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Edexcel French - Monday, May 24th 2010

username301959

blahblah16

I'm pretty sure I remember that the letter format things such as 'cher' and 'amitiés' or whatever aren't counted in the word count so you'll probably be ok.

I just think the whole word count thing is so stupid. I spent my whole time counting words rather than looking at errors and now i keep thinking about the mistakes i've made. I know I did a couple of mistakes such as putting "ils en font experience" but I used all the tenses correctly, si clause once and about 6 subjunctives. I counted the word count twice and got 227 so I hope it'll be ok...

Does anyone know what the percentage are likely to be/were last year?

I thought i had to be a more formal letter, but it doesn't really matter, I still managed to fit in (accurately, I hope) si clauses, subjuctives, opinions, tenses, and all the other things examiners look for.

I don't understand why they bother with the word limit either? I mean, why not let us write as much as we can in the given time? It will distinguish the more able students, or maybe the examiners are just too damn lazy to read anything more than one side of writing?

Reply 21

felt_monkey

12

UnderControl

I did not like the writing either and it's usually by far my stongest.

That happened to me twice - in the June and Jan exams. Writing is my best by far, yet they were about your bloody bedroom and Father Christmas. Complete ********. Hopefully unit 4 will have decent essay questions or I might cry.

Reply 22

olibishop

6

cowleya

I thought i had to be a more formal letter, but it doesn't really matter, I still managed to fit in (accurately, I hope) si clauses, subjuctives, opinions, tenses, and all the other things examiners look for.

I don't understand why they bother with the word limit either? I mean, why not let us write as much as we can in the given time? It will distinguish the more able students, or maybe the examiners are just too damn lazy to read anything more than one side of writing?

It was 53 for an A last year- look on the website under Raw-UMS conversion

Reply 23

blahblah16

cowleya

I thought i had to be a more formal letter, but it doesn't really matter, I still managed to fit in (accurately, I hope) si clauses, subjuctives, opinions, tenses, and all the other things examiners look for.

I don't understand why they bother with the word limit either? I mean, why not let us write as much as we can in the given time? It will distinguish the more able students, or maybe the examiners are just too damn lazy to read anything more than one side of writing?

Cher + Amitiés can both be formal as amitiés has more than one meaning. Anyway, I put cordialement. Also, did we have to write a little sentence at the beginning ? I wrote 'je vous écris afin d'exprimer mes sentiments a propos du lycée' - such a waste of words but I thought it was a bit silly just plunging in? Idk...

Also, I think the idea behind the word limit is that the more you write in French, the more mistakes you'll make. Yes, this is true but I think 220 is just too low. 250 would be perfect.

Reply 24

blahblah16

olibishop

It was 53 for an A last year- look on the website under Raw-UMS conversion

What's it out of? I can't find it on the website, sorry!

Reply 25

username301959

9

blahblah16

What's it out of? I can't find it on the website, sorry!

The Unit 2 paper is out of 70. 56/70 equates to 80%

Reply 26

olibishop

6

blahblah16

What's it out of? I can't find it on the website, sorry!

http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/GCE%20New%20GCE/GCE2008-French-Raw-Marks-to-UMS-Summer-2009.pdf

http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/GCE%20New%20GCE/GCE2008-French-Raw-Marks-to-UMS-January-2010.pdf

Reply 27

blahblah16

^thanks.
Does anyone know the answer to the question about 'secheresse'. For the listenings I mostly copied out what I heard on the tape and I put 'enroser' when it was 'arroser' meaning 'to water'. I've never heard this verb before so I wasn't sure how it was spelt...
Also, in the reading the one about some of the children being left in the sun? Was that because someone in their family had cancer so there were higher chances of them getting it? It was 2 marks and the 2nd mark I just kind of guessed because it wasn't explicitly said.

Reply 28

itmightbefriday

4

blahblah16

^thanks.
Does anyone know the answer to the question about 'secheresse'.

Secheresse means drought doesn't it? Do you mean the question where they were like 'We have to use all our reserves for winter for the summer instead'? I think that was the answer, if so. (:

I actually thought this exam went really well. Writing could've been better, but at least I managed to fit in a subjunctive. :yep:

Reply 29

Dim0nIX

Guys, could you tell me if what I have done will make me fail the writing please. Or is it acceptable, if so how many marks at max could I get for this writing:

Good things:
*I included 2-3 subjunctives and used them crrectly.
*I used correctly imperfect tense and passe' compose' twice.
*I included 3-4 useful expressions such as Certains... d'autres. E.g "On peut avouer que (+subj)". And "un motif d'inquetude" "Il e fait aucun doute que", "Sans doute" "Moi personnellemnt" "J'estime"...etc
*And I think my ideas were quiet well developped as far as the wrold limit allows.

Bad and really bad things:
*I misused one conditional.
* Instead of passe' compose' of "J'ia pu" i wrote "J'ai peut" - do u think this will drag me down a lot..? tbh it was a pure writing mistake - I knew the verbs perfectly well :frown:

*Finally I forgot accents in a word eleves(I put first but not second accent) and a word ameliorer...

Reply 30

username301959

9

Dim0nIX

Guys, could you tell me if what I have done will make me fail the writing please. Or is it acceptable, if so how many marks at max could I get for this writing:

Good things:
*I included 2-3 subjunctives and used them crrectly.
*I used correctly imperfect tense and passe' compose' twice.
*I included 3-4 useful expressions such as Certains... d'autres. E.g "On peut avouer que (+subj)". And "un motif d'inquetude" "Il e fait aucun doute que", "Sans doute" "Moi personnellemnt" "J'estime"...etc
*And I think my ideas were quiet well developped as far as the wrold limit allows.

Bad and really bad things:
*I misused one conditional.
* Instead of passe' compose' of "J'ia pu" i wrote "J'ai peut" - do u think this will drag me down a lot..? tbh it was a pure writing mistake - I knew the verbs perfectly well :frown:

*Finally I forgot accents in a word eleves(I put first but not second accent) and a word ameliorer...

You aren't likely to fail an exam based on not putting in accents and forgetting a past participle. Remember that examiners mark positively, so they'll give you credit for the subjunctives and the past tenses. Your complex structures that you added will also impress the examiner. Don't worry about it :smile:

We couldn't say what mark you are likely to get because there might be other errors / structures that need to be considered.

Reply 31

olibishop

6

Dim0nIX

Guys, could you tell me if what I have done will make me fail the writing please. Or is it acceptable, if so how many marks at max could I get for this writing:

Good things:
*I included 2-3 subjunctives and used them crrectly.
*I used correctly imperfect tense and passe' compose' twice.
*I included 3-4 useful expressions such as Certains... d'autres. E.g "On peut avouer que (+subj)". And "un motif d'inquetude" "Il e fait aucun doute que", "Sans doute" "Moi personnellemnt" "J'estime"...etc
*And I think my ideas were quiet well developped as far as the wrold limit allows.

Bad and really bad things:
*I misused one conditional.
* Instead of passe' compose' of "J'ia pu" i wrote "J'ai peut" - do u think this will drag me down a lot..? tbh it was a pure writing mistake - I knew the verbs perfectly well :frown:

*Finally I forgot accents in a word eleves(I put first but not second accent) and a word ameliorer...

were they irregular subjunctives and not just -er verb ones?

Reply 32

blahblah16

itmightbefriday

Secheresse means drought doesn't it? Do you mean the question where they were like 'We have to use all our reserves for winter for the summer instead'? I think that was the answer, if so. (:

I actually thought this exam went really well. Writing could've been better, but at least I managed to fit in a subjunctive. :yep:

Nah because that was the one about the cows wasn't it?

Reply 33

Dim0nIX

Thank you for your help! Cowleya and yeah Olibishop they were irregular, mostly of "etre" and one of "avoir". I stopped freaking out now - no point there are other forecoming exams to revise for and to think about. I really really hope for a good grade though, because I spent months revising for this exam...

Reply 34

geography-junkie

OP

1

itmightbefriday

Secheresse means drought doesn't it? Do you mean the question where they were like 'We have to use all our reserves for winter for the summer instead'? I think that was the answer, if so. (:

I actually thought this exam went really well. Writing could've been better, but at least I managed to fit in a subjunctive. :yep:

Weren't we meant to answer in French?

Reply 35

2009j

I Did'nt Know Where To Put Hardly Any Accents - Is This Really Bad?

Reply 36

blahblah16

geography-junkie

Weren't we meant to answer in French?

Yeah we were but I think what that person translated what they had written maybe?
I keep getting scared i've answered in the wrong language but I'm pretty sure I haven't haha.

Reply 37

blahblah16

2009j

I Did'nt Know Where To Put Hardly Any Accents - Is This Really Bad?

Well it's not really bad unless it's on a past participle then they seriously penalise you because it could be you don't know the past tense.

Reply 38

geography-junkie

OP

1

blahblah16

Yeah we were but I think what that person translated what they had written maybe?
I keep getting scared i've answered in the wrong language but I'm pretty sure I haven't haha.