Study Notes
Overview
This guide focuses on a core skill for your WJEC GCSE French exam: describing events and experiences. This is vital for both the writing and speaking papers, where candidates are frequently asked to recount holidays, celebrations, or school trips. Examiners are looking for your ability to control different past tenses, express and justify opinions, and structure your account coherently. Marks are awarded for accuracy, range of language, and clear communication. Mastering this topic isn't just about grammar; it's about becoming a confident storyteller in French.
Key Grammatical Concepts
The Three Time Frames
To score highly, you must show you can manipulate time frames. While this topic focuses on the past, referencing the present and future demonstrates linguistic flair.
The Perfect Tense (Passé Composé)
What it is: Your primary tool for narrating specific, completed actions in the past.
How to form it: Subject + Auxiliary Verb (avoir or être) + Past Participle.
Why it matters: This is the backbone of any narrative account. Accurate formation and use are non-negotiable for a passing grade. Credit is given for correctly choosing between avoir and être and for agreeing the past participle with être verbs.
The Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)
What it is: Used for descriptions, setting the scene, and talking about ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
Examples: 'Il faisait beau' (The weather was nice), 'La maison était grande' (The house was big), 'Quand j'étais jeune, je jouais au foot' (When I was young, I used to play football).
Why it matters: Using the imparfait alongside the passé composé shows sophistication. It allows you to paint a picture for the examiner, not just list events. For instance: 'Il pleuvait (imparfait) quand je suis sorti (passé composé)' - It was raining when I went out.
Expressing and Justifying Opinions
Simply stating what happened is not enough for top marks. You must link events to your personal reaction and explain why you felt that way.
Formula for Success: Event + Opinion + Justification.
- Event: L'année dernière, j'ai visité Paris.
- Opinion: C'était absolument inoubliable.
- Justification: ...parce que j'ai vu la Tour Eiffel et j'ai mangé des crêpes délicieuses.