Paper 4: Writing (1) (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
GCSE French Paper 4: Writing revision guide
Exam overview
Paper 4 is your French writing exam, and it's designed to test how well you can express yourself in written French. The exam is split into different tiers, so you'll sit either Foundation or Higher level questions depending on your target grade.
The tier you sit determines both the types of questions you'll face and the time available. Foundation tier focuses on everyday situations and familiar vocabulary, while Higher tier includes more complex writing tasks and abstract topics.
Exam structure:
- Writing tasks: Four questions at Foundation tier, two at Higher tier
- Translation task: One question at each tier
- Timing: Foundation tier = 1 hour 10 minutes, Higher tier = 1 hour 15 minutes
- Total marks: 50 marks available
The Foundation tier questions focus on everyday topics and situations that you'll recognise from your studies. Each question targets different writing skills, from simple descriptions to more structured pieces of writing.
Foundation question 1: Photo description
This question appears only on the Foundation paper and asks you to describe a photograph using exactly five sentences in French. Each sentence is worth 2 marks, giving you 10 marks in total for this question.
What you need to do: Write five short but complete sentences describing what you can see in the photo. Your sentences must include a verb to be considered complete. Focus on using vocabulary you know well rather than attempting complex structures you're unsure about.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Only write about what you can actually see in the photograph. For example, if you write "Je vois un chien" (I see a dog) but there's no dog in the picture, you won't receive marks even if your French is perfect.
Key strategies:
- Use sentence starters like "Il y a" (there is/are) and "Je vois" (I can see) to begin your descriptions
- Describe people using physical features: hair colour, eye colour, height, clothing, and colours
- Mention what people are doing or where they are located
- Include weather details if visible in the photograph
- Remember that marks are awarded for clear communication of relevant information, accuracy of French, and making your point effectively
Worked Example: Five-sentence photo description
Let's say you see a photo of two students in a school courtyard:
- Il y a deux étudiants dans la cour de l'école. (There are two students in the school courtyard.)
- Je vois une fille qui porte un uniforme bleu. (I can see a girl wearing a blue uniform.)
- Le garçon a les cheveux bruns et les yeux verts. (The boy has brown hair and green eyes.)
- Ils mangent leur déjeuner ensemble. (They are eating their lunch together.)
- Il fait beau aujourd'hui. (The weather is nice today.)
Foundation question 2: Email writing task
This question requires approximately 50 words in French and is worth 10 marks. You'll be given five bullet points to guide your writing, and you'll be assessed on how clearly you address each point and how accurate your French is.
The email format typically covers familiar topics like school life, including subjects you study, your teachers, school rules, uniform requirements, and break times. All points can be answered using the present tense, which keeps the grammar relatively straightforward.
Topic Coverage Tip: Email questions often focus on school life, hobbies, family, holidays, or local area. The beauty of Foundation tier is that you can handle almost any topic using present tense and familiar vocabulary patterns.
Writing approach: Focus on communicating clear information for each bullet point using vocabulary and structures you're confident with. Vary your language where possible, but prioritise accuracy over complexity. Make sure you write enough to cover all five points adequately.
Foundation question 3: Gap fill exercise
This question presents five sentences with missing words. For each gap, you're given three options to choose from. You must select the correct word and copy it exactly into the gap, including any accents.
Critical Accuracy Requirement: Precision is crucial here - you must copy the word exactly as it appears in the options. Even if you understand the grammar perfectly, copying errors will cost you marks. Pay special attention to accent marks and spelling.
The gaps often test verb forms, articles, or other grammatical elements that change depending on the context of the sentence.
Useful vocabulary table
| French | English | Topic area |
|---|---|---|
| Il y a | There is/are | Describing |
| Je vois | I can see | Describing |
| une femme | a woman | People |
| un homme | a man | People |
| les cheveux | hair | Physical description |
| les yeux | eyes | Physical description |
| grand(e) | tall | Physical description |
| petit(e) | small/short | Physical description |
| porte | wears/carries | Clothing |
| les matières | subjects | School |
| les professeurs | teachers | School |
| les règles | rules | School |
| l'uniforme | uniform | School |
| la récréation | break time | School |
This vocabulary table covers the most frequently appearing words in Foundation tier writing tasks. Focus on memorising these core terms as they'll give you the building blocks for most writing situations you'll encounter.
Example sentences
Understanding how to construct clear, accurate sentences is essential for success in your writing tasks. Here are examples showing both present and past tense constructions:
Worked Examples: Present Tense Sentences
- Il y a trois personnes dans la photo. (There are three people in the photo.)
- Je vois une femme qui porte une robe rouge. (I can see a woman wearing a red dress.)
- Les étudiants mangent dans la cantine. (The students are eating in the canteen.)
- J'aime les maths mais je déteste l'histoire. (I like maths but I hate history.)
Worked Examples: Past Tense Sentences
- Hier, j'ai mangé à la cantine. (Yesterday, I ate in the canteen.)
- Elle a porté son uniforme à l'école. (She wore her uniform to school.)
- Nous avons étudié le français. (We studied French.)
- Il y a eu un match de football. (There was a football match.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Understanding key grammatical patterns will help you write more confidently and accurately in your exam.
Present Tense Verb Patterns: Regular -er verbs like "porter" (to wear) follow the pattern: je porte, tu portes, il/elle porte, nous portons, vous portez, ils/elles portent. This pattern works for most common verbs you'll use.
Il y a vs Je vois Usage: Use "Il y a" to state what exists in the photo (there is/are). Use "Je vois" to describe what you can observe (I can see). Both are excellent sentence starters for descriptions and help you begin sentences confidently.
Pronunciation Tip: Silent letters are common in French. The final 'e' in words like "porte" and "rouge" is usually silent. The 's' at the end of plural words like "yeux" is also silent. This knowledge helps with spelling accuracy.
Translation exercise
Translation skills help reinforce your understanding of sentence structure and vocabulary usage. Practice with these examples:
Worked Translation Exercise
French to English:
- Il y a une femme qui porte une robe bleue.
- Les élèves étudient les maths en classe.
English to French:
- I can see a man with brown hair.
- We eat lunch in the school canteen.
Answers:
- There is a woman wearing a blue dress.
- The pupils are studying maths in class.
- Je vois un homme aux cheveux bruns.
- Nous mangeons le déjeuner à la cantine de l'école.
Key Points to Remember:
- Keep Foundation Question 1 simple - use vocabulary you know well and write complete sentences with verbs
- Present tense works for everything - Foundation Question 2 can be answered entirely in present tense
- Copy exactly in gap fills - include every accent mark and letter precisely as shown in the options
- Quality over quantity - clear, accurate French is more valuable than attempting complex structures
- Practice describing photos - the more you practise with different images, the more confident you'll become with vocabulary and sentence patterns