Notes

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There are 30 marks for the note at Higher Level and 20 at Ordinary Level, all equally divided between language and communication. You must have a good knowledge of the present, past and future tenses. Make sure you know who you’re leaving the note to for a proper use of 'You': Tu or Vous.

The instructions are usually very similar whenever a note comes up in the exam papers. Therefore students are encouraged to practise them regularly and become familiar with the following points:

You leave a message:

• Juste un petit mot pour te/vous dire que…Just a note to tell you that
• J’écris ce mot car……I’m writing this note because
• Je te/vous laisse ce mot parce que…I’m leaving you this note because…
• J’écris quelques lignes pour te/vous dire que… I’m writing a few lines to tell you that…

You’ve gone out to meet someone:

• Je suis allé(e) à la plage… I went to the beach
• Je vais rencontrer… I’m going to meet
• Pendant ton/votre absence Paul est passé et nous sommes allés…During your absence Paul dropped by/called in and we have gone to…
• J’ai reçu un coup de fil/de téléphone de Patrice et il m’a invité chez lui … I had a phone call from Patrice and he invited me to his house.

Inviting someone :

• Ça te dit de venir avec nous ? Fancy coming along with us ?
• Tu veux nous accompagner ? Do you want to accompany us ?

When you’ll be back

• Je vais rentrer à 6 h…I’ll be home at 6 p.m.
• Je rentrerai vers sept heures pour mon dîner……I’ll be home about 7 p.m. for my dinner.
• Je reviendrai à six heures pour mon diner…I’ll be back at 6 p.m. for my tea.
• Je te donnerai un coup de fil ce soir…I’ll give you a ring this evening
• Je te/vous parlerai quand je te verrai…I’ll talk to you when I see you
• Je serai de retour avant  5 h 30… I’ll be back before 5.30 p.m.

Signing off

• À tout à l’heure

• À ce soir
• À plus tard
• À demain
• À bientôt

 

Past exam papers (Higher level)

2008

You are working as an au pair for the Béranger family in Rennes. It is a lovely day and you have decided to take the children out. Leave a note for Mme Béranger. In your note

say:

- that it is too warm in the house

- that you have gone to the park with the children

- that you will return home at half past five.

 

2007

You are taking part in a language course in France. One morning you have to leave the house before your host family gets up. Leave a note for Mme Martin. In your note say:

- that you left the house at half past seven this morning

- that you are going to Nice with the class

- that you will be back before dinner time.

 

2005

A French girl or boy you like is staying with a family near you. As you are organising a party for your birthday, write a note in which you:

- invite him/her to your house on Saturday evening

- explain that you have also invited some friends from school

- say that the party will end at 11 p.m.

 

2003

You come in to your French class one morning and you haven’t done your homework. You

decide to impress the teacher by writing a short note in French! In your note tell him / her that:

- you have not done your homework and you are sorry

- that you played a basketball match yesterday and it was late when you got home

- you will do the homework this evening