question 2 :

• Interpret the Questions :
  • Translate and make sure you get the key aspects
  • Choose the right question for you : You got things to say and can takle all aspects of it
  • Plan your answer : Make a plan - Key Ideas + Connectives + Specific words you can think about
  • Write : cover all bullet points in depths
  • Review question and check : word counts + Spellings + Verbs and Tenses