Speaking Exam Technique

The Speaking exam is worth 25% of your GCSE French grade and is the only paper conducted face-to-face with a teacher-examiner. Many students find it the most nerve-wracking paper, but it is also the most predictable. There are only three task types, the format never changes, and you get 12 minutes of preparation time before you start. With the right technique, the Speaking exam can be one of your strongest papers.

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Paper Structure

Feature	Foundation (8658/SF)	Higher (8658/SH)
Preparation time	12 minutes (supervised)	12 minutes (supervised)
Exam duration	7--9 minutes	10--12 minutes
Total marks	60	60
Percentage of GCSE	25%	25%

The Three Tasks

Task	Marks	Approximate Duration (F)	Approximate Duration (H)
Role play	15	2 minutes	2 minutes
Photo card	15	2 minutes	3 minutes
General conversation	30	3--5 minutes	5--7 minutes
Total	60	7--9 minutes	10--12 minutes

Exam Tip: The General Conversation is worth double the marks of the Role Play or Photo Card (30 marks vs 15 marks each). This is where the biggest gains and losses happen. Prioritise preparation for conversation topics.

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The 12-Minute Preparation Time

Before you enter the exam room, you are given 12 minutes of supervised preparation time. During this time you will see:

• The Role Play card (with instructions in English)
• The Photo Card (with the photo and questions)

You will not see the General Conversation questions in advance -- these are chosen by your teacher-examiner.

What You Can Do During Preparation

• Write notes on an AQA-provided notes sheet (you can take this into the exam)
• Plan key vocabulary and phrases for the Role Play
• Prepare answers to the Photo Card questions
• There is no word limit on your notes, but you must write on the official sheet only

What You Cannot Do

• Use a dictionary
• Use a textbook or revision notes
• Use a phone or electronic device
• Write out full sentences (notes only, not scripts)

Exam Tip: Although there is no word limit on your notes sheet, do not waste preparation time writing things you already know well. Focus on tricky vocabulary, unusual verb forms, or key phrases you might forget under pressure. For example, if the Role Play involves booking a hotel, you might note: "chambre pour deux nuits," "petit déjeuner compris?" rather than basic greetings.

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Task 1: Role Play (15 marks)

What Happens

You are given a scenario in English (e.g., "You are at a French tourist office") with five bullet points telling you what to say or ask. One bullet point will have an exclamation mark (!) -- this is the unprepared question where you must respond to something the teacher says that you have not seen in advance.

Mark Scheme

Criterion	Marks
Communication (per bullet point)	2 marks each x 5 = 10
Range of language and accuracy	5
Total	15

Role Play Strategy

For Each Bullet Point (2 marks each):

• 2 marks: Message fully communicated with no ambiguity
• 1 mark: Message partially communicated
• 0 marks: Message not communicated or not attempted

Key Techniques

1. Read the English instructions carefully. Each bullet tells you exactly what to communicate. Do not add unnecessary information -- answer precisely what is asked.

2. Use the correct tense. If the bullet says "Say what you did yesterday," you must use the past tense. If it says "Ask about future plans," you need the future or near future tense.

3. Formulate questions correctly. Some bullets require you to ask a question. Use question forms:

   • "Est-ce que..." (Is it that...)
   • Inversion: "Avez-vous..." (Do you have...)
   • "Ou est / Ou sont..." (Where is / Where are...)
   • "A quelle heure..." (At what time...)
   • "Combien coute..." (How much does... cost)

4. Handle the "!" (unprepared) bullet point. The teacher will say something in French and you must respond naturally. The key is to listen carefully to what is asked and give a relevant, sensible answer. If you do not understand, it is better to ask "Pouvez-vous répéter, s'il vous plait?" than to guess wildly.

Exam Tip: The unprepared question (!) is often a follow-up to the scenario. If the Role Play is about shopping, the unprepared question might be "What else would you like to buy?" or "How are you going to pay?" Think about natural follow-up questions for the scenario during your preparation time.

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Task 2: Photo Card (15 marks)

What Happens

You are given a photograph related to one of the three themes. You must answer five questions in French (at both Foundation and Higher tier):

1. Three printed questions on the card (you see these during preparation) -- the first typically asks you to describe what you see in the photo
2. Two additional questions asked by the teacher (you do not see these in advance)

Mark Scheme

Criterion	Marks
Communication (per question)	up to 3 marks per response
Quality of language	3
Total	15

Photo Card Strategy

The Three Printed Questions (Including Photo Description)

You see these during your 12-minute preparation time, so there is no excuse for not having strong answers ready. The first printed question typically asks you to describe what you see in the photo. Use these standard phrases:

Phrase	Meaning	Use For
Sur la photo, je vois...	In the photo, I can see...	Starting your description
Il y a...	There is / There are...	Listing what is visible
Au premier plan...	In the foreground...	Describing the main focus
À l'arrière-plan...	In the background...	Describing background details
La personne a l'air...	The person looks...	Describing mood/expression
Il/Elle porte...	He/She is wearing...	Describing clothing
Il fait beau/mauvais	The weather is nice/bad	Describing weather if visible
Je pense que...	I think that...	Giving your opinion

For all three printed questions:

• Develop your answers. Do not give one-word or one-sentence answers. Aim for 2--3 sentences per question.
• Use opinions: "Je pense que...," "À mon avis...," "Je trouve que..."
• Use connectives: "parce que...," "car...," "cependant...," "de plus..."
• Use different tenses if possible -- even if the question is in the present tense, you can reference past experience or future plans.

The Two Unprepared Questions