French

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PL 13+
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Revision
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Guide

James Savile

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 Resources to prepare for 13+
Common Entrance success...

Textbooks and Answer Books

Lively content and detailed explanations ensure a thorough
understanding of the Common Entrance syllabus.

Revision Guides
Consolidate knowledge and revisit content covered as part
of the syllabus across all topics which could be tested at

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13+ Common Entrance.

Exam Practice Questions and Answers

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Apply knowledge learned in the Revision Guide with a
wealth of exam-style questions, check your answers and
gain detailed advice on how to achieve top marks.

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13+ and CASE ISEB examination papers also available
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 French
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FOR COMMON ENTRANCE
PL 13+
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Revision
Guide
SA

James Savile

AN HACHETTE UK COMPANY

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 Contents
Introduction iv
About this book iv
Revision iv
Syllabus information vi
What is in the Common Entrance examination? ix
The Speaking paper ix
The Listening paper xii
The Reading paper xiv
The Writing paper xv
Chapter 1 Grammar section 1
1.1 Verbs 1
1.2 Pronouns 21

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1.3 Nouns 22
1.4 Adjectives 24
1.5 Adverbs 28
1.6 Prepositions 30

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1.7 Conjunctions
Chapter 2 Tackling the Writing paper
How to succeed in Level 1
How to succeed in Level 2
31
32
32
35
How to write an email 36
Topics and useful vocabulary 39
Chapter 3 Family, friends and pets 41
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3.1 Meeting people 41
3.2 Describing people and pets 45
Chapter 4 House, home, daily routine and chores 56
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Chapter 5 In town, travel and transport, food and drink 66

5.1 Description of a town, directions and shopping 66
5.2 Using transport 73
5.3 Meals and eating out 77
Chapter 6 Free time 88
Chapter 7 Life and work at school 99

Chapter 8 Holidays, weather, time and dates 110

8.1 Weather, time and dates 110
8.2 Describing holidays and holiday activities 116
Chapter 9 Health and fitness 124

Exam-style questions answers

130

Test yourself answers

149

Appendix 1: Transcripts for the listening passages 156

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 Introduction
About this book
This revision guide has been written for pupils studying French for the
Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) Common Entrance examination.
Later in this Introduction is a description of the four papers that make up the
examination: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing, with each skill comprising
25% of the exam. Candidates will find it helpful to know the format of each paper
and to familiarise themselves with the style of questions they will meet.
Chapter 1 covers all the grammar candidates need to know, and some
practice exercises are provided to test their knowledge and understanding.
This is followed by a useful chapter on how to approach the Writing paper,
which is for many candidates the most challenging part of the examination.
Subsequent chapters cover all the Common Entrance topics (see under
‘Topics’ later in this Introduction for the list of CE topics), with sample CE-

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style questions giving candidates practice in the four skills. You will find
lots of important vocabulary and useful phrases in each chapter to help you
revise. However, these word lists are not exhaustive and we suggest you use
the ISEB French Vocabulary for Key Stage 3 and Common Entrance, available
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from Galore Park, in conjunction with this book.

Free audio download

Parts of this book refer to related audio material. Wherever there is related
audio material you will see this symbol:
Track

The audio material is available as a free download on the Galore Park website.
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Go to www.galorepark.co.uk/frenchaudio to download the audio. You can match
the track number in the symbol to the track number in the audio download.
Level 2 ● Level 2 in the syllabus
The latest ISEB syllabus for French describes two tiered papers: Level 1 and
Level 2. This book includes information on the syllabus (see under ‘Syllabus
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information’ later in this Introduction) and highlights some content that is only
applicable to Level 2 candidates with the symbol shown above, on the left.
Please note there are two topics that are only required for Level 2 candidates:
‘Understanding tourist information’ and ‘Pocket money’. Syllabus information and
Level 1 specimen papers are available from the ISEB (www.iseb.co.uk).

Revision
As well as looking in detail at the four skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading
and Writing, it is important to think about your revision in general.

Get the best out of your brain

● Giveyour brain plenty of oxygen by exercising. You can revise effectively if
you feel fit and well.
● Eathealthy food while you are revising. Your brain works better when you
give it good fuel.
● Thinkpositively. Give your brain positive messages so that it will
want to study.


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 ● Keep calm. If your brain is stressed, it will not operate effectively.

Introduction
● Take regular breaks during your study time.
● Getenough sleep. Your brain will carry on sorting out what you have
revised while you sleep.

Get the most from your revision

● Donot work for hours without a break. Revise for 20–30 minutes then take
a 5-minute break.
● Do good things in your breaks: listen to your favourite music, eat healthy
food, drink some water, do some exercise and juggle. Do not read a book,
watch TV or play on the computer; it will conflict with what your brain is
trying to learn.
● When you go back to your revision, review what you have just learnt.
● Regularly review the facts you have learnt.

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Get motivated
● Set yourself some goals and promise yourself a treat when the exams are over.
● Make PL
the most of all the expertise and talent available to you at school and
at home. If you do not understand something, ask your teacher to explain.
● Getorganised. Find a quiet place to revise and make sure you have all the
equipment you need.
● Use year and weekly planners to help you organise your time so that you
revise all subjects equally. (Planners are available for download from
www.galorepark.co.uk).
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● Use topic and subject checklists to help you keep on top of what you are
revising (available for download from www.galorepark.co.uk).

Know what to expect in the exam

● Use past papers to familiarise yourself with the format of the exam.
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● Make sure you understand the language examiners use.

Before the exam

● Have all your equipment and pens ready the night before.
● Make sure you are at your best by getting a good night’s sleep before
the exam.
● Have a good breakfast in the morning.
● Take some water into the exam if you are allowed.
● Think positively and keep calm.

During the exam

● Havea watch on your desk. Work out how much time you need to allocate
to each question and try to stick to it.
● Make sure you read and understand the instructions and rules on the front
of the exam paper.

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 ● Allow some time at the start to read and consider the questions carefully
before writing anything.
● Read all the questions at least twice. Do not rush into answering before
you have a chance to think about it.
● Ifa question is particularly hard, move on to the next one. Go back to it if
you have time at the end.
● Leave yourself a little time at the end to check over your work.

Revision techniques
As you are having to cover a lot of vocabulary, here is a list of points to
remember when revising:
● Use the LOOK–COVER–WRITE–CHECK technique.
● Always revise words from French into English then from English into French.
● Revise a few words at a time and in short regular intervals over a period

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of time.
● Startrevising well in advance, not at the last minute before a test or
examination.
● Connect
PL a picture to a word in your mind to help you remember it.
● Ask someone to test you.
● Remember that, as well as spelling French words correctly, you need to use
the proper accents where appropriate.

Syllabus information
The following information is a transcript of the latest ISEB French syllabus.
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Introduction
The revised Common Entrance French syllabus for examination at 13+ and/
or Scholarship Level has been devised with reference to the statutory
programmes of study for languages for Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3
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respectively of the National Curriculum (2013). In preparing pupils for

Common Entrance and beyond, teachers should focus on broadening and
strengthening their pupils’ competence in listening, speaking, reading and
writing, through knowledge and understanding of key grammar constructions
and vocabulary.
There are tiered papers: Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 is aimed at candidates
who have studied French for between 30 and 40 hours, or who find the
language very difficult. At Level 1, the past tenses are not required in any
paper.

Aims
A course leading to this examination should:
   (i) develop the skills which will enable candidates to understand the
written and spoken language and use the language effectively for
purposes of practical communication
   (ii) give candidates opportunities to take part in a broad range of linguistic
activities


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    (iii) provide a basis for continuing study of the language and encourage

Introduction
independent learning, including the use of dictionaries, glossaries and ICT
   (iv) give candidates opportunities to work with authentic language materials
  (v) encourage interest in the target countries
   (vi) provide enjoyment and stimulation
(vii) encourage positive attitudes towards the use of foreign languages and
towards speakers of foreign languages.

Assessment objectives
The examination will test candidates’ ability to:
AO1 show an understanding of the spoken language dealing with a range of
familiar topics, and identify and note main points and specific details,
including opinions
AO2 take part in short conversations, giving and obtaining information

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and opinions
AO3 show an understanding of a number of printed items, ranging from
short, simple phrases to longer, more complex texts and identify and
note main points and specific details, including opinions
AO4 
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produce pieces of writing, ranging from short phrases to longer passages
in which they seek and convey information and opinions.

Syllabus content
Introduction
   (i) T he examination is based on the topics set out below. An asterisk *
denotes a topic which is not required for Level 1.
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(ii) The grammar section lists all the material which candidates for the
examination should cover.

Topics
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● language of the classroom

● house, home, daily routine and chores
● life and work at school
● time, dates, numbers and prices
● personal description
● family, friends and pets
● meeting people
● free-time activities
● holiday activities
● visiting a café or restaurant
● simple health problems
● description of a town or region
● finding the way and using transport

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 ● shopping (e.g. for food, clothes, presents)
● weather

● pocket money*
● understanding tourist information*
Grammar
 (i) An asterisk * shows grammar that is for recognition only/where
appropriate to the candidate’s ability/senior school requirements.
(ii) Note that Level 2 requires you to know all of Level 1 as well. If a
grammar point is marked with an asterisk * in Level 1, you will need to
be able to use this grammar (not just recognise it) in Level 2.

Level 1 Level 2
verbs present tense: passé composé with
avoir/être1
(i)  regular and common irregular
*passé composé of reflexives

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(ii) common reflexive imperfect (use of c’était and
il y avait)
(iii)  future tense with aller
*imperfect tense
(iv)  conditional: only je voudrais, j’aimerais
infinitive after il faut
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*imperative forms

infinitive after aller, aimer, détester, préférer,

je voudrais

*infinitive after vouloir, pouvoir, devoir

*interrogative using inversion
1 In
order to access the top
bands in the Speaking and
Writing tests, candidates will
be required to show ability
to use the passé composé
interrogative using est-ce que in open-ended tasks.

negative expressions: ne … pas, *ne … jamais, *ne … rien ne … plus

idiomatic expressions: e.g. avoir chaud/froid/faim/soif/mal, *ne … personne
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faire + weather
nouns genders and plurals of common nouns, including irregulars agreement of irregular
adjectives
definite and indefinite article
superlatives
partitive article (and de/d’ with quantity/negatives)
demonstrative adjectives
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adjectives agreement and position of regular and irregular adjectives

agreement of common irregular adjectives (e.g. blanc, beau,
nouveau, vieux)

possessives

*comparatives
adverbs common adverbs

*adverbs ending in -ment

pronouns subject personal pronouns, including on relative pronouns: qui and
que/qu’
reflexive pronouns
direct and indirect object
relative pronoun qui pronouns
disjunctive pronouns: moi, toi disjunctive pronouns
prepositions and conjunctions common prepositions and conjunctions
*depuis and present tense
numerals cardinal numbers: 0 –1000
*ordinal numbers: 1–10
dates and time: 12-hour and 24-hour clock


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 What is in the Common Entrance

Introduction
examination?
The Common Entrance examination is divided into four equal sections (each
worth 25%): Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Outlines of the details
of each of these sections follow. Be aware that the final examinations for the
Listening and Speaking sections are a few weeks earlier than the Reading and
Writing sections. Your teacher will tell you when they are.

The Speaking paper

The Level 1 examination will consist of a discussion on two prepared topics, each
lasting about two minutes. You will choose the topics yourself from this list:
● house, home, daily routine and chores
● free-time and holiday activities

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● life and work at school
● personal description, family, friends and pets.
In each of the discussions, you will talk for about 30 seconds without being
interrupted and your teacher will then ask you approximately three or four
questions. PL
Each discussion will be marked out of 10, with marks being given for
relevant communication, accuracy and quality of language. The total mark out
of 20 will be scaled up to give a mark out of 25.
The Level 2 examination will consist of three sections:
Level 2 ● ● a role play (9 marks)
Level 2 ● ● a discussion on a topic that you have chosen and prepared (8 marks)
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Level 2 ● ● a discussion on a topic that your teacher chooses. (8 marks)

Level 2 ● Role play

Your teacher will give you a role play and you will be asked to carry out six tasks
in French. The paper that your teacher gives you will have English instructions
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on it. Before the role play begins, you will have ten minutes’ preparation time.
You may use a bilingual dictionary during this time, but you may not make notes,
nor may you take any written notes into the examination room.
You will not need the passé composé, the conditional or the imperfect
tense in the role play, except perhaps for the phrases je voudrais, c’était
and il y avait.
The role play will be from any area of the syllabus but, as you will see during
practice sessions, there are some common phrases that may come up in any
situation. If you learn these phrases before your examination, you should
do well in the role play. Many pupils find this an easy way to pick up marks.
A list of these phrases follows this section. Remember that you do not have
to translate each task word for word. You can adapt the instruction to suit the
phrases you know. For example, you might be asked to say: ‘Would you like
to go to the match with me?’ You could simply say: Tu veux aller au match
avec moi? This means: ‘Do you want to go to the match with me?’ It is not an
exact translation of what you were asked to say, but the meaning is the same.
During the role play, your teacher will ask you, in French, a question
that you have not prepared for, and you will need to answer it in French.

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 Remember that you only have to give a short answer, as long as it is
appropriate. If one word is suitable, then that is fine.
A very important thing to think about in your role play is whether you
have to use tu or vous. If your teacher is playing the part of a shopkeeper,
teacher, waiter, etc., you must address them with vous. If they are playing
the part of a friend, then you should use tu.
Look at the topic chapters (Chapters 3–9) in this book for examples of
role plays.
Useful phrases for role plays
This is a list of some of the most common phrases (questions and answers) for
many of the role plays. Others are included in the topic chapters. If you learn
these, you will be well on your way to producing a high-quality role play.

Est-ce que ...? Turns any statement into a question

Est-ce que je dois ...? Must I ...?
Est-ce que tu aimes ...? Do you like ...?

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Est-ce que vous aimez …? Do you like …?
Est-ce qu’il y a ...? Is there ...?/Are there ...?
Est-ce qu’il faut …? Is it necessary to …?
Est-ce que tu veux ...?
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Est-ce que vous voulez …? Do you want …?
Est-ce que je peux ...? Can I ...?
Puis-je ...? Can I ...?
Est-ce que tu peux ...? Can you ...?
Est-ce que vous pouvez …? Can you …?
Est-ce que tu as ...? Do you have ...?
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Est-ce que vous avez ...? Do you have ...?
C’est ...? Is it ...?
C’est combien? How much is it?
Ça fait combien? How much is it?
Qu’est-ce que c’est? What is it?
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À quelle heure …? At what time …?

C’est loin d’ici? Is it far from here?
C’est quelle direction? Which direction is it?
Qu’est-ce que tu veux? What do you want?
Combien de ...? How many ...?
Quand ...? When ...?
Où est …? Where is …?
Où se trouve …? Where is …?
Où sont …? Where are …?
Où se trouvent …? Where are …?
Il y a ... There is .../There are ...
Je dois ... I must/I have to ...
Je vais ... I go/I am going ...
J’ai ... I have ...
D’accord OK


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 How is the role play marked?

Introduction
Your teacher will mark the oral examination. Each of your responses in the
role play will be awarded 0, ½ or 1 mark, up to a maximum of 6 marks.
0 Failure to communicate
½ The task is partly carried out; there may be considerable hesitation
1 Full communication (minor errors that do not affect communication will
be allowed)
You will also be awarded a maximum of 3 marks for the quality of your
language.
Level 2 ● A discussion on a topic that you have chosen
You can choose any topic from the list in Level 1 or a topic in connection
with a country where the target language is spoken:
● a town or region
● a regional or national celebration
● an artist (painter, sculptor, writer, composer, etc.)

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● a historical figure
● a sportsman/sportswoman.
The discussion will last for about two minutes. You will introduce your
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topic for about 30 seconds and your teacher will then ask you at least four
questions during the rest of the two minutes. You should show use of the
present tense, the passé composé and the near future.
The prepared topic will be marked out of 8. Credit will be given for
relevant, spontaneous communication, appropriate response to the questions
and the quality of the language used.
Tips for a quality discussion
● Once you have chosen your topic, talk to your teacher and involve him/her
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in the preparation.
● Make sure that the topic is not too obscure, as the vocabulary may be difficult.
● Make sure that your first sentence introduces the topic. A good way to start
is to say:
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Je vais vous parler de … I am going to talk to you about …

● Thinkabout the balance of detail so that the discussion is interesting and

not tedious. Remember that it is your chance to show off!
● Avoid long lists of vocabulary as this will eat into your time.
● Try to use a range of tenses if you can.
● Practise
your presentation and, if possible, record yourself so that you can
hear how you come across.
● Donot rush, as this will sound unnatural. Speak at a normal pace, trying
not to hesitate.
● When you practise, be aware of the timescale and try to time yourself if
possible.
● Thinkabout the types of questions your teacher might ask you and prepare
suitable answers.

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 ● Giveyour opinion whenever possible rather than just narrate. Use phrases
such as:
Je crois que … I think that …
À mon avis … In my opinion …

● Remember that it is a conversation between you and the teacher but you
should always do the majority of the talking.
Level 2 ● A discussion on a topic that your teacher chooses
You will have an unprepared discussion for about two minutes on any/all of
the topics from the list in Level 1, but this will not overlap with the prepared
topic. You should show a range of vocabulary and grammar, and use the
present tense, the passé composé and the near future.
This discussion will be marked out of 8 in the same way as the prepared topic.

The Listening paper

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The Listening paper will be based on a number of short passages recorded on
a CD. Instructions will be given in English. There will be 25 questions, usually
arranged in five sections.
Before the examination
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Your teacher will prepare you for your examination and, in the process, give
you practice exercises. This will help you tune your ear to listening to French.
If you want further practice, ask your teacher for more examples that you can
use in your free time. Your school may have a French assistant(e) who could
help you; this can be very useful as it enables you to hear regional accents.
You may also be able to watch French television or listen to French radio,
which you can also access on the internet. You would not be expected to
understand it all but it can be good practice to listen out for key words. If you
do this, ensure that you have no distractions and that you can concentrate.
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You need to practise listening to French without seeing the person who is
speaking. If you are listening to the television, turn away from the screen so
that you cannot see the person. In lessons you may be allowed to listen to
your teacher with your eyes closed for a while.
During the examination
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When the examination starts, the voice on the CD will read out the
instructions for you. Listen carefully and follow them on the front page of
your exam paper, where you will find them written down.
You will be given time to read the questions at the start. In Common
Entrance, this is two minutes. During this time you can do a lot of
preparation. Make sure that you understand all of the questions and know
exactly what is expected of you. In your preparation in class you should be
made aware of what you have to do in each type of exercise.
While you and your fellow pupils may not be able to control noises from
outside, you can ensure that you do not distract each other during the
examination. For example, do not tap your pen lid on the desk and, if you
know that you have a cold or a cough, take something to soothe your throat.
Even if you think you have answered the questions after listening only
once, you must listen just as carefully the second time through as you may
have made a mistake.
Remember that you can change your mind but you must make your final
answer clear to the examiner. You can take notes at any time so it might be
an idea, for example, if you hear a number or a date, to scribble down in
French what you hear and work it out later.
All questions have an introduction, which explains in English what you
have to do.


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 Types of questions

Introduction
There will be a range of test-types in English: these might include multiple
choice, true/false, table/grid completion, putting symbols on a map/plan,
box-ticking, matching the recording with visual/verbal options, completing
sentences/pictures, linking opinions with speakers, correcting a passage
with mistakes highlighted, choosing correct answers or answering questions
in English.
Three pictures to choose from
In this type of exercise you have to listen to what is said and decide which
picture is most suitable.
● Ifit is a question about time, be sure to listen carefully to the numbers
and the specific time phrases, such as ‘half past’ or ‘minutes to’. If you hear
the word moins it will mean ‘minutes to’.
● Ifit is a question about clothes or appearance, listen carefully for words
such as ‘long’ and ‘short’ or ‘small’ and ‘big’.

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● If it is a question about directions, listen carefully for words such as ‘left’
(gauche), ‘right’ (droite) or ‘straight on’ (tout droit). Make sure that you
do not confuse ‘right’ and ‘straight on’. Listen also for ‘after’ (après) and
‘before’ (avant).
Choosing a picture
PL
In this type of question you have to listen to what is said and choose the
correct picture. You have eight pictures to choose from and each one can only
be used once. In the time before the start of the question, make sure that you
are aware of what is in each picture.
Each picture will represent a mini topic such as a room in the house or an
area of the school. Ask yourself what words may be used for each one. For
example, if it is a picture of a bedroom you should be listening out for the
usual words such as ‘bed’, ‘wardrobe’, ‘table’, etc. but also phrases such as
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‘getting dressed’, ‘going to bed’ and other daily routines.
Multiple-choice phrases
In this type of question you have to choose one of the three or four possible
answers. The possible answers in each question will have a common theme so
think through the possible vocabulary while waiting for the CD. For example,
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the answers may be Friday, Saturday or Sunday so you need to think about the
days of the week in French.
True or false
Read the questions and tick TRUE or FALSE. While waiting for the CD, think
through the vocabulary that you might hear for each question. For example, if
the question says ‘The garden is big’, think about words for size.
One-word answers
You may be asked to simply write one word. For example, if it is a spelling
question in which you have to listen to people spell out certain words, listen
carefully and then check your answer by asking yourself if it is a word that
you know and if the spelling is correct.
Answering questions
If you have a question in English, you have to answer in English. As always,
make sure that you read the instructions.
Gap-filling questions
In this type of question, you will be presented with a passage in which some
words are missing. Below the passage will be a box containing a number of
words. There are normally more words than you need, so do not panic! Look
at the words in the box and work out what types of words they are.

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 They could be nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions,
articles or conjunctions. In the case of nouns and adjectives, you will need to
work out whether they are masculine or feminine and singular or plural. For
the verbs, you will need to work out which part of the verb it is, which you
can do by looking at the ending.

At the end of the examination

Always check your answers and make sure that you have written what you
think you have written. If you have not been able to answer a question and
have therefore left it blank, think about the context and possible answers.
If you still are not able to answer the question, have a guess. Never leave a
question unanswered as you will automatically receive zero for it. Every mark
is 1% of your total. You have two minutes at the end of the Common Entrance
examination to check through your answers.

The Reading paper

The Reading paper for Common Entrance is made up of 25 questions for Level 1

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and Level 2, arranged in five sections.

Types of questions
Matching up pictures with phrases
PL
In this type of exercise you need to read the sentence or sentences and
decide which picture best matches what you have read. As in all sections,
there will be an example on the examination paper.
Reading a passage and choosing one of several pictures
In this type of question you will be asked to read a passage and then some
questions. For each question there will be several pictures and one of them
will represent the answer. The questions should come in the order of the
passage. Be sure to know your question words for this type of exercise. If you
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do not know which picture is correct, try to use a process of elimination. In
other words, you may know that one of the pictures is definitely not correct,
so you are then left with just two. Look at the detail in the pictures as this
may help you. If you see a picture of a thin man wearing a shirt, trousers and
shoes, think about the possible vocabulary that might appear in the passage.
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True or false
In this type of question you will see a short passage. Read the text and
indicate whether the statements are TRUE or FALSE by ticking the correct box.
If you are not sure, make sure that you choose one of them as you have a
50–50 chance.
Connecting a phrase to part of a passage
This types of exercise can present itself in various forms. For example, you
may be given a diary extract and have to say when things happened or you
may have a few passages with people talking about themselves and then have
to write the correct name next to each of a number of phrases.
Gap-filling questions
In this type of question you will be presented with a passage in which some
words are missing. Below the passage will be a box in which there will be a
number of words. There are normally more words than you need, so do not
panic! Before reading the passage, look at the words in the box and work out
what types of words they are. They could be nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
pronouns, prepositions, articles or conjunctions. In the case of nouns and
adjectives, you will need to work out whether they are masculine or feminine
and singular or plural. For the verbs, you will need to work out which part


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 of the verb it is, which you can do by looking at the ending. Then read the

Introduction
passage and you should be able to work out what type of word would fit
each blank.

Longer reading passages

Here are some tips for how you should approach a longer reading
comprehension:
● Read the instructions carefully.
● Read through the questions before reading the passage as they will give
you clues as to what the subject of the passage is.
● Read the passage and work out which paragraph each answer may be in.
Remember that all questions should come in a consecutive order.
● Look out for any key words. If you have a question about a journey, ask
yourself what types of words might be in the passage.
● Answer as many questions as you can.

E
● By answering some of the questions you should be able to narrow down
where the other answers are in the passage.
● Apply grammatical rules to break down the passage or words. For example:

● In
PL
• French words ending with -té often end in -ty in English.
• French adverbs ending with -ment would have -ly at the end in English.
some sections you may not need to understand every word in order to
answer a question. You may just be able to skim the text.
● Never leave any of the questions unanswered. If all else fails, make an
intelligent guess. You get nothing for a blank!
M
The Writing paper
Chapter 2 provides more detailed information and advice on how to tackle the
Level 1 and Level 2 Writing papers.
In the Level 1 paper there will be four sections.
SA

● In Section 1 you will be asked to write six items of vocabulary on a

specific topic.
● In Section 2 you will be asked to complete a grammar multiple-choice
exercise.
● In Section 3 you will be asked to write short sentences about five pictures.
● In Section 4 you will be asked to write a few short sentences on a given
topic from the syllabus.

How will these questions be marked?

● Section 1: 1 mark per correct item of vocabulary, up to a maximum of
5 marks (total 5 marks)
● Section 2: 1 mark per question (total 5 marks)
● Section 3: Up to 2 marks per sentence, awarded as appropriate (total
10 marks)
● Section 4: 1 mark per sentence, awarded as appropriate (total 5 marks)

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 In the Level 2 paper you will have to do two exercises, as detailed below.
Level 2 ● Section 1: Grammar (10 marks)
This exercise requires you to translate five sentences into French and is
designed to assess your Level 2 grammar knowledge.
The sentences will be given in English and some French words will be
provided to help you. Nouns and their gender will be given, verbs will be in
the infinitive, and adjectives will be shown in their masculine singular form.
The French verbs avoir and être will not be given. You will not need to use
the passé composé or the imperfect.
Up to 2 marks will be given for each sentence, with a total of 10 marks
available for the exercise.
Level 2 ● Section 2 (15 marks)
This exercise requires you to write an email of between 80 and 120 words
based on some prompts. You will be given five bullet points in French and
English, and you will need to write about at least four of them. You will need
to show knowledge of the present tense, the past and the near future.

E
You will be assessed on the quality of your language and your ability to
communicate the necessary information.
How will this question be marked?
This question is marked out of 15, according to the following descriptors.
PL
Marks Content and communication
5 Responds fully to the task and communicates with no ambiguity in
a coherent and detailed way.
4 Communicates relevant information clearly and elaborates all
points.
3 Reasonable communication, but either one point not covered or
the general coverage of the points lacks detail.
2 Communication takes place, but with limited coverage of the
M
required points and there may be instances of repeated or
irrelevant material.
1 Partial communication and some attempt to respond to the task.
0 Communicates no relevant information.
Marks Quality of language
9–10 A range of grammar, vocabulary, idiom and structures, used
SA

confidently and accurately to include accurate use of the passé

composé, as well as of the present and near future tenses;
fluent, controlled and varied; errors may exist, but only in the
most ambitious language.
7–8 A good level of accuracy, fluency, range of vocabulary and
grammar, including some successful attempt at using the passé
composé.
5–6 Uses a range of straightforward structures and vocabulary, which
may include different tenses; more right than wrong; reasonably
coherent and accurate. 
3–4 Some awareness of verbs, but inconsistent overall; some range
and variety of idiom, vocabulary and structures, but generally a
weakness in application and accuracy.
1–2 Inaccurate, very simple sentence structure and very poor range of
vocabulary; much repetition; limited knowledge of the language;
only a few phrases or short sentences accurate enough to be
recognisable. 
0 Nothing coherent or accurate enough to be comprehensible.


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 Grammar section
1
This chapter sets out all the essential grammar that is required for Common
Entrance (a copy of the syllabus is included in the Introduction, under
‘Syllabus information’). If you have a solid grasp of the grammar, you will
be able to speak and write accurate French, which is the key to success in
your exam. Remember that every sentence has a verb, so it is particularly
important to check carefully that you have put each one in the correct tense
with the right ending. Learn your grammar and do not be shy of showing off
your knowledge when you speak and write French.

E
1.1 Verbs
Glossary of terms:
Verb A verb is often called a ‘doing word’.

Tense
PL
Infinitive The infinitive of a verb is the ‘to …’ form in English, e.g. ‘to do’.
In a dictionary or word list, French verbs are given in the
infinitive form, e.g. jouer means ‘to play’.
The tense of the verb tells you when something happens, e.g.
past, present, future.

Every verb table in French is always written in the following order:

M
Singular
je I
tu you*
il he, it (m.)
elle she, it (f.)
SA

Plural
nous we
vous you* (plural, or formal singular and plural)
ils they (m. or mixed group)
elles they (f.)

*In French there are two words for ‘you’: tu and vous. Tu is used when addressing
one (singular) person who is a member of your family or a friend, or when talking to
an animal; vous is used if you are addressing an adult whom you do not know well
(for example when talking to a shop assistant), or if addressing more than one person
or animal (plural).

435018_01_Fren13_R_Guide_001-031.indd 1 11/02/19 9:26 AM

 Verbs in French are either regular or irregular. Regular verbs are divided into
three groups: -er verbs, -ir verbs and -re verbs.

The present tense of regular verbs

Note the three ways of translating the French present tense:
je mange – I eat, I am eating, I do eat
-er verbs
These are called -er verbs because their infinitive ends with -er. To form the
present tense of the verb you take off the -er. This leaves you with what
is called the ‘stem’. Onto this you add the correct ending for each person
(je, tu, etc.).

je* regarde I watch nous regardons we watch

tu regardes you watch vous regardez you watch
il regarde he watches ils regardent they (m.) watch
elle regarde she watches elles regardent they (f.) watch

E
on** regarde one watches

*Note that je is written j’ if the next word begins with a vowel or h.

PL
For example: j’aime, j’écoute, j’habite.

**Note that the word on means ‘one’, but it is often used instead of nous to translate
‘we’. It always takes the same verb ending as il/elle.

For example: on aime l’école (we like school).

Some common -er verbs:

M
acheter* to buy fermer to close
adorer to love habiter to live
aimer to like manger† to eat
chanter to sing marcher to walk
SA

danser to dance montrer to show

détester to hate nager to swim
donner to give porter to wear
écouter to listen (to) préférer†† to prefer
entrer to enter regarder to look at, to watch
espérer** to hope travailler to work

*Beware of the accent in some parts: j’achète, tu achètes, il achète, elle achète,
on achète, ils/elles achètent but nous achetons, vous achetez.

**Watch the accent: j’espère, tu espères, il espère, elle espère, on espère,

ils/elles espèrent, but nous espérons, vous espérez.

†Note the nous form of this verb: nous mangeons. This is so that it is pronounced
with a soft g, not like the g in ‘mango’!

††Watch the accents: je préfère, tu préfères, il préfère, elle préfère, on préfère,

but nous préférons, vous préférez.


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 1 Grammar section
Test yourself 1
Put the verb in the correct form of the present tense and then translate the
sentence into English. Answers are given at the back of the book.

Example:
Je dans ma chambre. (danser)
Je danse dans ma chambre.
I dance in my bedroom.

(a) J’ jouer au squash. (aimer)

(b) Tu le film ce soir? (regarder)
(c) Il dans le jardin. (travailler)
(d) Elle un sandwich au jambon. (manger)

E
(e) Nous la robe rose. (préférer)
(f) Vous la radio? (écouter)
(g) Ils dans la salle de classe. (entrer)
(h) Elles

-ir verbs
PL dans un bungalow. (habiter)

These are called -ir verbs because their infinitive ends with -ir. To form the
verb you take off the -ir. This leaves you with the stem. Onto this you add
the correct ending for each person.
je finis I finish nous finissons we finish
M
tu finis you finish vous finissez you finish
il finit he finishes ils finissent they (m.) finish
elle finit she finishes elles finissent they (f.) finish
on finit one finishes
SA

Some common -ir verbs:

choisir to choose polir to polish

grossir to put on weight punir to punish
maigrir to lose weight réussir to succeed

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 Test yourself 2
Put the verb in the correct form of the present tense and then translate the
sentence into English. Answers are given at the back of the book.

Example:
Je une tarte dans la pâtisserie. (choisir)
Je choisis une tarte dans la pâtisserie.
I am choosing a tart in the cake shop.

(a) Je une glace. (choisir)

(b) Tu tes devoirs? (finir)
(c) Il les élèves méchants. (punir)
(d) Elle tout le temps. (réussir)

E
(e) Nous (grossir)
(f) Vous ? (maigrir)
(g) Ils les exercices dans la salle de classe. (finir)
PL
(h) Elles

-re verbs
de nouveaux vêtements. (choisir)

These are called -re verbs because their infinitive ends with -re. To form the
verb you take off the -re. This leaves you with the stem. Onto this you add
the correct ending for each person.
je vends I sell nous vendons we sell
M
tu vends you sell vous vendez you sell
il vend he sells ils vendent they (m.) sell
elle vend she sells elles vendent they (f.) sell
on vend one sells
SA

Notice two things here:

First, the ‘he’ and ‘she’ forms of the verb have no ending.

Second, the plural endings are the same as the plural endings of -er verbs.

Some common -re verbs:

attendre to wait (for) répondre to reply
descendre to go down, to tondre to mow
get off
entendre to hear


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 1 Grammar section
Test yourself 3
Put the verb in the correct form of the present tense and then translate the
sentence into English. Answers are given at the back of the book.

Example:
J’ le bus. (attendre)
J’attends le bus.
I am waiting for the bus.

(a) Je la pelouse. (tondre)

(b) Tu les enfants? (entendre)
(c) Il l’escalier. (descendre)
(d) Elle aux questions. (répondre)
Nous
(e)  une réponse à notre message électronique.

E
(attendre)
(f) Vous des glaces? (vendre)
(g) Ils des légumes au marché. (vendre)
(h) EllesPL
Reflexive verbs
de l’autobus devant l’église. (descendre)

A reflexive verb is used when something is happening to the subject. An

example is se laver (to wash (oneself) or to get washed).
je me lave I wash myself nous nous lavons we wash ourselves
tu te laves you wash yourself vous vous lavez you wash yourself
il se lave he washes himself ils se lavent they (m.) wash themselves
M
elle se lave she washes herself elles se lavent they (f.) wash themselves
Some common reflexive verbs:
se réveiller to wake up s’amuser to have fun
se lever* to get up se balader to stroll
SA

se laver to get washed se casser (la jambe) to break (one’s leg)

se doucher to have a shower se demander to wonder
se raser to shave se dépêcher to hurry
se brosser les dents to brush one’s teeth se disputer to have an argument
se coiffer to do one’s hair s’entendre avec to get on with (people)
s’habiller to get dressed s’intéresser à to be interested in
se promener* to go for a walk se reposer to rest
se déshabiller to get undressed se sauver to run away
se coucher to go to bed se trouver to be (situated)

*Watch the accent in this verb! Je me lève, tu te lèves, il/elle/on se lève,

ils/elles se lèvent, but nous nous levons, vous vous levez. Se promener
follows the same pattern.

Note that me, te and se change to m’, t’, s’ when followed by a vowel.

For example: je m’habille, tu t’amuses, ils s’entendent.

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 Test yourself 4
Put the verb in the correct form of the present tense and then translate the
sentence into English. Answers are given at the back of the book.

Example:
Je à vingt-deux heures. (se coucher)
Je me couche à vingt-deux heures.
I go to bed at 10 p.m.

(a) Je dans ma chambre. (s’habiller)

(b) Tu à sept heures trente. (se lever)
(c) Il devant un miroir. (se raser)
(d) Elle les dents dans la salle de bains. (se brosser)

E
(e) Nous très tôt chaque matin. (se réveiller)
(f) Vous à quelle heure? (se réveiller)
(g) Ils après le petit déjeuner. (se coiffer)
PL
(h) Elles à l’histoire. (s’intéresser)

The present tense of irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the pattern of any of the regular
verb groups. The four most common ones are below.

avoir to have être to be

j’ai I have je suis I am
M
tu as you have tu es you are
il a he has il est he is
elle a she has elle est she is
nous avons we have nous sommes we are
SA

vous avez you have vous êtes you are

ils ont they (m.) have ils sont they (m.) are
elles ont they (f.) have elles sont they (f.) are
aller to go faire to do/make
je vais I go je fais I do
tu vas you go tu fais you do
il va he goes il fait he does
elle va she goes elle fait she does
nous allons we go nous faisons we do
vous allez you go vous faites you do
ils vont they (m.) go ils font they (m.) do
elles vont they (f.) go elles font they (f.) do


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