Equality and helping others (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Equality and helping others
This topic focuses on discussing equality, fairness, and ways to help others in French society. You'll learn essential vocabulary and phrases to express opinions about social issues and describe actions that promote equality.
Essential vocabulary
Equality and rights
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'égalité (f) | equality |
| égal(e) | equal |
| le droit (m) | right |
| juste | fair |
| la justice (f) | justice |
| la société (f) | society |
| l'homme (m) | man |
| la femme (f) | woman |
| le sexe (m) | gender |
| l'unité (f) | unity |
Example sentences:
- Je crois que l'égalité est importante dans notre société. (I believe that equality is important in our society.)
- Les hommes et les femmes doivent avoir les mêmes droits. (Men and women should have the same rights.)
Problems and challenges
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la discrimination (f) | discrimination |
| le handicap (m) | disability |
| handicapé(e) | disabled |
| la difficulté (f) | difficulty |
| l'inquiétude (f) | worry |
| la lutte (f) | fight |
| combattre | to fight |
| traiter | to treat |
Example sentences:
- Il faut combattre la discrimination au travail. (We must fight discrimination at work.)
- Les personnes handicapées ont souvent des difficultés dans la société. (Disabled people often have difficulties in society.)
Helping and supporting
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'aide (f) | help, aid |
| améliorer | to improve |
| comprendre | to understand |
| le soin (m) | care |
| le soutien (m) | support |
| s'occuper de | to look after |
| la manifestation (f) | demonstration |
| la carrière (f) | career |
Example sentences:
- Nous devons améliorer les conditions de travail. (We must improve working conditions.)
- Elle s'occupe des personnes âgées dans sa carrière. (She looks after elderly people in her career.)
Pronunciation guidance
Understanding correct French pronunciation is essential for effective communication and will help you succeed in speaking assessments.
Key pronunciation tips:
Many French and English words look similar but are pronounced differently. This is important for your speaking exam as you'll only receive marks for words that would be understandable to a French person.
- -tion endings: In English, this sounds like "shun", but in French, it's more like "see-on"
- juste, unité: The letter 'u' makes an "oo" sound in French
- société: The 'i' is pronounced a bit like "ee"
- carrière: Be careful to sound the 'i' in the correct place - it's "car-ee-air"
Speaking about inequality
When discussing social issues in French, it's important to use opinion phrases and provide clear examples to support your viewpoint.
Worked Example: Expressing opinions on salary inequality
Topic: Lucas discusses salary differences between men and women
French text: Je crois qu'il y a des différences entre les salaires des hommes et des femmes, même quand ils font le même travail. À mon avis ce n'est pas juste.
English translation: "I believe there are differences between men's and women's salaries, even when they do the same work. In my opinion, this isn't fair."
Analysis: Lucas expresses his opinion using key phrases like je crois que (I believe that) and à mon avis (in my opinion). He discusses inequality by comparing situations (même quand - even when) and gives a clear judgement (ce n'est pas juste - this isn't fair).
Exam tips for speaking
Developing confidence when discussing complex social topics will help you excel in your French speaking assessments.
Handling difficult questions in your speaking exam:
You might face difficult questions about social issues in your speaking exam. If you find a question challenging:
- Don't panic - take a moment to think
- Use vocabulary you know - you can tell your teacher you find the question difficult by saying c'est une question difficile
- Give your opinion - use phrases like à mon avis (in my opinion) and je pense que (I think that)
- Provide reasons - explain why you think something using parce que (because)
Translation practice
Practice translating between French and English to reinforce your understanding of key vocabulary and sentence structures.
French to English:
- Elle manifestait pour l'égalité des femmes.
- Ils luttent contre l'injustice.
English to French:
- Is our society equal?
- We must help disabled people.
Answers:
- She was protesting for women's equality.
- They fight against injustice.
- Est-ce que notre société est égale?
- Nous devons aider les personnes handicapées.
Key Points to Remember:
- Learn key opinion phrases like je crois que, à mon avis, and je pense que to express your views on equality
- Practice pronunciation of similar-looking French/English words, especially those ending in -tion
- Use connecting words like même quand (even when) and parce que (because) to develop your arguments
- Don't be afraid to express that you find a question difficult in your speaking exam - this shows you can communicate authentically
- Focus on vocabulary related to rights, fairness, and helping others as these are common exam topics