House of Languages — GCSE French Revision Note · house-of-languages.com
Paper 2: Speaking (out of 50)
Every part of the speaking exam, what examiners reward and how the 50 marks are split.
| Part | Marks | Marked on |
|---|---|---|
| Role play | 10 | 2 marks per prompt — clear communication with a verb |
| Reading aloud | 5 | Pronunciation only |
| Short conversation | 10 | Content and language — 4 questions |
| Photo card | 5 | Range of relevant details |
| Long conversation | 20 | Complex language, content and spontaneity |
You get 15 minutes of preparation with the role play (in English), the reading-aloud text and two photos. Use the notepad to plan, not to script full answers.
Role play
- Answer every prompt with a full sentence containing a verb.
- When asked to ask a question, use a question word: Quand… ? Où… ? Combien… ?
- There is no unexpected question — prepare each prompt during prep time.
Short conversation
J’adore le sport parce que c’est relaxant, et le week-end je joue au foot.
I love sport because it is relaxing, and at the weekend I play football.
Photo card: the PALM technique
Describe each photo using PALM so you never run out of things to say. The photo card is marked on the range of relevant details.
| Letter | Focus | French starters |
|---|---|---|
| P — People | Who, how many, age, clothes | Sur la photo, il y a un groupe de jeunes… / un homme qui porte… |
| A — Action | What they are doing right now | Ils sont en train de manger / jouer / discuter… |
| L — Location | Where, foreground/background, weather | Ils se trouvent dans un parc. À l’arrière-plan, il fait beau. |
| M — Mood | Feelings + your opinion with a reason | Ils ont l’air contents. À mon avis, l’ambiance est détendue parce que… |
Examiner tip
Grade 9 extension — speculate about past and future: « Je pense qu’ils ont fait une randonnée et qu’après, ils vont manger ensemble. »
Long conversation
- Use three time frames: past, present and future/conditional.
- Develop answers without waiting to be prompted — this is spontaneity.
- Give an opinion + reason + example in every answer.
Examiner tip
Drop at least one Grade 9 phrase into every long-conversation answer — see the Grade 9 phrases notes.
Common mistake
Reading a memorised script. Examiners reward natural, developed answers; scripted delivery limits the spontaneity mark.
Test yourself
1. How many marks is the long conversation worth?
2. What is reading aloud marked on?
Put it into practice
Use what you have just revised in a real exam-style task.