Section outline
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Middle level response
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- Whole test - click to listen
- Whole test - click to listen
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Section 1: Presentation
- Presentation - click to listen
- Presentation - click to listen
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Content and Presentation: The candidate chooses Ma matière préférée – l’histoire française, which fully fulfils the requirement to relate the presentation clearly to a francophone country.
The candidate focuses on La Révolution française.
The candidate has prepared the topic thoroughly and speaks with knowledge and enthusiasm but is not able to maintain fluency; there are some long hesitations which make sentences and thought structure hard to follow. However, there are also some instances of fluent, accurate French. Ideas and opinions are evident, though not as many as in candidates in the ‘Good’ mark band.
Mark awarded = 6 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Pronunciation and Intonation: From the beginning there are many errors of pronunciation; ma métier préfère for ma matière préférée. Final “s” are often pronounced: les révolutionnaires , l’idées de lumières . “Un” i s not always nasalised: un(n) changement. The candidate has difficulty in pronouncing a French “r”.
On the whole, the candidate’s intonation sounds convincingly French.
Mark awarded = 3 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Language: There is little or no ambiguity of meaning, though there is some hesitation. A degree of accuracy and a reasonable range of structures and vocabulary are present.
Mark awarded = 3 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Total mark awarded for the Presentation = 12 out of 20
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Section 2: Topic Conversation
- Topic Conversation - click to listen
- Topic Conversation - click to listen
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Comprehension & Responsiveness: The candidate generally understands the examiner’s in-depth questions.
The candidate answers thoughtfully and has prepared the topic thoroughly, but there is often a delay in response and the candidate is not always able to maintain fluency.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Accuracy: There are many grammatical errors, particularly in the candidate’s use of tenses, verb conjugation, and definite article and adjectival agreements: de le roi, de la roi; le peuple français e, but these are offset by instances of accurate and idiomatic French.
There is some ambiguity: il ne l’aimont pas pendant ils mourraient de femme . However, the language is not generally inaccurate.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Feel for the Language: The candidate shows some feel for the language but is also influenced by his mother tongue.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Providing Information and Opinions: While the candidate is able to handle a reasonably mature subject, ideas are limited and there is occasional ambiguity.
Mark awarded = 3 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Seeking Information and Opinions: The candidate asks two clear (unprompted) relevant questions:
1. Aimez-vous le Napoléan ?
2. Avez-vous déjà étudié la révolution française ?
However, the candidate does have some difficulty formulating them correctly.
Mark awarded = 4 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Total mark awarded for the Topic Conversation= 22 out of 40
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Section 3: General Conversation
- General Conversation - click to listen
- General Conversation - click to listen
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Comprehension & Responsiveness: The candidate generally understands what is being said, although the examiner does have to repeat a number of questions, when the candidate requests this.
There is quite a lot of hesitation.
This places the candidate firmly in the lower band of the 'Satisfactory' profile.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Accuracy: This is very similar to the Topic Conversation, with a lot of inaccurate French (use of tenses, verb conjugation, and definite article and adjectival agreements) but also with parts which show a measure of competence.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Feel for the Language: The candidate shows some feel for the language but he is also influenced by his mother tongue. The candidate displays more than just “scant feeling for the idiom”.
Mark awarded = 5 out of 10 [Satisfactory]
Providing Information and Opinions: Although discussion is on a more factual level than in the Topic Conversation, it is definitely above the very basic level.
Mark awarded = 3 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Seeking Information and Opinions: The candidate asks a number of questions, mostly relevant to the topic under discussion, but with no variety of question form: pouvez-vous, avez-vous, aimez-vous ?
Mark awarded = 3 out of 5 [Satisfactory]
Total mark awarded for the General Conversation = 21 out of 40
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Moderator comments (Whole test)
Conduct of the test:The recording of both examiner and candidate is clear. The examiner makes each section of the test clear to the candidate. The timing of each section is accurate.
The examiner asks clear, searching questions and creates a sympathetic atmosphere in which the candidate can give his best, while maintaining a sense of pace.
The examiner repeats and/or rephrases some questions when it is clear that the candidate does not understand them.
The examiner does not need to prompt the candidate to ask questions, as he is aware that he needs to ask them in the Conversation sections in order to qualify for marks under Seeking Information and Opinions.
The examiner responds to the candidate’s own interests in the General Conversation. In general, this is excellent examining.
How the examiner performance could improve:• Cover more topics in the General Conversation.
• Le temps libre is a good opening question and it did develop into a discussion about sport, but it would have been better to have a complete change of tack, perhaps into a more mature subject area.
How the candidate performance could improve:• The candidate's command of French did not match his passion, thoughtfulness and preparation. More speaking practice would develop his fluency and accuracy.Common mistakes and misconceptions:• Candidates should not choose a topic that is too factual and/or does not relate to a francophone country.
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