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WRITING:
1) At foundation level, if you have to make a list then make a list of single words. Don't write sentences or you will probably lose points! If you mention verbs (doing words) then write them up in their infinitive form (ends in -er, ir or -re).
2) When you write a letter make sure you include everything: address, date, Cher Monsieur, or Chere Madame, A la prochaine (to finish a letter to a friend, or Veuillez agréer Madame, Monsieur, l'expression de mes sentiments distingués. Remember, if there is a letter as an example, then use the expressions they have used to finish or end your letter.
3) When writing a post card, keep it simple, to the point and spend all your brain power on checking the endings of the different verbs. These endings are all important. If you think they are dodgy, they probably are! Check them or get rid of them alltogether! If you are clever enough to recognise there is a problem, then be clever enough to do something about it!
4) When writing an essay it is a good idea to start it with a short introduction. The basic format is as follows:
Dans ce texte je parle de --(here write topic title)---. Dans la premiere partie je parle de ---(here write title of your first paragraph)---. Dans la deuxieme partie je parle de ---(here write title of your second paragraph)---.
5) It is also quite easy to write a conclusion of this type:
A mon avis, --(here write topic title)---.est super et fantastique!
6) If you want a grade C or above and you do not know how to do the past then YOU WILL NOT get this grade! The clever thing here is to do something about it! You will be surprised how much your teacher is willing to help if you go to him / her and ask questions! If you can't ask the questions, use the forum on this website!
LISTENING
What you must realise is that when you listen you do three things:
1 You hear the words
2 You translate them in your mind
3 You guess the meaning
The problem is that you cannot do steps 2 and 3 if you cannot do step 1! As there are no tricks in the exam, if you don't have a clue about what is going on it probably means that you haven't heard properly what was said rather than simply just not understood.
The answer to the problem is therefore quite simple: practice!
In other words, without practice you will probably not be able to gain a top grade as your ear won't be 'trained'.
To practice, ask your teacher for tapes, exercises and past exam papers. You can buy a number of listening materials in shops (numerous revision guides include tapes or CDs!).
The best way to practice however is to turn on the radio 5 minutes before the hour and find a French radio on Medium Wave. Once you have found it, record 5 minutes of it as from the hour when, 9 out of 10 times you will have the news. Once you have recorded those 5 minutes (...of very fast French with poor quality sound probably), listen carefully to your recording 3 times in a row making a list of words you can hear, recognise or guess. Make sure you write them in order. Don't worry if you only catch 1 or 2 words at the start! By the fourth time you do the whole exercise (each time on a different recording) you will note a net improvement in your ability to pick or guess words. By then you will even have some ideas about what they are talking about.
After working on your own radio recordings, you will find the class listening exercises dead easy!
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