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Listening: how to get the marks – GCSE French

Foundation and Higher · Grade 4

Use the reading time, predict, catch numbers and times, spot tense, negatives and changes of mind, take notes and write clear answers.

Objectives

Explained

What the listening paper looks like

Each recording is played twice. There is time to read the questions before the recording starts and short pauses to write. The recording contains different speakers: announcements, phone messages, conversations, interviews and presentations. Some sections have questions in English, to be answered in English or with a tick. Others have questions in French, to be answered in French or with a tick.

Question types: multiple choice, matching, fill in the blanks, short answers, grids and ticks. You score marks for exact information, so numbers, times, names and reasons matter. Tap the words to hear them.

Use the reading time

Read each question and underline the key words. Decide what kind of answer you need: a number, a time, a place, a reason, an opinion. Predict words you may hear: for "How much?" think «euros», «cher»; for "When?" think «lundi», «à huit heures»; for "Why?" think «parce que». Look at multiple-choice options and think of the French for each.

For the Higher paper, notice phrases which hint at a contrast: «Pourquoi pas ?» may be followed by «mais». Use the question order: the answers come in the same order as the questions. Do not worry if you miss one answer: carry on listening for the next.

Check

A question says "At what time does the film start?" Which French words do you expect?

  1. à vingt heures, commence
  2. parce que, car
  3. hier, demain
Show answer

à vingt heures, commence A time question is answered with an hour and a verb like commence.

Numbers, times, dates and prices

Numbers are the most common source of lost marks. Listen for the key patterns: 70 is «soixante-dix», 71 is «soixante et onze», 80 is «quatre-vingts», 90 is «quatre-vingt-dix», 99 is «quatre-vingt-dix-neuf». 16 is «seize», 6 is «six», 15 is «quinze», 50 is «cinquante». Prices: «douze euros cinquante» is 12.50. Time: «dix-sept heures quarante-cinq» is 17.45. Dates: «le trente et un mai» is 31 May.

Write digits as you hear them, not words. Check that the number makes sense in context: a ticket for 115 euros is odd, but 15 euros is possible. If you hear two numbers, check which one answers the question. For example: «Le train de dix-sept heures a été retardé : il partira à dix-sept heures vingt» means the departure time is 17.20.

Tense, negatives and opinions

Listen to verb forms and time words to know when. «Hier» and «j'ai» point to the past; «je vais», «demain» to the future; «je voudrais» to a wish. A question may ask what someone did and what they plan to do, so keep the two apart. Listen for negatives: «ne … pas», «ne … jamais», «ne … rien», «personne ne». A negative changes the answer completely.

Opinions: «j'adore», «j'aime bien», «ça me plaît», «je n'aime pas du tout», «c'est nul», «c'est génial», «je trouve ça ennuyeux». Intensity words matter: «très», «un peu», «trop», «assez». If a speaker is hesitant, they may say «euh», «alors», «enfin». These tell you the answer is coming next.

Check

You hear "Je n'aime pas du tout la musique classique". What does the speaker think?

  1. They really dislike classical music.
  2. They like classical music a lot.
  3. They like it a little.
Show answer

They really dislike classical music. Ne … pas du tout is not at all.

Distractors and changes of mind

Many questions have a trap: the speaker mentions several things and only one answers the question. Listen for the whole message, not the first thing you hear. A speaker may say «Je voulais aller au cinéma, mais finalement on a décidé de rester à la maison»: the answer to "What did they do?" is stayed at home. Words that signal a change: «mais», «cependant», «pourtant», «finalement», «en fait», «par contre», «sauf».

Another trap: two people give different opinions. Write down who said what. Use names or pronouns: «moi, je», «mon frère, lui». If you are asked for "the main reason", listen for «surtout», «le plus important», «la raison principale». If a speaker corrects themselves («non, pardon, dix-sept et non seize»), write the corrected answer.

Taking notes and writing answers

During the first play, jot down key words, not sentences: «mardi 17h», «15 €», «pas aimé». During the pause, turn your notes into answers. In English answers, be precise: "at 7.30 am" not "morning". In French answers, keep it short and spelled correctly where you can, but meaning counts more than spelling in most questions.

For ticking boxes, cross out options as you hear them rule themselves out. Do not tick more boxes than allowed. If you change your mind, cross out clearly. Never leave a blank: a guess may earn the mark. Use the second play to check, not to start from scratch.

Check

What is the best way to note a price while listening?

  1. Write the digits, for example 15.50 €.
  2. Write the whole sentence.
  3. Write nothing until the end.
Show answer

Write the digits, for example 15.50 €. Digits are quick and exactly what the answer needs.

Sound and spelling (dictation)

Some papers include a short dictation, where you write what you hear. Learn the sound-spelling links. Words that sound the same but are spelled differently: «a» and «à», «et» and «est», «on» and «ont», «ce» and «se», «son» and «sont», «ou» and «où», «la» and «là». The meaning of the sentence tells you which to write: «Il a un chat» (has) and «Il va à Paris» (to).

Silent letters: the final -s, -t, -d, -x and -ent of verbs are often silent: «ils parlent», «il parle» sound the same. Learn the accents: «é» (café), «è» (père), «ê» (fête), «à», «ù», «ç». Liaison joins a final consonant to the next vowel: «les amis» (lezami), «vous avez» (vouzavé). Practise by listening and writing short sentences, then check the spelling.

Exam tips: listening

Stay calm if you miss something. Keep listening: the next answer may be easy. Write something for every question. For multiple choice, rule out options before choosing. In the second play, check the details you were unsure about. If you hear a number you do not know, write the digits you caught and use the context.

Practise every week with short recordings (radio, news, podcasts for learners). Listen once for the gist and again for detail. Practise numbers daily: dates, prices, times, phone numbers. Learn the common question words: «quand», «où», «pourquoi», «comment», «combien», «qui», «quel», because they tell you what the question wants.

Check

You hear a speaker correct themselves: "C'est à dix heures, non, pardon, à onze heures." What is the answer?

  1. 11.00
  2. 10.00
  3. 12.00
Show answer

11.00 The speaker corrected the time to onze heures.

Key points

Worked examples

Example 1

You hear "quatre-vingt-cinq". Write the number.

  1. Quatre-vingts is 80.
  2. Cinq is 5.
  3. 80 + 5 = 85.

Answer: 85

Common slips
  • Slip: 40 Quatre-vingt is 4 × 20.
  • Slip: 15 Cinq is 5.
  • Slip: 45 Add them.

Example 2

You hear "Le train de dix-sept heures quinze part du quai trois." Write the time and the platform.

  1. Dix-sept heures quinze is 17.15.
  2. Part du quai trois is leaves from platform 3.
  3. Put it together.

Answer: 17.15, platform 3

Common slips
  • Slip: 7.15 Dix-sept is 17.
  • Slip: platform 13 Trois is 3.
  • Slip: 17.50 Quinze is 15.

Example 3

You hear "On voulait aller à la plage, mais il pleuvait, donc on est restés à la maison et on a regardé un film." What did they do?

  1. "On voulait aller à la plage" is they wanted to go to the beach.
  2. "Mais il pleuvait" is but it was raining.
  3. "On est restés à la maison et on a regardé un film" is they stayed at home and watched a film.

Answer: They stayed at home and watched a film.

Common slips
  • Slip: they went to the beach Voulait is wanted, not went.
  • Slip: and it was sunny Mais signals a contrast.
  • Slip: they went to the cinema Regardé un film at home.

Questions and answers

Try each one, then open the answer.

Question 1 Easy

Write in digits: soixante-quinze

Show answer

Answer: 75

  1. 60 + 15.
  2. Soixante-quinze.

Question 2 Easy

Write in digits: quatre-vingt-dix-neuf

Show answer

Answer: 99

  1. 80 + 19 = 99.
  2. Quatre-vingt-dix-neuf.

Question 3 Easy

Which word do you write: Il ___ un frère. (has: a or à)

Show answer

Answer: a

  1. A is the verb has.
  2. À is to or at.

Question 4 Easy

Which word do you write: ___ habites-tu ? (where: ou or où)

Show answer

Answer: où

  1. Où is where.
  2. Ou is or.

Question 5 Medium

Write the time in digits (24-hour clock): dix-sept heures quarante-cinq

Show answer

Answer: 17.45

  1. Dix-sept is 17.
  2. Quarante-cinq is 45.

Question 6 Medium

Write the price in digits: douze euros cinquante

Show answer

Answer: 12.50

  1. Douze is 12.
  2. Cinquante is 50.

Question 7 Medium

Which word do you write: Ils ___ avec leurs amis. (are: son or sont)

Show answer

Answer: sont

  1. Sont is are.
  2. Son is his or her.

Question 8 Medium

You hear "pas du tout". What does it mean?

Show answer

Answer: not at all

  1. Pas du tout is not at all.
  2. It is stronger than pas.

Question 9 Hard

You hear "Je voulais acheter la veste, mais elle était trop chère, donc j'ai acheté un pull." What did the speaker buy?

Show answer

Answer: a jumper

  1. Mais signals the change.
  2. J'ai acheté un pull.

Question 10 Hard

You hear "C'est à neuf heures, non, pardon, à dix heures." At what time is it?

Show answer

Answer: 10 o'clock

  1. The speaker corrected themselves.
  2. Dix heures is 10.

Question 11 Hard

You hear "Il ne mange jamais de viande, mais il adore le poisson." What does he like?

Show answer

Answer: fish

  1. Ne ... jamais is never.
  2. Adore le poisson is loves fish.

Question 12 Hard

You hear "Si j'avais su, je serais venue plus tôt." What does she regret?

Show answer

Answer: not coming earlier

  1. Si + pluperfect.
  2. Serais venue plus tôt is would have come earlier.

Exam-style questions

Longer tasks with the marking points. These are Yumio practice questions.

Exam-style question 15 marks

You hear: "Le concert commence à vingt heures trente et les billets coûtent quinze euros. Je n'aime pas du tout le rock, mais j'adore le jazz." (a) At what time does the concert start? (b) How much are the tickets? (c) What does the speaker like? [5 marks]

Show answer

Answer: (a) 20.30 (b) 15 euros (c) jazz

  1. Vingt heures trente is 20.30.
  2. Quinze euros.
  3. Adore le jazz.
  • Mark (2): 20.30 (8.30 pm)
  • Mark (1): 15 euros
  • Mark (2): Jazz (1); not rock (1)

Exam-style question 26 marks

You hear: "J'aurais voulu partir en vacances en Italie, mais mes parents ont décidé de rester en France parce que le voyage coûtait trop cher. Finalement, nous sommes allés en Bretagne et c'était génial." (a) What did the speaker want? (b) Why did they not go? (c) Where did they go and what was it like? [6 marks]

Show answer

Answer: (a) To go to Italy (b) Too expensive (c) Brittany, great

  1. J'aurais voulu is would have liked.
  2. Trop cher is too expensive.
  3. Finalement signals the outcome.
  • Mark (2): Wanted to go on holiday to Italy
  • Mark (2): The trip was too expensive
  • Mark (2): They went to Brittany and it was great

Common mistakes

  1. Writing 16 for seize when it was six

    Seize is 16, six is 6: listen to the ending.

  2. Taking the first number you hear

    Check which number answers the question.

  3. Ignoring ne ... pas

    A negative reverses the meaning.

  4. Leaving a blank

    A sensible guess may score.

  5. Writing a sentence instead of digits

    Write digits to save time.

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