Adjectives — AQA GCSE French
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Adjectives explained
Adjectives covers 2 specification points, including Regular and meilleur demonstrative (ce, cet,… and Comparative and superlative, including….
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
agreement position comparative and superlative: regular and meilleur demonstrative (ce, cet, cette, ces) indefinite (chaque, quelque) possessive interrogative (quel, quelle)
French adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Most follow the noun, but some common ones (like beau, bon, grand) precede it. Comparatives use plus/moins/aussi + adjective + que, while superlatives add the definite article (le/la/les plus...). The irregular adjective 'bon' becomes 'meilleur' (better) and 'le meilleur' (the best). Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces) mean 'this/that' or 'these/those'. Indefinite adjectives include 'chaque' (each) and 'quelque' (some). Possessive adjectives (mon, ton, son, etc.) show ownership, and interrogative adjectives (quel, quelle, quels, quelles) mean 'which' or 'what'.
comparative and superlative, including meilleur, pire
Comparatives and superlatives allow you to compare nouns in French. Comparatives use 'plus... que' (more... than), 'moins... que' (less... than), or 'aussi... que' (as... as) surrounding an adjective, for example, "Il est plus grand que moi". Superlatives express the highest or lowest degree using the definite article: 'le/la/les plus' or 'le/la/les moins'. Crucially, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. You must also master the irregular forms: 'meilleur' (better) replaces 'plus bon', and 'pire' (worse) replaces 'plus mauvais'. Their superlative forms are 'le/la/les meilleur(e)(s)' (the best) and 'le/la/les pire(s)' (the worst). For instance, "C'est le meilleur film" demonstrates correct irregular usage.
Your focus
- Apply correct gender and number agreement and positioning to French adjectives.
- Formulate comparative and superlative structures, including the irregular 'meilleur'.
- Utilise demonstrative, indefinite, possessive, and interrogative adjectives accurately.
Show all 6 objectives
- Construct comparative sentences using regular adjectives.
- Formulate superlative phrases ensuring correct definite article and adjective agreement.
- Apply the irregular forms 'meilleur' and 'pire' correctly in context.
Adjectives exam tips
Marking Points
- Apply correct gender and number agreements to regular and irregular adjectives.
- Position adjectives correctly either before or after the noun.
- Form regular comparatives and superlatives, and use the irregular forms 'meilleur' and 'le meilleur'.
- Select the correct demonstrative, indefinite, possessive, or interrogative adjective based on the noun's gender and number.
- Identify the correct comparative structure (plus/moins/aussi... que) in a sentence.
- Select the correct definite article for a superlative phrase based on the gender and number of the noun.
- Recognise and apply the irregular comparative forms 'meilleur' and 'pire' instead of regular constructions.
- Ensure correct adjective agreement within both comparative and superlative structures.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Memorise the BANGS acronym to remember which adjectives precede the noun.
- 💡Pay close attention to the noun following a possessive adjective; the adjective agrees with the noun possessed, not the owner.
- 💡Watch out for masculine nouns starting with a vowel or silent 'h' when using demonstratives, as they require 'cet'.
- 💡Always check the gender and number of the noun you are describing to ensure both the definite article and the adjective agree in superlative phrases.
- 💡Memorise 'meilleur' and 'pire' as specific vocabulary items, and practice substituting them into sentences where you might instinctively try to use 'plus bon' or 'plus mauvais'.
- 💡When forming a superlative, double-check that you have included the correct definite article (le, la, les) immediately before 'plus' or 'moins'.
Common Mistakes
- Placing all adjectives after the noun, forgetting that BANGS adjectives (Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size) go before the noun.
- Using 'plus bon' to mean better, instead of using the correct irregular comparative 'meilleur'.
- Using 'ce' before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel, such as 'ce arbre', instead of the correct 'cet arbre'.
- Using 'plus bon' instead of 'meilleur': applying the regular comparative rule to 'bon', creating an incorrect form instead of using the irregular 'meilleur'.
- Forgetting adjective agreement with superlatives: failing to make the adjective and the definite article agree in gender and number with the noun.
- Omitting the definite article in superlatives: writing 'C'est plus grand' when meaning 'It is the biggest', forgetting the essential 'le', 'la', or 'les' before 'plus'.