Subjects — Le français, les maths, l'histoire and les sciences name school subjects. J'aime les sciences means I like science; ma matière préférée est l'histoire means my favourite subject is history. School subjects and languages normally use lower-case initials in French.
Opinions with reasons — Les maths sont utiles mais difficiles means Maths is useful but difficult. Les maths takes a plural verb and adjective here; le français est intéressant is singular. Explain an opinion with parce que rather than listing adjectives without a reason.
Timetables — J'ai français à neuf heures means I have French at nine. Le lundi means on Mondays as a routine; lundi can mean this/next/last Monday depending on tense and context. Midi is noon and minuit midnight. Check the whole timetable before answering a time question.
Places and facilities — Il y a une bibliothèque mais il n'y a pas de piscine means There is a library but no swimming pool. Où est la salle de classe ? asks where the classroom is. Dans and près de mean in and near; directions need a clear starting point.
Rules — Il faut porter un uniforme means You must wear a uniform. On ne doit pas utiliser son portable means We must not use our phone. Doit is the conjugated modal; utiliser stays infinitive. Discuss a rule and its reason rather than assuming all schools have the same system.
Learning and future choices
School experience — Je travaille bien en classe means I work well in class. Je fais mes devoirs après le dîner means I do my homework after dinner. Bien is an adverb describing how you work; bon/bonne describes a noun. Mes devoirs is plural for homework.
Past and present — Avant, mon collège était petit; maintenant, il est plus grand means My school used to be small; now it is bigger. Hier, j'ai passé un examen means Yesterday I took an exam. Passer un examen is to take it; réussir un examen is to pass it successfully.
Plans after school — Je vais continuer mes études means I am going to continue my studies. Je voudrais travailler à l'étranger means I would like to work abroad. Explain the intended route without inventing a school-specific requirement or making je voudrais a certainty.
Jobs — Je veux être médecin means I want to be a doctor. French normally omits un/une after être with an unmodified profession. Il est professeur, but c'est un bon professeur uses an article with the description. Job titles and gender forms need appropriate context.
Job qualities — Pour être serveur, il faut être patient means To be a waiter, you need to be patient. Parce que j'aime aider les autres links a preference to a role. A salary is un salaire; un emploi is a job. Distinguish personal preference from a factual job requirement.
Work and application
Work experience — J'ai travaillé dans un magasin pendant une semaine means I worked in a shop for a week. J'ai aidé les clients means I helped the customers. Describe completed duties with the perfect, then evaluate: c'était fatigant mais utile, it was tiring but useful.
Requests — Je cherche un emploi means I am looking for a job. Est-ce que je peux vous poser une question ? means May I ask you a question? Use vous with an unfamiliar employer. Polite language should still answer the actual task rather than fill space.
Reading an advert — Travail le samedi, de neuf heures à midi, expérience non nécessaire describes Saturday work from nine until noon with no experience required. Non nécessaire reverses the apparent requirement. Extract day, hours and conditions separately before choosing an answer.
Comparing options — Je préfère travailler dehors plutôt que dans un bureau means I prefer working outside rather than in an office. Ce travail est moins bien payé means This job is less well paid. Compare the specified feature; a preference is not evidence that one route suits everyone.
Extended task — Write a school or work response addressing each supplied bullet, with a justified opinion, a past event and a future plan where requested. Underline conjugated verbs and check subject agreement. A partner should ask a related unprepared question.
Learning subjects and materials — Les maths, les sciences, l'histoire and les langues mean maths, science, history and languages. J'écris dans mon cahier avec un stylo means I write in my exercise book with a pen. Un cours is a lesson/course; une classe can be a class or classroom group. J'ai besoin d'un livre means I need a book: keep de in avoir besoin de rather than copying English word order.
School difficulties and support — Je trouve les examens difficiles means I find exams difficult; j'ai peur de faire des erreurs means I am afraid of making mistakes. Je demande de l'aide à ma professeure means I ask my teacher for help. Une bonne note is a good mark; une mauvaise note is a poor mark. Explain a difficulty and a practical response, keeping adjective agreement with note rather than with the pupil.
Routes after school — Je veux continuer mes études means I want to continue my studies; je vais chercher un emploi means I am going to look for a job. Une formation is training; un apprentissage can mean an apprenticeship or the process of learning. Compare the activities described in a source instead of assuming every French-speaking education system matches the UK's qualifications.
Work duties and conditions — Je travaille dans un magasin; je sers les clients means I work in a shop; I serve the customers. Un bureau is an office or desk, and un hôpital a hospital. L'emploi est à temps partiel means The job is part-time. Check les horaires, working times, and le salaire, pay: a higher salary does not tell you whether the hours suit the applicant.
Application details — Je suis disponible le samedi et j'aime travailler en équipe means I am available on Saturdays and like working in a team. Je suis ponctuel/ponctuelle describes punctuality; j'apprends vite means I learn quickly. In an imagined application, support one quality with an example and answer the advert's actual availability requirement. Disponible does not change between masculine and feminine singular.
Test yourself
30 questions · Random sets of 10. These quick checks support revision; practise longer explanations and justified judgements too.
Mind map
Use the branches to recall the ideas and explain their connections. Check the revision notes for the full detail.
FR3 · 1
View FR3 · 1 mind mapOpen the full-size map to zoom. Use the printable view for A4 landscape or enlarge to A3.
Mr Kidman's Classroom
