How to Score Higher in AQA A Level French (7652)

• •Manipulate the grammar — change person (first to third), change word order, change tense, or reformulate as a question — but do NOT merely swap individual vocabulary items as this distorts meaning without earning AO3
• •Address each bullet point specifically — content that goes off-topic still counts toward the 90-word limit but earns no AO1
• •Stop at 90 words. Do not write an introductory sentence; it wastes words and earns nothing
• •Use the five-minute reading window to plan each bullet in your own words before writing — do not plan to copy phrases

• •Check adjectival agreements on every adjective — singular/plural and masculine/feminine (eg la situation tendue, not tendu)
• •Identify where a subjunctive or conditional is required (pour qu'ils puissent, il hésiterait) and deploy it deliberately
• •The correct sequence of tenses for conditional sentences (si + imparfait → conditionnel) trips many students — prepare this pattern in advance
• •Learn high-frequency problem vocabulary: mène (leads to), bagarres (fights), a rendu/a empiré (has made worse), obtiendront/gagneront (will obtain)

• •Read the question carefully and answer only what is asked — do NOT produce a recycled essay and do NOT open with author biography or historical background
• •Use quotations only when they directly support a specific analytical point — irrelevant or inaccurate quotations hurt rather than help; paraphrase ('Lou dit que…') if you are unsure of exact wording
• •Avoid pure narration: each paragraph must contain analysis and evaluation, not plot summary
• •Demonstrate range and accuracy in language: complex structures (subjunctive, conditional, relative clauses) handled correctly impress for AO3; anglicised constructions harm marks

• •Do not describe the photograph — marks for AO2 come only from printed text including the heading above the visual
• •Ask your two questions to the examiner within the first 6 minutes of Part 1 (capping rule applies if you do not); write them during prep time
• •In the IRP presentation begin immediately with findings — do not explain why you chose the topic or list what you will say; it scores nothing
• •In the IRP discussion, avoid rehearsed monologue answers — stage-managed exchanges lack spontaneity and limit AO1 marks

Render the English text into French box-by-box. Every adjectival agreement, preposition, subjunctive and tense must be correct. Mine the accompanying French support text for vocabulary and gender clues.

“There was sometimes a lack of adjectival agreements (eg vulnérables). The subjunctive was often missed in pour qu'ils puissent.”

Render the French passage into clear, accurate English that conveys the full meaning. Tenses, negatives and 'little words' (depuis, davantage, en proie) must all be accurately rendered.

“Depuis was often rendered as ‘since’ rather than ‘for’ and provoquent was not translated as ‘has provoked’ or ‘has been provoking’”

Summarise in your own French words within a 90-word maximum, addressing each bullet point. Marked for AO1 (content accuracy) and AO3 (grammatical manipulation of the original).

“many lost at least one mark by exceeding the 90 words”

Answer the question in French with only the information required. Full sentences are not necessary. The rubric tests precise understanding of specific details in the listening or reading text.

Write a structured analytical essay (~300 words) on a prescribed text or film, directly addressing the question set. Argue, evaluate and use textual evidence — do NOT narrate or summarise. Marked for AO3 (language) and AO4 (critical analytical content).

“The most successful essays were those where students had carefully considered the scope of the question on the paper and had planned a fully relevant response.”

Deliver a ~2-minute presentation on your Individual Research Project topic. Outline key findings with brief evaluative comments. Must be about the francophone world and relevant to the title on the CRF.

“The presentation is about outlining key findings from the research and there is a very useful section in the specification where the mark scheme descriptors are amplified.”