Paper 1: Listening (1) (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
📚Revision Notes
Paper 1: Listening revision guide
Exam structure and timing
The French listening paper is divided into two main sections that test your ability to understand spoken French in various contexts. Understanding the structure will help you manage your time effectively and know what to expect.
Note
Paper Structure Overview:
- Section A: Listening comprehension with question-based responses
- Section B: Dictation requiring exact transcription in French
Section A focuses on listening comprehension where you'll hear recordings and answer questions based on what you understand. Section B is dictation, where you'll need to write down exactly what you hear in French.
The timing differs depending on your tier level. Foundation tier students get 35 minutes to complete the paper and can earn up to 40 marks. Higher tier students have 45 minutes available and can achieve up to 50 marks. This extra time reflects the increased complexity of the higher tier content.
Before the recording begins, you'll have 5 minutes of reading time. Use this precious time to familiarise yourself with the paper and perhaps jot down French words that correspond to some of the English options you see. You might hear related words during the recording - for example, if you see "swimming" as an option, you might hear "piscine" instead of "natation" in the audio.
Important
At the end of the examination, you'll have 2 additional minutes to check your work and make any final corrections. This is crucial time for catching any mistakes!
Question types and strategies
Multiple-choice questions
These questions require you to select one correct answer from three given options. You'll need to write the correct letter in a box provided. The alternative options are designed to be clearly wrong, but you need to listen carefully to distinguish between similar-sounding words or concepts.
Some questions ask you to select answers from a list, often requiring you to identify correct statements about what you've heard. Pay attention to details as the questions vary in difficulty throughout the paper.
Example
Sample Multiple-Choice Question:
You hear: "Je travaille au supermarché le samedi."
Question: Where does the person work?
- A) Restaurant
- B) Supermarket
- C) School
Answer: B) Supermarket
Multiple choice - two details questions
These questions challenge you to choose two pieces of information from provided lists. They often focus on specific details like jobs and timeframes. You'll see tables with options such as different professions (Actor, Author, Teacher, Waiter) and time periods (Past, Now, Future).
When tackling these questions, look for tenses and time indicators in the French audio. Words like "hier" (yesterday), "demain" (tomorrow), and "normalement" (normally/usually) will help you identify when something happens.
Example
Sample Two Details Question:
You hear: "Hier j'étais professeur, mais maintenant je suis acteur."
Select job and time:
| Jobs | ✓ | Time | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actor | ✓ | Past | |
| Teacher | Now | ✓ |
One or both questions
This question type requires you to decide whether one option is correct or if both given options are accurate. You might encounter opinion questions where you need to determine if the speaker expresses a positive opinion (P), a negative opinion (N), or both (P + N).
For example, you might hear someone say the English teacher is very funny but the lessons are too long. This would represent both a positive and negative opinion, so you'd select both options.
Important
Common Mistake: Don't assume you can only choose one option. Listen for contrasting words like "mais" (but) which often signal that both positive and negative opinions are being expressed.
Key vocabulary and expressions
Mastering these essential vocabulary items will significantly improve your listening comprehension. Focus not just on meaning but also on pronunciation patterns.
| French | English | Pronunciation tip |
|---|---|---|
| le week-end | weekend | Pronounced similar to English but with French accent |
| je travaille | I work | "travaille" sounds like "trav-EYE" |
| le supermarché | supermarket | Silent 'h', stress on final syllable |
| pendant que | while/during | "pendant" = "during" |
| mon frère | my brother | "frère" rhymes with "fair" |
| joue au football | plays football | "joue" sounds like "zhoo" |
| ensuite | then/next | Pronounced "on-SWEET" |
| le chien | the dog | "chien" sounds like "shee-AHN" |
| mes devoirs | my homework | "devoirs" = duties/homework |
| jamais | never | Silent 's', pronounced "zham-EH" |
| le temps | time | Silent 's' and 'p' |
| lire des livres | to read books | "lire" sounds like "leer" |
| très amusant | very funny | "très" = very, "amusant" = funny/entertaining |
| les cours | the lessons | "cours" sounds like "koor" |
| trop longs | too long | "trop" = too much/too many |
Note
Practice saying these words aloud and listen to native speakers to familiarise yourself with the pronunciation patterns. Pay special attention to silent letters and stress patterns.
Example sentences with translations
Understanding these sentence patterns will help you recognise similar structures in the listening exam.
Example
Present Tense Examples:
"Le week-end, je travaille au supermarché pendant que mon frère joue au football."
(At the weekend, I work at the supermarket while my brother plays football.)
"Le professeur d'anglais est très amusant mais les cours sont trop longs."
(The English teacher is very funny but the lessons are too long.)
Example
Past Tense Examples:
"Hier, j'ai changé de carrière car mon rêve est d'enseigner aux enfants."
(Yesterday, I changed career because my dream is to teach children.)
"Ensuite, je joue avec le chien et je fais mes devoirs."
(Then, I play with the dog and do my homework.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding these grammatical patterns and pronunciation rules is essential for successful listening comprehension.
Note
Time Indicators - Key to Success:
Time indicators are crucial for understanding when events happen. Listen carefully for:
- "hier" (yesterday) - indicates past tense
- "demain" (tomorrow) - indicates future tense
- "normalement" (normally/usually) - indicates habitual present tense
Pronunciation notes:
- Many French words have silent letters at the end (temps, cours, trop)
- The 'r' sound in French is rolled differently from English
- Stress typically falls on the final syllable of French words
- Listen for liaison (connecting sounds between words)
Important
Essential Grammar Patterns:
- "je travaille" = I work (present tense, regular -er verb)
- "je joue" = I play (present tense, with liaison to "joue au football")
- Past tense often uses "j'ai" + past participle (j'ai changé = I changed)
Translation practice exercises
Test your understanding with these practice translations that mirror exam-style content.
Example
French to English:
- "En juillet, je vais changer de carrière car mon rêve est d'enseigner aux enfants."
- "Je n'ai jamais le temps de lire des livres le week-end."
English to French:
- "At the weekend, I work at the supermarket while my brother plays football."
- "The English teacher is very entertaining but the lessons are too long."
Summary
Practice Exercise Answers:
- "In July, I'm going to change career because my dream is to teach children."
- "I never have time to read books at the weekend."
- "Le week-end, je travaille au supermarché pendant que mon frère joue au football."
- "Le professeur d'anglais est très amusant mais les cours sont trop longs."
Remember!
Summary
Key Points to Remember:
- You'll hear each recording twice (three times for dictation), so don't panic if you miss something the first time
- Use the 5-minute reading time to familiarise yourself with vocabulary and anticipate what you might hear
- Look for time indicators like "hier", "demain", and "normalement" to help identify tenses
- One mark usually equals one detail, so focus on extracting specific information rather than general understanding
- Questions appear in the same order as the information in the recording, making it easier to follow along