Me and my mobile (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
Me and my mobile
Essential mobile technology vocabulary
Understanding technology vocabulary is crucial for discussing mobile phones and digital devices in French. These terms appear frequently in GCSE exam questions and everyday conversations about technology.
When learning French vocabulary, always memorise nouns with their gender (masculine/feminine) as this affects grammar throughout the language.
| French Term | English Translation |
|---|---|
| acheter | to buy |
| application (f) | app |
| charger | to charge |
| e-mail (m) | |
| film (m) | film |
| French Term | English Translation |
|---|---|
| joueur (m) | player |
| médias (mpl) | media |
| message (m) | message |
| portable (m) | mobile |
| social(e) | social |
| French Term | English Translation |
|---|---|
| streaming (m) | streaming |
| données (fpl) | data |
| écran (m) | screen |
| limiter | to limit |
Example sentences using mobile vocabulary:
- Je dois charger mon portable ce soir. (I need to charge my mobile tonight.)
- Il télécharge une application pour regarder des films. (He downloads an app to watch films.)
- Les médias sociaux sont très populaires. (Social media is very popular.)
Grammar focus: Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs by explaining how, when, or where an action happens. In French, many adverbs end in -ment, similar to how English adverbs often end in -ly.
Forming regular adverbs
Formation Rule for Regular Adverbs: To create most French adverbs, follow this simple pattern:
- Take the feminine form of the adjective
- Add -ment to the end
Worked Example: Creating Adverbs
Step 1: Start with the masculine adjective exact (exact)
Step 2: Find the feminine form exacte (feminine of exact)
Step 3: Add -ment exacte + -ment = exactement (exactly)
Using adverbs in context
- Il y a seulement trois applications sur mon téléphone. (There are only three apps on my phone.)
- C'est vraiment utile. (It's really useful.)
Some adverbs like vraiment and quelquefois are irregular and don't follow the standard formation pattern. You need to learn these individually.
Expressing opinions with flexible phrases
Using opinion phrases makes your French more sophisticated and helps you achieve higher grades in speaking and writing tasks.
Key opinion starters
- À mon avis = In my opinion
- il faut absolument = it's absolutely necessary
- À mon avis, il faut absolument avoir un portable. (In my opinion, it's absolutely necessary to have a mobile.)
These phrases allow you to express complex viewpoints and demonstrate advanced language skills in exam responses.
Writing complex exam answers
When answering questions about mobile phone usage, structure your responses to show sophisticated language use:
Worked Example: Exam Response Structure
Question: What did you do on your mobile recently?
Good response structure:
- Start with a time phrase: Récemment (recently)
- Use past tense verbs: j'ai regardé (I watched)
- Add specific details: dans ma chambre (in my bedroom)
- Include your opinion: car j'adore la musique (because I love music)
Complete answer: Récemment, j'ai regardé des vidéos dans ma chambre car j'adore la musique.
Translation practice
French to English:
- Je dépends beaucoup de mon portable.
- On pourrait passer trop de temps sur un portable.
English to French:
- It's really bad for health.
- I downloaded many songs.
Answers:
- I depend a lot on my mobile. 2. We could spend too much time on a mobile.
- C'est vraiment mauvais pour la santé. 2. J'ai téléchargé beaucoup de chansons.
Exam tips for mobile technology questions
Essential Exam Strategies:
- Use direct object pronouns like le, la, les to show grammatical complexity
- Include adverbs to make your sentences more sophisticated instead of simple statements
- Express opinions using phrases like à mon avis to demonstrate higher-level language
- Use past tenses accurately when describing what you did with technology
Key Points to Remember:
- Mobile vocabulary includes both masculine and feminine nouns - learn the gender with each word
- Regular adverbs are formed by adding -ment to the feminine form of adjectives
- Opinion phrases like "à mon avis" help create more complex and impressive responses
- Past tense descriptions of mobile phone activities are common in GCSE exam questions
- Adverbs and complex grammar demonstrate sophistication and can boost your grade significantly