MATSEC AM French cheat sheet

Skimming: read title, first sentence of each paragraph, and concluding paragraph to identify the main idea before detailed reading.

Scanning: locate specific information (names, dates, figures) by moving eyes quickly over the text without reading every word.

Inference: conclusions drawn from clues in the text, not from personal knowledge; the answer must be supported by textual evidence.

Tone and register: identify whether the text is formal, informal, ironic, critical, or neutral by analysing word choice and sentence structure.

Pronoun reference: track what il, elle, celui-ci, dont, etc. refer to by looking at the preceding noun or clause.

Logical connectors: mais, cependant, donc, par conséquent, en revanche signal contrast, cause, consequence, or concession.

True/false/not given: a statement is 'not given' when the text neither confirms nor contradicts it; do not infer beyond the text.

Vocabulary in context: deduce the meaning of an unknown word from surrounding words, word family, and overall sentence meaning.

Formal letter structure: sender's address, date, recipient's address, salutation (Madame, Monsieur), body, closing formula (Je vous prie d'agréer...), signature.

Informal letter: cher/chère + prénom, tutoiement, closing (Bises, Amitiés), no formal formula.

Argumentative essay: introduction with thesis, two or three body paragraphs each with one idea and supporting examples, conclusion restating the position.

Narrative tense sequence: passé composé for foreground events, imparfait for background description, plus-que-parfait for prior actions.

Cohesion: use connectors (d'abord, ensuite, enfin, en outre, toutefois, cependant) to link paragraphs and ideas logically.

Register consistency: do not mix tu and vous within the same piece; formal writing avoids contractions and slang.

Word count: plan roughly 10% introduction, 80% development, 10% conclusion; keep within the prescribed limit.

Accuracy check: verify agreements (subject-verb, adjective-noun), tense consistency, and accents before submitting.

Listen for the gist first: identify speaker, topic, and purpose before focusing on details.

Numbers and dates: French numbers 70-99 (soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-dix) and dates (le premier, le deux) are frequent distractors.

Liaison and elision: je ai → j'ai, il a → il a; recognise linked sounds that change word boundaries.

False friends in listening: actuellement (currently, not actually), éventuellement (possibly, not eventually), attendre (to wait, not to attend).

Register cues: tu/vous, slang (verlan), and informal contractions (t'as, j'sais) signal informal speech.

Note-taking: record key words, numbers, and names in abbreviated form; do not attempt full sentences.

Intonation: rising intonation marks a question; falling marks a statement; emphasis can signal contrast or correction.

Passé composé: auxiliary avoir or être + past participle; être verbs (DR MRS VANDERTRAMP) agree with the subject.

Imparfait formation: stem from nous form of present minus -ons + endings -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient.

Futur simple: infinitive + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont; irregular stems (être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-).

Subjunctive: required after expressions of necessity, doubt, emotion, and after conjunctions (bien que, pour que, avant que).

Pronoun order: me/te/se/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur → y → en; e.g., Il me le donne.

Agreement of past participle: with avoir, agrees with preceding direct object; with être, agrees with subject.

Conditional: infinitive + imperfect endings; used for politeness, hypotheses, and future-in-the-past.

Relative pronouns: qui (subject), que (object), dont (de + noun), où (place/time), lequel/laquelle (after preposition).