Grammar – AS Level: Numerals — WJEC A-Level French

Numerals in French (les nombres) are a fundamental aspect of grammar at AS Level, covering cardinal numbers (e.g., un, deux, trois) and ordinal numbers (e.g., premier, deuxième). This topic is essential for expressing quantities, dates, times, prices, and rankings in both written and spoken French. Mastery of numerals is crucial for achieving accuracy in everyday communication and for handling exam tasks such as listening comprehension, reading, and translation.

In the WJEC A-Level French specification, numerals appear across all four skill areas. You will need to recognise and produce numbers in contexts like telling the time (il est trois heures), giving dates (le 14 juillet), discussing ages (j'ai dix-huit ans), and using ordinal numbers for positions (la première leçon). Understanding the unique features of French numerals—such as the use of 'et' in 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, and the complex forms for 70 (soixante-dix), 80 (quatre-vingts), and 90 (quatre-vingt-dix)—is key to avoiding common errors.

This topic also connects to broader grammatical concepts like agreement (e.g., cent vs. cents, million vs. millions) and the use of hyphens in compound numbers. By solidifying your knowledge of numerals, you will improve your fluency and accuracy, which directly impacts your performance in writing and speaking assessments. Moreover, numerals frequently appear in exam texts about statistics, economics, and cultural topics, making this a high-yield area for revision.

• →Cardinal numbers: Learn the base numbers (0-20), tens (20-100), and the pattern for numbers 21-99, including the use of 'et' (e.g., vingt et un, trente et un) and hyphens (e.g., vingt-deux).
• →Ordinal numbers: Form most ordinals by adding -ième to the cardinal (e.g., quatre → quatrième), but note irregulars: premier/première, second(e), and the dropping of 'e' in cinquième and neuvième.
• →Special cases: 70 (soixante-dix), 80 (quatre-vingts, but quatre-vingt-un), 90 (quatre-vingt-dix). Also, 100 (cent) becomes cents when multiplied and not followed by another number (e.g., deux cents but deux cent un).
• →Agreement: Million, milliard, etc. are nouns and take 'de' before a noun (e.g., un million de personnes) and pluralise (e.g., deux millions). Cent and vingt only take an 's' when multiplied and not followed by another number (e.g., quatre-vingts but quatre-vingt-dix).
• →Use in context: Dates (le premier mai, le deux juin), time (il est deux heures et quart), age (j'ai vingt ans), and prices (ça coûte dix euros).

• Award credit for correct application of the plural 's' on 'vingt' and 'cent' only when they are multiplied and not followed by another number.
• Credit given for correct hyphenation in compound numbers (e.g., 'vingt-et-un', 'soixante-dix-neuf') and for omitting hyphens around 'et' only when that conjunction is used.
• Expect precise distinction between 'seconde' (in a series of only two) and 'deuxième' (in a series of more than two) where relevant.
• In written production, reward consistent use of a comma for the decimal separator and a space (or point) for thousands, in accordance with French conventions.
• For spoken assessments, credit accurate liaison and pronunciation, especially for numbers like 'cinq' (no liaison unless followed by a vowel in certain numbers) and 'huit' vs. 'onze'.
• Look for correct agreement of compound ordinal numbers (e.g., 'les vingt et unièmes') and proper abbreviation (e.g., '1er', '2e').

• 💡In the writing paper, always double-check the agreement of 'vingt' and 'cent' – remember the rule: they are plural only when exactly multiplied and not followed by another number.
• 💡For listening and reading, be familiar with the different ways numbers can be said, especially for years, phone numbers (grouped in pairs), and prices.
• 💡When transcribing numbers in dictation, pay attention to the context to decide between 'cent' and 'sans', 'six' and 'sis', etc.
• 💡In oral exams, practice numbers that trigger liaison errors, like 'les‿amis' but 'des amis' – with numbers, liaison is often required (e.g., 'deux‿amis') but not always, so learn the exceptions (e.g., after 'et').
• 💡In listening exams, pay close attention to numbers as they are often said quickly. Practise recognising numbers in context, especially prices and times. For example, 'soixante-dix-neuf' (79) can be tricky because it sounds like three words.
• 💡In writing tasks, always check the spelling of ordinal numbers: 'premier' (not 'première' for masculine), 'deuxième' (not 'deuxième' with an accent). Also, remember that 'premier' changes to 'première' for feminine nouns.
• 💡When translating numbers, be careful with large numbers: French uses a comma as a decimal separator and a space or period for thousands (e.g., 1 000 or 1.000). In English, we use a comma for thousands and a period for decimals. This can cause errors in translation tasks.

• Adding an 's' to 'mille' (it is always invariable) or forgetting to add the 's' to 'vingt' and 'cent' when required (e.g., 'quatre-vingts' but 'quatre-vingt-un').
• Inserting an unnecessary hyphen or word before 'onze' and 'huit' (e.g., 'vingt et un' is correct, but 'vingt-et-huit' is wrong; it's 'vingt-huit').
• Confusing the use of 'et' only between 'vingt-et-un', 'trente-et-un', etc., but not in 'vingt-deux' or 'soixante-et-onze' is wrong; it's 'soixante et onze'.
• Using 'seconde' incorrectly when referring to a position beyond the second in a longer series.
• Writing French numbers with a point as decimal separator (e.g., '3.5' instead of '3,5') or incorrectly using a comma for thousands.
• Failing to make ordinal numbers agree in gender and number with the noun they modify (e.g., 'la première fois' but 'le premier jour').
• Confusing 'et' usage: Students often add 'et' incorrectly (e.g., writing 'vingt et deux' instead of 'vingt-deux'). Remember: 'et' is only used for 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, and 71. All other numbers use a hyphen.
• Forgetting the plural of cent and vingt: Many write 'deux cent' instead of 'deux cents' when it means 200. However, if followed by another number, it stays singular: 'deux cent un'. Similarly, 'quatre-vingts' but 'quatre-vingt-dix'.
• Mispronouncing or miswriting 70, 80, 90: Students often try to create direct translations (e.g., 'septante' for 70, which is not standard in France). Stick to soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix for standard French.