Current and future study and employment: My studies

AQA

GCSE

This study area demands mastery of the lexical and grammatical structures necessary to articulate educational experiences, future aspirations, and the specificities of the French education system. Candidates must navigate the transition from descriptive language regarding current studies to the hypothetical and future tenses required for career planning. Assessment focuses on the ability to compare the Anglophone and Francophone systems, specifically addressing the structure of 'le lycée', the significance of 'le Baccalauréat', and the distinct dualism of French higher education (Universités vs. Grandes Écoles).

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Award marks for explicit justification of opinions regarding school subjects using connectives (e.g., 'parce que', 'car', 'puisque').
Credit the accurate use of three time frames (past, present, future) when describing school routine or future study plans.
Candidates must demonstrate accurate adjectival agreement when describing teachers, facilities, or subjects (e.g., 'la chimie est intéressante').
Reward the use of complex structures such as 'si' clauses, 'avant de' + infinitive, or comparative structures in the 150-word writing task.

Example Examiner Feedback

Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

"You have listed subjects, now justify your preference using a comparative structure."
"Check your adjectival agreements; remember that 'matière' is feminine."
"You used the perfect tense, but ensure the auxiliary verb ('avoir' or 'être') is correct."
"To improve, replace basic connectives like 'et' with 'cependant' or 'en outre' to show flow."

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award marks for explicit justification of opinions regarding school subjects using connectives (e.g., 'parce que', 'car', 'puisque').
Credit the accurate use of three time frames (past, present, future) when describing school routine or future study plans.
Candidates must demonstrate accurate adjectival agreement when describing teachers, facilities, or subjects (e.g., 'la chimie est intéressante').
Reward the use of complex structures such as 'si' clauses, 'avant de' + infinitive, or comparative structures in the 150-word writing task.

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Ensure every bullet point in the writing task is covered explicitly to access the full range of marks for Content.
💡In the 150-word task, plan to include at least two complex structures (e.g., subjunctive, relative pronouns like 'qui' or 'que').
💡For translation tasks, identify the tense of the English sentence before attempting the French equivalent to avoid literal translation errors.
💡Use 'wow' adjectives (e.g., 'époustouflant', 'barbant') instead of generic ones ('bon', 'mauvais') to boost Vocabulary marks.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusion between 'le temps' (weather/duration) and 'l'heure' (clock time) or 'la fois' (frequency).
Incorrect position of adjectives (e.g., placing 'intéressant' before the noun instead of after).
Failure to conjugate verbs correctly in the third person plural (e.g., writing 'ils étudient' as 'ils étudie').
Over-reliance on 'c'est' without varying structures (e.g., failing to use 'je trouve ça' or 'à mon avis').

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Écris

Décris

Mentionne

Explique

Traduisez

Réponds

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