Writing in different tenses

    AQA
    GCSE

    The manipulation of grammatical time frames constitutes the primary discriminator for high-level attainment in French writing (AO3). Candidates must demonstrate the ability to shift fluidly between past, present, and future contexts, employing complex syntax and accurate morphological agreement. Mastery requires distinguishing between aspectual nuances, specifically the perfective and imperfective past, and utilizing appropriate moods to convey hypothetical or subjective meaning.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    4
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for the correct choice of auxiliary verb (avoir vs être) in the perfect tense
    • Credit the explicit use of time markers (e.g., 'l'année dernière', 'à l'avenir') to clarify timeframe shifts
    • Reward complex structures such as 'après avoir + past participle' or 'avant de + infinitive' to link tenses
    • Ensure subject-verb agreement is maintained consistently, particularly with plural subjects

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have communicated the message, but check your auxiliary verbs in the past tense"
    • "Good range of vocabulary; now try to include a future tense structure using 'j'ai l'intention de'"
    • "Your use of the perfect tense is accurate, but you need to distinguish it from the imperfect for descriptions"
    • "Excellent complexity. To secure top marks, ensure your agreement of past participles with 'être' verbs is consistent"

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for the correct choice of auxiliary verb (avoir vs être) in the perfect tense
    • Credit the explicit use of time markers (e.g., 'l'année dernière', 'à l'avenir') to clarify timeframe shifts
    • Reward complex structures such as 'après avoir + past participle' or 'avant de + infinitive' to link tenses
    • Ensure subject-verb agreement is maintained consistently, particularly with plural subjects

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Identify the tense required by the bullet point immediately (e.g., 'ce que tu as fait' requires past tense)
    • 💡Use the 'Palm of the Hand' technique: ensure every 150-word essay contains Past, Present, Future, Opinion, and Justification
    • 💡Check 'Dr & Mrs Vandertramp' verbs carefully to ensure the correct use of 'être' as the auxiliary
    • 💡Allocate 5 minutes at the end of the exam specifically to check verb endings and accents

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Omitting the auxiliary verb in the perfect tense (e.g., writing 'je mangé' instead of 'j'ai mangé')
    • Phonetic spelling errors confusing infinitives with past participles (e.g., 'j'ai jouer' instead of 'j'ai joué')
    • Overusing 'c'était' for all past descriptions instead of varying with specific action verbs
    • Inability to distinguish between the perfect tense (completed action) and imperfect tense (ongoing past action)

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Écrivez
    Décrivez
    Mentionnez
    Expliquez
    Proposez
    Justifiez

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