Weather: Exam Skills (AQA GCSE French): Revision Note

You hear four people describing the weather.
Write the correct letter for each person.

A - snowing
B - raining
C - sunny
D - foggy

Answers:

Here are the correct answers:

1. B

   Aujourd’hui je ne sors pas parce qu’il pleut.

2. C

   Il y a du soleil donc on va à la plage. 

3. A

   C’est l’hiver, donc il neige beaucoup.

4. D

   Il ne faut pas conduire, il y a trop de brouillard.

As well as the weather phrases, there are additional clues in each sentence, e.g. ‘it’s winter …’, ‘you must not drive …’. Use context alongside your vocabulary knowledge to help you get the correct answer.

Prepare the following role-play.

1. Say what the weather is like today. (Give one detail.)

2. Say what you like to do when it rains. (Give one detail.)

3. Say something that you did recently in good weather. (Give one detail.)

4. Say what your favourite season is. (Give one detail.)

5. ? Ask your friend a question about the weather.

Answers:

Here are some example responses.

1. Il fait assez froid .

2. J’aime rester chez moi.

3. Je suis allée au parc.

4. Ma saison préférée, c’est l’été. 

5. Tu aimes la neige ?

Fatia is talking about the seasons where she lives. Answer the questions in English.

Ma saison préférée, c’est le printemps, parce que les arbres sont verts et qu’il y a beaucoup de fleurs. L’automne dernier, il faisait mauvais, donc j’espère qu’il fera beau cette année. Normalement il neige en hiver - je trouve ça un peu embêtant, parce qu’il faut rester à la maison.

1. Why is spring her favourite season? [2 marks]

2. What was the weather like last autumn? [1 mark]

3. What normally happens in winter? [1 mark]

4. What does she think of this, and why? [2 marks]

Answers:

Here are the correct answers.

1. the trees are green [1], there are lots of flowers [1]

   les arbres sont verts et qu’il y a beaucoup de fleurs

2. bad / not good / not nice

   il faisait mauvais

3. it snows

   il neige en hiver

4. it’s annoying [1] because you need to stay at home [1]

   je trouve ça un peu embêtant, parce qu’il faut rester à la maison

Always check the number of marks in brackets, as this indicates how many details are required. Check that you have included two pieces of information for question 1 and question 4.

Translate these sentences into French.

1. The climate in my country is very hot.

2. What is the weather like today?

3. It was very foggy yesterday.

4. When it snows, we play outside.

5. It will be too windy.

Answers:

1. Le climat dans mon pays est très chaud.

2. Quel temps fait-il aujourd’hui ?

3. Il y avait beaucoup de brouillard hier.

   This sentence cannot be translated literally because of the impersonal structure - we have to say ‘there was lots of fog’.

4. Quand il neige, nous jouons dehors. / Quand il neige, on joue dehors.

   Remember that there are two possible French words for ‘we’, but they use different verb endings.

5. Il y aura trop de vent.

   This sentence cannot be translated literally because of the impersonal structure - we have to say ‘there will be too much wind’.