When instructed to answer in French, find the requested details in notices, adverts and posters. The exam tests your ability to extract precise facts and write short, accurate answers.
Decoding French Question Words
Before searching for individual facts, read the title and skim the text to grasp its topic and purpose. Then read the whole question carefully, checking the question word, verb, and other clues to see what information is required.
| Question Word | Meaning | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Qui ? | Who? | Person, name, or role |
| Où ? | Where? | Place, town, or country |
| Quand ? / À quelle date ? | When? / On what date? | Day, date, or month |
| À quelle heure ? | At what time? | Time with h |
| Combien (de) ? | How much / many? | Price with €, count, or gratuit |
| Combien de temps ? | How long? | Duration |
| Comment ? | How? | Method or description |
| Pourquoi ? | Why? | Reason (parce que or pour) |
| Quel / Quelle(s) ? | Which / What? | Specific item or noun |
Choosing a Short, Complete Answer
Copy the shortest phrase that gives the full, accurate answer.
- Keep identifying words in a noun phrase: write La fondue au fromage, not just la fondue.
- Use a short phrase for an action or reason: for Pourquoi vient-elle ?, lift Pour apprendre le français.
- Include both city and country when the question asks for both.
- Check negatives carefully: ne ... pas reverses meaning, so Il ne joue pas means he does not play.
- Copy accents accurately: a means has, but à means at or to.
Spotting Restrictive Qualifiers and Symbols
Notices and timetables use symbols and qualifying words that alter factual meaning.
- Look for € for prices and h for 24-hour clock times (18h30 means 6:30 p.m.).
- Watch for gratuit and entrée libre, which indicate that an event or service is free of charge.
- Check age conditions before answering: gratuit pour les moins de 12 ans means free only for children under 12.
- Distinguish opposites: ouvert (open) versus fermé (closed), and le départ (departure) versus l'arrivée (arrival).
- Pay close attention to limiting words like sauf (except), seulement (only), and interdit (forbidden), as they define essential rules.
Key terms
- Où ?
- Where? (place)
- Quand ?
- When? (date)
- À quelle heure ?
- At what time?
- Combien (de) ?
- How much / many?
- Comment ?
- How? (method)
- Pourquoi ?
- Why? (reason)
- Gratuit
- Free.
- Deux détails
- Two separate facts.
Check yourself
What kind of information does 'Où ?' ask for?
A physical location, such as a town, country, building, or room.
A poster states: « Gratuit pour les moins de 12 ans ». Un enfant de 12 ans entre-t-il gratuitement ?
Non (free entry applies only to those strictly under 12).
Which French phrase introduces a reason when answering a 'Pourquoi ?' question?
Parce que (or pour followed by an infinitive).
How is 2:30 p.m. typically written in a French timetable?
14h30.
Why must you copy accents accurately when lifting French words?
An accent can alter a word's meaning entirely, such as 'a' (has) versus 'à' (at/to).