Short Messages (Junior Cert French): Revision Notes
Short Messages
What are short messages?
Short messages in French include postcards, emails, and text messages. These are informal pieces of writing used to communicate quickly with friends and family. In your Junior Cycle French exam, you might be asked to write a postcard from holiday, reply to an email from a friend, or compose a text message. These tasks test your ability to use everyday French expressions and communicate personal information in a relaxed, friendly style.
The purpose is to show you can maintain simple social contact using basic French structures. You'll typically need to share information about where you are, what you're doing, and your plans.
Short messages are specifically designed to test your ability to communicate in informal, everyday French rather than formal written French. This makes them more accessible but requires understanding of casual language patterns.
Guidelines for writing short messages
Short messages follow a simple three-part structure that makes them easy to write and understand. Start with a friendly greeting that matches the informal tone. Move into your main content, sharing information about your location, activities, or responding to questions. Finish with a warm closing that maintains the personal connection.
The Three-Part Structure:
- Greeting - Friendly opening (salut, coucou, cher/chère)
- Main content - Location, activities, plans, responses to questions
- Closing - Warm sign-off (bisous, à bientôt, à plus)
Keep your language simple and direct. Use present tense to describe what's happening now, past tense for yesterday's activities, and future tense for tomorrow's plans. One sentence for each time frame is usually sufficient. Remember that short messages prioritise clarity over complexity.
The register should always be informal since you're writing to people you know well. This means using casual greetings, relaxed expressions, and friendly sign-offs rather than formal business language.
Vocabulary bank
These essential words and phrases form the foundation of most short messages. Practice using them in different combinations to build fluency.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| salut / bonjour / coucou | hi / hello / hey |
| cher / chère | dear |
| merci pour... | thanks for... |
| j'écris pour... | I'm writing to... |
| je suis à... | I am in... |
| en vacances / en voyage | on holiday / on a trip |
| il fait beau / chaud / froid | the weather is nice / hot / cold |
| je loge dans... / je reste chez... | I'm staying in... / at... |
| hier / aujourd'hui / demain | yesterday / today / tomorrow |
| avec mes amis / ma famille | with my friends / my family |
| j'ai visité... / je vais visiter... | I visited... / I'm going to visit... |
| je vais bien / ça va bien | I'm well / things are going well |
| bisous / bises / à bientôt | kisses / hugs / see you soon |
| A+ / rdv / stp | see you later / meeting / please |
Phrase bank
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Salut, comment ça va ? | Hi, how are you? |
| Merci pour tonne email / ta carte postale | Thanks for your email / postcard |
| Je passe de super vacances en Espagne avec ma famille | I'm having a great holiday in Spain with my family |
| Hier, j'ai visité un musée intéressant | Yesterday, I visited an interesting museum |
| Aujourd'hui, il fait très chaud et je vais à la plage | Today, it's very hot and I'm going to the beach |
| Demain, nous allons faire du shopping en ville | Tomorrow, we're going shopping in town |
| Écris-moi bientôt ! | Write to me soon! |
| Bisous, à plus ! | Hugs, see you later! |
Worked Example: Complete Postcard Message
Salut Marie !
Merci pour tonne email. Je suis en vacances à Nice avec ma famille. Il fait très chaud et c'est super !
Hier, j'ai visité le musée d'art moderne. Aujourd'hui, je vais à la plage avec mes parents. Demain, nous allons faire du shopping en ville.
Écris-moi bientôt ! Bisous, à plus ! Tom
This example shows all three time frames (past, present, future), mentions location and weather, and uses the three-part structure perfectly.
Common topics in short messages
Short messages typically cover six main areas that reflect everyday social communication.
You'll often need to include greetings and openings that establish the friendly tone. Location and weather descriptions help paint a picture of where you are and what conditions are like.
Activities form the heart of most messages, covering what you did yesterday, what you're doing today, and your plans for tomorrow. This shows your ability to use different time frames in French. References to friends and family demonstrate social connections and provide context for your experiences.
Thanks and good wishes show politeness and maintain relationships. Finally, closing greetings provide a warm ending that encourages future contact.
False friends and common confusions
Watch Out for These Common Mistakes!
Several French words can trip up students because they look similar to English words or other French words:
The word "carte" means postcard, not menu or map (unless the context specifically indicates otherwise).
When arranging to meet someone, "rdv" (rendez-vous) means meeting or appointment, not necessarily something romantic.
Be careful with "jour" (day) versus "journée" (all day long).
Similarly, "magasin" means shop, not magazine (which is a publication).
The word "actuellement" means currently or at the moment, not "actually" (which would be "en fait" in French).
Remember that short messages use informal language, so openngs like "coucou" or "salut", and closings like "bisous" and "à plus" are perfectly normal and expected.
Strategies and tips
Always follow the three-part structure: greeting, main message, and closing. This framework ensures you don't miss any essential elements and helps organise your thoughts clearly.
Use a variety of time expressions to show your range. Include at least one sentence about the past (hier), present (aujourd'hui), and future (demain). This demonstrates your ability to handle different tenses without overcomplicating your writing.
Keep sentences short and straightforward. Examiners value clarity over complexity, so simple, correct French is better than ambitious attempts that contain errors.
Safe Stock Phrases to Remember: Use reliable stock phrases that you've practised. Expressions like "je vais bien," "il fait beau," and "j'écris pour te dire" are safe choices that always work well.
Show variety by mentioning place, activity, and weather together. This creates a complete picture and demonstrates your vocabulary range naturally.
Make sure you answer any specific questions in the prompt fully. If asked about yesterday's activities, include "hier" and use past tense. If asked about your location, mention where you're staying and with whom.
Common Student Errors to Avoid:
- Mixing formal and informal language
- Forgetting accent marks on key words like "à" and "ça"
- Using incorrect word order when placing adjectives
- Avoid these by practising set phrases and double-checking your basic grammar patterns
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Short messages need three parts: greeting, main content, and closing
- Keep the tone informal and friendly throughout your writing
- Use simple sentences with past, present, and future time references
- Include location, weather, and activities to show vocabulary range
- Answer all specific questions mentioned in the exam prompt