Surveys & Questionnaires (Junior Cert French): Revision Notes
Surveys & Questionnaires
What are surveys and questionnaires?
Surveys and questionnaires are common reading tasks in Junior Cycle French that present statistical information, opinions, and data about various topics. These texts typically include charts, graphs, percentages, and statistical findings about people's habits, preferences, or behaviours. Your job is to understand the data presented and answer questions about what the survey results show.
Survey texts are particularly important in Junior Cycle French exams because they combine language skills with data interpretation - a key skill for understanding French media and academic texts.
Purpose and exam requirements
In reading comprehension exams, survey texts test your ability to extract specific information from statistical data presented in French. You'll need to understand percentages, identify majorities and minorities, compare different groups, and interpret survey findings. Questions often focus on what percentage of people said something, which option was most or least popular, and what the results reveal about people's habits or opinions.
Remember that survey questions in exams test both your French comprehension AND your ability to interpret data - you need to understand both the language and the statistics.
Vocabulary Bank
| French | English |
|---|---|
| un sondage / une enquête | a survey / a poll |
| un questionnaire | a questionnaire |
| une question / une réponse | a question / an answer |
| les résultats / les données | results / data |
| un graphique / un diagramme | a graph / a chart |
| un pourcentage | a percentage |
| la majorité / la minorité | the majority / the minority |
| environ / à peu près | about / approximately |
| plus de / moins de | more than / less than |
| la moitié / un tiers / un quart | half / a third / a quarter |
| souvent / rarement | often / rarely |
| toujours / jamais | always / never |
| être d'accord / ne pas être d'accord | to agree / to disagree |
| préféré(e) / favori(te) | favourite |
Phrase Bank
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Selon ce sondage... | According to this survey... |
| La majorité des élèves préfèrent... | The majority of students prefer... |
| Un quart des personnes interrogées... | A quarter of those surveyed... |
| Les résultats montrent que... | The results show that... |
| 70% des jeunes aiment... | 70% of young people like... |
| Plus de la moitié des participants... | More than half of the participants... |
| Environ trois quarts... | About three quarters... |
| La plupart des gens pensent que... | Most people think that... |
Common survey topics
Survey texts in French exams typically cover four main areas that are relevant to young people's lives:
School Topics School topics include favourite subjects, opinions about homework, exam stress, and educational preferences. You might read about which subjects students enjoy most or how they feel about different aspects of school life.
Lifestyle Topics Lifestyle topics focus on sport participation, technology use, food habits, and how young people spend their free time. These surveys often explore modern teenage behaviours and interests.
Preferences cover entertainment choices such as music, holidays, social media platforms, and leisure activities. These help you understand what different groups of people enjoy doing.
Frequency questions examine how often young people do certain activities, using words like always, often, sometimes, rarely, and never to describe regular behaviours and habits.
Types of questions you might encounter
Reading comprehension questions about surveys typically ask you to identify specific statistical information. You might need to determine what percentage of people expressed a particular opinion or which option received the most support.
Questions often ask about popularity rankings, requiring you to identify the most popular choice or the least favoured option among survey respondents.
You may be asked to interpret what survey results reveal about people's habits or attitudes, going beyond simple statistics to understand broader patterns.
Sample Question Interpretation:
Question: "Quel pourcentage des jeunes préfèrent le sport à la télévision?"
Step 1: Look for percentage data about sports vs television Step 2: Find the specific statistic (e.g., "65% des jeunes préfèrent le sport") Step 3: Provide the numerical answer: 65%
Comparison questions ask you to identify how many people agree or disagree with statements, or which group represents the majority or minority in the survey.
Finally, you might need to determine which demographic group forms the largest or smallest portion of respondents based on the data presented.
False friends and confusions
Watch Out for These Common Mistakes:
Actuellement means "currently" or "at present", not "actually" as you might expect.
Nombre can mean either "number" or "amount" in statistical contexts, but don't confuse it with nom, which means "name".
Figure appears in survey contexts meaning "number", "figure", or "statistic", nothing to do with appearance or shape.
Pour cent means "percent" and sounds like "for hundred", but it simply indicates a percentage.
Mois means "month" and should not be confused with moins, which means "less" - both words appear frequently in survey language but have completely different meanings.
Remember that numbers in surveys can appear as digits (70%) or written out in words (soixante-dix pour cent), and both formats may appear in the same text.
Strategies & tips
Focus on Statistical Data Focus your attention on numbers and percentages when reading survey texts, as these usually contain the answers to comprehension questions. Statistical data is the key information you need to extract.
Visual Elements Are Key Examine any charts or graphs carefully, paying special attention to labels and legends that explain what different elements represent. Visual elements often clarify the written text.
Look for frequency words like toujours, souvent, rarement, and jamais, which indicate how often people do certain activities. These words help you understand patterns of behaviour.
Check for comparison language including plus de, moins de, la majorité, and la minorité to understand relationships between different groups or options in the survey.
Pay attention to question words in comprehension tasks, as they tell you whether you need to find the most popular option, least popular choice, or specific percentage information.
Remember that surveys typically summarise opinions and general trends rather than providing detailed factual information. Focus on understanding overall patterns rather than expecting precise details.
When you encounter unfamiliar words, use context clues from surrounding numbers and familiar vocabulary to work out the meaning, especially when dealing with statistical language that follows predictable patterns.
Key Points to Remember:
- Survey texts focus on statistical information - look for numbers, percentages, and data comparisons
- Key vocabulary includes words for majority/minority, frequency, and agreement/disagreement
- Questions typically ask about popularity rankings, percentages, and what results show about habits
- Watch out for false friends like "actuellement" (currently) and number formats that can appear as digits or words
- Focus on charts, graphs, and statistical language rather than detailed descriptions when reading these texts