A comprehension asks you to show that you understood a short French text. The answer comes from the text, not from a guess.
The idea
Read the whole text before the questions. Note who is speaking, where they are, and what they want. Then read each question and find the sentence that answers it. Qui asks for a person. Où asks for a place. Quand asks for a time. Pourquoi asks for a reason. Comment asks for the way something is done. The word in the question is often sitting next to the sentence you need.
Copying a whole paragraph is not an answer. Take the words that answer the question, and if the question asks for a sentence, write a sentence. A fact you know from outside the text does not count when the text says something else. If the task is vrai ou faux, say which one it is and point at the sentence that shows it. Write the answer in French.
The French tips guide sets out comprehension beside grammar, vocabulary and the written paper. BECE French tips
What earns the marks
The mark follows the text. An answer in English earns nothing on this part. A vrai ou faux with no sentence from the text is half an answer. Do not add a reason the text never gave, and do not choose a word only because it appeared somewhere nearby.
Practice questions
These are practice questions in the style of the paper, with a model answer and a mark scheme. They are not a promise of what your paper will ask.
1Question 1
5 marks
Lis le texte, puis réponds en français.
Ama habite à Accra avec sa mère et son petit frère Kofi. Le samedi, elle aide sa mère au marché. Elle vend des tomates et des oignons. Après le marché, Ama fait ses devoirs, puis elle joue avec Kofi.
(a) Où habite Ama? (1 mark)
(b) Que vend Ama au marché? (2 marks)
(c) Que fait Ama après le marché? (2 marks)
Model answer
(a) Ama habite à Accra.
(b) Elle vend des tomates et des oignons.
(c) Elle fait ses devoirs, puis elle joue avec Kofi.
Mark scheme
Accra, or she lives in Accra1 mark
Tomatoes1 mark
Onions1 mark
She does her homework1 mark
She plays with Kofi1 mark
2Question 2
2 marks
Le texte dit : « Kofi est malade, alors il reste à la maison. » La phrase « Kofi va à l'école » est elle vraie ou fausse? Justifie ta réponse avec le texte. (2 marks)
Model answer
Elle est fausse. Le texte dit que Kofi est malade et qu'il reste à la maison.
Mark scheme
False1 mark
A reason taken from the text: he is ill, or he stays at home1 mark
3Question 3
1 mark
Pourquoi une réponse en anglais ne gagne pas le point dans une compréhension de français? (1 mark)
Model answer
Parce que le papier teste le français. La réponse doit montrer que tu as compris le texte en français.
Mark scheme
The paper is testing French, or the answer has to be in French1 mark
Practise French with Kevin
More questions on this topic are inside glearn, marked as you answer, with the reason written out. The first ones need no account.