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A plan for the structured writing task of about 90 words with four bullet points: cover every point, explain opinions, use three time frames and stay accurate.
The 90 word task gives you a context (for example, a message to a French friend or an article for a school magazine) and four bullet points. You must answer every point, with about 90 words. The examiner marks content (how well you cover the points, give information and opinions) and the quality of your language (vocabulary, structures, tenses, accuracy and register).
The bullet points often include a past event, a present description, an opinion and a future plan. Read them carefully: the tense is built into the bullet. Plan to write about 20 to 25 words for each. Tap the words to hear them.
Spend two minutes planning. Underline the key words in each bullet. Write a tiny plan in the margin: one idea, one reason and one tense for each. For example, for "my school": present («mon collège est…»), opinion («j'aime… parce que…»), past («l'année dernière…»), future («l'année prochaine…»). Choose vocabulary you know: do not plan to use words you cannot spell.
Then write in four short paragraphs or four clear blocks, one per bullet point. Start each with a different time phrase. This shows the examiner that you have covered every point. Write the numbers of the bullet points in your plan so that you do not miss one. Count roughly: two lines per bullet is about 90 words.
Which is the best use of the planning time?
Underline the key words and decide the tense for each bullet. A short plan guarantees you cover every point in the right tense.
The most reliable pattern is: opinion + reason + example. «J'aime le sport parce que ça me détend. Par exemple, je joue au foot deux fois par semaine.» Use different opening phrases: «à mon avis», «je pense que», «je trouve que», «pour moi». Use different reasons: «parce que», «car», «puisque», «grâce à», «à cause de». Use different adjectives: «génial», «fatigant», «utile», «intéressant», «passionnant».
Add contrast: «Cependant, …», «Par contre, …», «En revanche, …», «Bien que ce soit difficile, …». Add more: «De plus, …», «En plus, …», «D'ailleurs, …». Each of these lifts your range. Add detail: who, when, where, how often. A sentence like «Je joue au foot avec mes amis tous les samedis» is better than «Je joue au foot».
To reach the top band you need references to the past, the present and the future, and they must be largely successful. A reliable set: present («je suis», «j'aime», «il y a»), perfect («j'ai visité», «je suis allé»), imperfect for description («c'était», «il faisait beau»), near future («je vais voyager») and conditional («je voudrais», «ce serait»).
Make the tenses natural, not forced: for a holiday, use the perfect for what you did («j'ai nagé»), the imperfect for the weather («il faisait chaud»), the present for your opinion («je pense que c'est génial»), and the future for the next trip («l'été prochain, j'irai en Italie»). Check each verb: auxiliary, participle, agreement.
Which set of verbs covers three time frames?
j'habite, j'ai visité, je vais partir Present, perfect and near future are three time frames.
Use a good range of linking words, not just «et». Time: «d'abord», «ensuite», «puis», «après», «enfin», «quand», «pendant que». Cause and result: «parce que», «car», «donc», «alors». Contrast: «mais», «cependant», «pourtant», «par contre». Addition: «de plus», «en plus», «aussi». Condition: «si», «même si», «bien que».
Also vary the verbs and nouns. Avoid repeating «faire», «avoir» and «être» in every sentence. Try «pratiquer», «découvrir», «apprendre», «profiter de», «s'amuser», «se détendre». Use one or two more complex structures when you are confident: «après avoir mangé, …», «en regardant…, je…», «ce qui me plaît, c'est…», «si j'avais le choix, je…».
Accuracy earns marks and lack of it costs them. Check: each verb agrees with its subject; the perfect has an auxiliary (avoir or être) and the right participle; être verbs agree; adjectives agree; articles are right (le, la, les, du, de la, de after negatives); prepositions are right (à, en, au, dans); accents are in place; the negative has both parts; capital letters are not used for days or months.
Do a final check of every sentence. Look at three things in turn: verbs first, then nouns and adjectives, then spelling and accents. If a structure is risky, simplify it: a correct simple sentence beats an incorrect complex one. Cross out neatly. Keep about 90 words, a little more or less is fine.
Which sentence is correct?
Mes amies sont allées à la plage. Aller uses être and the participle agrees with the feminine plural subject.
Task: "Talk about your school." Model (about 90 words, Foundation): «Mon collège est grand et moderne. Il y a mille élèves et les professeurs sont sympas. J'aime l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant, mais je n'aime pas les maths parce que c'est difficile. L'année dernière, j'ai participé à un voyage scolaire à Paris et c'était génial. J'ai visité le Louvre. L'année prochaine, je vais étudier l'espagnol et je voudrais faire un échange.»
Model (Higher): «Mon collège est assez grand et j'y suis depuis quatre ans. Ce que j'aime le plus, c'est l'histoire, car le professeur nous passionne. Bien que les devoirs soient parfois fatigants, j'apprends beaucoup. L'année dernière, j'ai participé à un échange et j'ai rencontré des gens formidables. Si j'avais plus de temps, je ferais du théâtre. L'année prochaine, j'irai au lycée et je voudrais étudier les langues.»
Use your time: about 5 minutes planning, 15 minutes writing and 5 minutes checking. Do not write much more than 90 words, because that takes time and adds errors. If you write fewer, make sure that you have still covered all four bullet points. If you are given a choice of questions, choose the one for which you know the vocabulary.
Learn two or three fixed phrases for each time frame so that you can use them without thinking. Practise with past exam tasks, then mark yourself against the criteria: content and quality of language. If one bullet point is hard, write a simple, correct answer. A basic correct answer to every point beats a brilliant answer to three.
How should you divide the planning time for four bullet points?
One idea, reason and tense for each bullet. This guarantees even coverage of the points.
Write three sentences about your school: say what it is like, one opinion with a reason and one past event.
Answer: Mon collège est grand. J'aime l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant. L'année dernière, j'ai visité Paris avec l'école.
Write four sentences about sport: present, opinion, past and future.
Answer: Je joue au foot le samedi. J'adore ça parce que c'est amusant. L'année dernière, j'ai gagné un match. L'année prochaine, je vais jouer en équipe.
Write a paragraph of about 45 words about holidays with a contrast, a si clause and three time frames.
Answer: L'été dernier, je suis allé à Nice et il faisait très chaud. Cependant, le voyage était fatigant. Si j'avais plus d'argent, je partirais plus souvent, et l'été prochain, j'irai en Italie.
Try each one, then open the answer.
Translate into French: I like my school because the teachers are nice.
Answer: J'aime mon collège parce que les professeurs sont sympas
Translate into French: Last year I went to Paris.
Answer: L'année dernière, je suis allé à Paris
Translate into French: Next year I am going to learn Spanish.
Answer: L'année prochaine, je vais apprendre l'espagnol
Translate into French: For example, I play football on Saturdays.
Answer: Par exemple, je joue au foot le samedi
Translate into French: However, it is sometimes tiring.
Answer: Cependant, c'est parfois fatigant
Translate into French: What I like most is history, because the teacher is fascinating.
Answer: Ce que j'aime le plus, c'est l'histoire, car le professeur est passionnant
Translate into French: If I had more time, I would play more sport.
Answer: Si j'avais plus de temps, je ferais plus de sport
Translate into French: Although the homework is tiring, I learn a lot.
Answer: Bien que les devoirs soient fatigants, j'apprends beaucoup
Translate into French: Last summer I went to Spain, it was hot and I swam every day, but I did not like the food.
Answer: L'été dernier, je suis allé en Espagne, il faisait chaud et j'ai nagé tous les jours, mais je n'ai pas aimé la nourriture
Translate into French: After finishing my homework, I relax while listening to music.
Answer: Après avoir fini mes devoirs, je me détends en écoutant de la musique
Translate into French: My dream would be to work abroad, because languages are useful and I would like to meet people from other cultures.
Answer: Mon rêve serait de travailler à l'étranger, car les langues sont utiles et je voudrais rencontrer des gens d'autres cultures
Which connective means "on the other hand" and starts a contrast? (one or two words)
Answer: en revanche
Longer tasks with the marking points. These are Yumio practice questions.
Write about 50 words in French about your school. Say what it is like, what you like, what you did last year and what you will do next year. [5 marks]
Answer: Mon collège est grand. J'aime l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant. L'année dernière, j'ai visité Paris avec l'école et c'était génial. L'année prochaine, je vais étudier l'espagnol.
Write about 90 words in French about sport and health. Include what you do, an opinion with reasons, a past experience and a plan. Use at least two connectives and one complex structure. [6 marks]
Answer: Je fais du sport tous les week-ends, car ça me détend. Ce que j'aime le plus, c'est la natation parce que c'est bon pour la santé. Cependant, c'est parfois fatigant. L'année dernière, j'ai participé à une compétition et j'ai gagné. Si j'avais plus de temps, je m'entraînerais tous les jours. L'année prochaine, j'irai à un club.
Missing a bullet point
Plan so that each point has its own paragraph.
Opinions with no reasons
Add parce que and a reason.
Only the present tense
Add a past and a future sentence.
Repeating et every time
Use a range of connectives.
Writing 150 words with many errors
Aim for about 90 words, accurate.
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