Pronunciation and intonation

    AQA
    GCSE

    Mastery of French phonology requires precise articulation of the distinct vowel inventory, particularly the nasal vowels and the uvular fricative [ʁ], alongside the correct application of suprasegmental features. Candidates must demonstrate control over the rhythmic group (le groupe rythmique), ensuring stress falls on the final syllable, and apply mandatory liaisons and elisions to maintain fluidity. Assessment focuses on the reduction of L1 interference, the ability to distinguish minimal pairs such as [y] vs [u], and the use of intonation to convey syntactic meaning and emotional nuance in spontaneous production.

    0
    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    5
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for the clear distinction between the phonemes /u/ (as in 'roue') and /y/ (as in 'rue') without ambiguity.
    • Credit the consistent suppression of silent final consonants (e.g., 't' in 'chat', 's' in 'dans') unless followed by a vowel (liaison).
    • Assess the correct articulation of nasal vowels (/ɑ̃/, /ɛ̃/, /ɔ̃/) ensuring air escapes through the nose, not just the mouth.
    • Reward rising intonation at the end of interrogative sentences and falling intonation for declarative statements.
    • Penalise the pronunciation of 'h' at the start of words (e.g., 'hôpital', 'homme'), which must remain silent.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "Your intonation was flat; ensure you raise your pitch at the end of questions to signal inquiry."
    • "You anglicised the vowel in 'tu'; practice rounding your lips tightly to produce the correct /y/ sound."
    • "Good fluency, but you sounded the 's' in 'dans'; remember the silent final consonant rule."
    • "Excellent use of liaison in 'nous avons'; try to apply this consistently with 'les' and 'des' before vowels."

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for the clear distinction between the phonemes /u/ (as in 'roue') and /y/ (as in 'rue') without ambiguity.
    • Credit the consistent suppression of silent final consonants (e.g., 't' in 'chat', 's' in 'dans') unless followed by a vowel (liaison).
    • Assess the correct articulation of nasal vowels (/ɑ̃/, /ɛ̃/, /ɔ̃/) ensuring air escapes through the nose, not just the mouth.
    • Reward rising intonation at the end of interrogative sentences and falling intonation for declarative statements.
    • Penalise the pronunciation of 'h' at the start of words (e.g., 'hôpital', 'homme'), which must remain silent.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡During the Photo Card preparation time, whisper difficult words to yourself to prime your articulators for the /y/ and /ʁ/ sounds.
    • 💡If you mispronounce a word, self-correct immediately; examiners are instructed to credit the corrected version.
    • 💡Use 'filler' sounds like 'euh' or 'alors' to maintain French intonation flow, rather than English pauses like 'um' or 'er'.
    • 💡Focus on the stress falling on the final syllable of the rhythmic group, not the first syllable as is common in English.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Pronouncing the final 'ent' in third-person plural verbs (e.g., 'ils jouent'), which must be silent.
    • Anglicising the letter 'r' instead of producing the uvular fricative /ʁ/.
    • Failing to make the liaison in obligatory contexts (e.g., pronouncing 'les amis' as two disjointed words rather than /lezami/).
    • Pronouncing 'th' as the English dental fricative rather than the hard /t/ (e.g., 'théâtre').

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Décrivez
    Parlez
    Répondez
    Posez
    Discutez
    Expliquez

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