GCSE French Paper 4: the writing paper
Paper 4 is 25% of the GCSE and is out of 50 marks at both tiers. Foundation takes 1 hour 10 minutes and Higher 1 hour 15 minutes.
| Weight | 25% of the GCSE |
|---|---|
| Marks | 50 |
| Foundation | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Higher | 1 hour 15 minutes |
Foundation tier
- Question 1 (10 marks): five short sentences about a photo
- Question 2 (10 marks): about 50 words on five bullet points
- Question 3 (5 marks): five sentences, each with a missing word chosen from three
- Question 4 (10 marks): a translation into French of at least 35 words
- Question 5 (15 marks): about 90 words on three bullet points, a choice of two tasks
Higher tier
- Question 1 (10 marks): a translation into French of at least 50 words
- Question 2 (15 marks): about 90 words on three bullet points, a choice of two tasks (the same as Foundation Question 5)
- Question 3 (25 marks): about 150 words on two bullet points, a choice of two tasks
What a good answer does
It covers every bullet point, in the time frame the bullet asks for, with opinions and reasons, linking words and a range of verb forms, and it is checked for verb endings, agreement and accents.
Next step
Does the course mark my writing?
Mia gives feedback in four areas in practice terms (needs work, getting there, strong), with the words from your answer that show it and one change to make. It never gives a mark or a grade, and it never writes your French for you.
Is the photo question included?
No. Foundation Question 1 needs a photo, and the course has none. Every other question on both tiers is covered.