A clear picture
Stephanie Keane, teacher at Yeats College Waterford, provides useful pointers to help students to prepare for the French Leaving Cert exam, including possible pitfalls
The Leaving Certificate Higher Level French paper is made up of the following sections. I have included an approximate time to be spent on each question. Time management is essential in the written paper to avoid rushing any part of the exam.
THE WRITTEN PAPER
Q1 contains two options and relates directly to the comprehension text. One option will be an abstract topic and the other a more topical issue. EXAMPLE 2017
Q1 – Why are more and more foreign tourists coming to Ireland?
Q2 – Describe a funny incident that happened in your school?
Which question is the easier option? In my opinion I would almost always go for the topical issue typically Q1 as you will have better vocabulary to use with this one.
Q2 can be one of the following: diary entry, an either formal or informal letter, a message, or an e-mail.
Which option should you go for? I would recommend the diary entry.
Then select one from Question 3 or 4.
Q3 contains two options both of which would be topical issues. Q4 contains two options both of which would be topical issues.
HOW TO WRITE A DIARY ENTRY 1. Start off by saying:
Cher journal Dear diary. Me revoilà Here I am again Devine? Guess what?
2. React to the question being asked so you are basically repeating the diary entry question in the ‘I’ form EXAMPLE: 2017 DIARY QUESTION En vous promenant dans la rue à Dublin, vous avez soudain vu un chanteur/un acteur (une chanteuse/une actrice) très célèbre. C’est une personne que vous admirez énormément. Alors, vous décidez de lui parler…… !
Whilst walking down the street in Dublin, you suddenly saw a very famous singer/actor. It is someone who you really admire. So, you decide to speak to him/her…
Change to:
En me promenant dans la rue à Dublin, j’ai soudain vu une actrice très célèbre…Emma Stone. Elle est une personne que j’admire énormément. Alors, j’ai décidé de lui parler……!
Whilst walking down the street in Dublin, I suddenly saw a very famous actor…Emma Stone. She is someone who I really admire. So, I decided to speak to her…