My area in the past (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
My area in the past
Describing your local area in past times
When discussing how your local area has changed over time, you'll need specific vocabulary and the ability to use different past tenses together. This topic appears frequently in speaking assessments and reading comprehension tasks.
This topic is particularly important for intermediate French learners as it combines vocabulary about places and buildings with complex grammar structures involving multiple past tenses.
Essential vocabulary
| French Term | English Translation |
|---|---|
| appartement (m) | flat |
| culturel(le) | cultural |
| entreprise (f) | business |
| fastfood (m) | fast food restaurant |
| fermer | to shut down |
| immeuble (m) | block of flats |
| rue (f) | road, street |
| terrain (m) | pitch, sports ground |
| arbre (m) | tree |
| construire | to build |
| situer | to locate, situate |
Example sentences using past tense vocabulary:
French: Dans le passé, ma ville était plus petite. Il y avait moins de circulation. English: In the past, my town was smaller. There was less traffic.
French: Quand ils construisaient des immeubles, ils ont détruit les arbres. English: When they were building the blocks of flats, they destroyed the trees.
Grammar focus: combining perfect and imperfect tenses
You'll often need to use both past tenses in the same sentence when describing past events. Understanding when to use each tense is crucial for accurate communication.
Key Grammar Rule: The perfect and imperfect tenses work together to create complete descriptions of past events. Mastering their combination is essential for advanced French communication.
When to use each tense:
- Perfect tense - describes completed actions that happened at a specific moment
- Imperfect tense - describes ongoing actions, repeated actions, or background situations (equivalent to English "was/were doing" or "used to do")
Worked Example: Tense Combination
French: Quand je traversais la rue, j'ai vu mon ami. English: When I was crossing the road, I saw my friend.
Analysis:
- "traversais" (imperfect) = ongoing action of crossing
- "ai vu" (perfect) = completed action of seeing
Practice with tenses:
Notice how both tenses can appear in the same sentence to create a complete picture of past events.
French: Avant, il y avait plus d'entreprises, mais maintenant elles ont fermé. English: Before, there used to be more businesses, but now they have closed.
Speaking skills for role play scenarios
During speaking assessments, you may need to discuss how your area has changed. Follow-up questions require different levels of response depending on their complexity.
Understanding the difference between first and second follow-up questions is crucial for achieving higher marks in speaking assessments.
Types of responses needed:
- First follow-up questions: Require short, clear answers. Keep responses brief and focused.
- Second follow-up questions: Need more developed responses with additional detail and complexity.
Example dialogue structure:
Question: What do you think of the area where you live? Response: I really like the area where I live. It's very historic. How was the area in the past? Extended answer: In the past, my town was smaller. There was less traffic and the streets were cleaner. I think life was simpler.
Exam guidance
Understanding the assessment criteria will help you target your preparation effectively and achieve better results in your French examinations.
Critical Success Factors: Your assessment will focus on communication effectiveness, vocabulary range, and grammatical accuracy. All three elements must be balanced for optimal performance.
Key points for assessment success:
- Communicate clearly and accurately - ensure your message is understood
- Vary your vocabulary - use different terms to show language range
- Develop your answers appropriately - give short responses to first follow-up questions, longer responses to second follow-up questions
- Add complexity - use connecting words and different tenses together
Translation practice
Practice Exercises:
French to English:
- Hier, j'étais en cours d'histoire au collège.
- Il n'y avait pas d'immeubles dans le passé.
English to French: 3. There used to be more sports grounds in the past. 4. When she was at school, she saw an old map.
Answers:
- Yesterday, I was in history class at secondary school.
- There were no blocks of flats in the past.
- Il y avait plus de terrains de sport dans le passé.
- Quand elle était à l'école, elle a vu un vieux plan.
Key Points to Remember:
- Perfect tense = completed actions; imperfect tense = ongoing or repeated actions in the past
- Use specific vocabulary about buildings, transport and local facilities when describing area changes
- Keep first follow-up answers short and clear; develop second follow-up answers with more detail
- Combine both past tenses in complex sentences to show advanced grammar skills
- Practice describing both what your area was like before and how it has changed