Future Plans: Work: Exam Skills (AQA GCSE French): Revision Note

Exam code: 8652

Amy Bates

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Amy Bates

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The topic of ‘future plans: work’ can appear in any of the exams - you might be asked to speak or write about yourself, or understand information about others. Let’s use the vocabulary, grammar and phonics we have seen so far to take a closer look at some typical exam questions and how you might tackle them.

Future plans: work: listening

Listening

In the listening exam, there will be some multiple-choice questions where you need to select a certain number of correct answers from all of the options provided. This question will help you to practise this.

Worked Example

You listen to Myriam and Tom talking about their future plans. What is important to them?

Write the two correct letters for each person.

A

earning money

B

holidays

C

helping others

D

travelling

E

meeting new people

F

developing new skills

  • Myriam

  • Tom

Myriam and Tom
00:00
/
00:00

Answers:

Here are the correct answers.

  • Myriam: C, A

    Dans le futur, je vais devenir médecin parce que j’aime aider les autres. Je veux un métier avec un bon salaire.

  • Tom: E, D

    Mon rêve, c’est de devenir journaliste. J’adore écrire des articles et rencontrer de nouvelles personnes, et je voudrais travailler à l’étranger.

Examiner Tips and Tricks

When presented with multiple-choice options, it is useful to note down the vocabulary in French before listening to help you to listen out for key words - these are indicated in bold in the answers above.

Future plans: work: speaking

In part 2 of the speaking exam, you will need to read aloud a text in French, and have a short conversation based on the topic of the text. Here are some sentences for you to practise reading aloud.

Worked Example

Read aloud these sentences in French.

Mon frère est facteur et ma mère est policière.
Je ne veux pas travailler dans un bureau.
Le stage a duré deux semaines.
Mes collègues étaient très sympathiques.  
Il y a beaucoup de concurrence dans le monde du travail.

Answer:

  • You should have identified the silent final -s in words such as pas, semaines, sympathiques

  • You should have pronounced the [-aill-] and [ail] sounds correctly

  • You should have remembered that the -ent ending on verbs is silent

Future plans: work: reading

It is important to be able to identify key information in the reading exam, but you don’t always need to understand every word. This question will help you to practise identifying key information.

Worked Example

You see some headlines in a French newspaper. Which headline matches each topic?

A

Comment choisir le bon apprentissage ?

B

Le rôle de la technologie au bureau

C

Comment trouver de nouveaux clients ?

D

Le salaire moyen des employés augmente

E

Un stage passionnant pour les futurs scientifiques 

  • Wages

  • Apprenticeships

  • Work experience

Answers:

The correct answers are:

  • Wages - D

    The headline means ‘workers’ average salary is increasing’

  • Apprenticeships - A

    The headline means ‘how to choose the right apprenticeship?’

  • Work experience - E

    The headline means ‘an exciting work experience placement for future scientists’

Future plans: work: writing

In the writing exam, you need to translate five English sentences into French. There are two marks per sentence. This question will help you to practise translating into French.

Here are some tips:

  • Translate meaning, but don't translate word-for-word

  • Check tenses carefully

  • Look out for false friends

  • Check if nouns are singular or plural

Worked Example

Translate the following sentences into French.

  1. I would like to become a secretary.

  2. My sisters used to work in a factory.

  3. She is a minister and earns a lot of money.

  4. We are going to do an apprenticeship.

  5. My parents are scientists.

Answers:
Here are the answers:

  1. Je voudrais devenir secrétaire.

  2. Mes sœurs travaillaient dans une usine.

    This sentence uses the imperfect (past) tense.

  3. Elle est ministre et gagne beaucoup d’argent.

  4. On va / nous allons faire un apprentissage.

    There are two possible words for 'we' in French.

  5. Mes parents sont scientifiques.

    The job is plural so ends in -s.

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Remember not to use articles with jobs in French.

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Amy Bates

Author: Amy Bates

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