NCEA Level 2 French key terms

The skill of understanding spoken French, such as announcements, conversations, or interviews, and picking out the main idea, specific details, and speakers' attitudes. In the exam, recordings are usually played more than once.

The rise and fall of the voice when speaking. It can signal a question, surprise, or emotion, and it helps listeners separate statements from questions even when the words are unfamiliar.

The way pronunciation differs by region or social group, for example the difference between French spoken in France and in Québec or North Africa. Recognising accents helps you identify who is speaking and where.

An important word in a text or recording that carries the main meaning. Identifying keywords quickly lets you answer questions without understanding every single word you hear or read.

The central point or message of a text, conversation, or recording, as opposed to small supporting details. Exam questions often ask you to choose which summary best matches the overall message.

The level of formality in language, ranging from informal slang among friends to formal written French. Recognising it helps you judge the relationship between speakers and choose appropriate language yourself.

Using 'tu' to address someone. It signals familiarity or equality, as with friends, family, and children, whereas 'vous' shows politeness or distance. Choosing correctly matters in speaking and writing tasks.

Using 'vous' to address one person politely or a group. It is standard with strangers, teachers, shopkeepers, and older people, and getting it wrong can seem rude in speaking and writing.

How words are spoken, including sounds, stress, and linking. Clear pronunciation matters in spoken tasks, especially French sounds that do not exist in English, such as the nasal vowels and the 'u' sound.

Pronouncing a normally silent final consonant at the start of the next word when it begins with a vowel sound, as in 'les amis' said as 'lez-ami'. It makes speech flow and is expected in formal spoken French.

Dropping a final vowel before a word beginning with a vowel or silent h, marked by an apostrophe, as in 'l'école' instead of 'la école'. It is compulsory in French and errors are noticeable in writing.

A spoken exchange between two or more people, involving turn-taking, questions, and replies. Speaking tasks often involve role-playing a conversation such as ordering food, asking directions, or making plans.

A speaking activity where you act out a realistic situation, such as booking a hotel room or complaining in a shop. You are assessed on communication, range of language, and accuracy.

The ability to communicate clearly in spoken French, covering fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary range, and grammatical accuracy. It is assessed through interactions and prepared or spontaneous talks.

A set phrase used to be polite, such as 's'il vous plaît', 'merci beaucoup', or 'je voudrais'. These fixed expressions are expected in formal situations and in letters or emails.

Groups of words linked to a topic, such as family, holidays, health, school, or the environment. Building topic vocabulary helps you understand texts and speak or write with more precision.

A French word that looks like an English word but means something different. For example, 'actuellement' means 'currently', not 'actually', and 'librairie' means bookshop, not library.

The words and sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word, which help you guess its meaning. Using context is a key reading strategy when you meet unknown vocabulary in an exam text.

A piece of writing that gives facts about a topic, such as a news article, notice, or brochure. Reading tasks often ask you to find specific details or decide whether statements are true.

A short account of the main points of a text or recording, written in your own words. It tests whether you understood the overall message rather than isolated details.

A letter or email written in a polite, structured style, with a greeting, body, and closing formula. Writing tasks may ask you to write one to apply for something, complain, or give information.

A friendly letter or email to someone you know well, using 'tu' and a relaxed tone. It usually includes a greeting, news, questions for the reader, and a friendly sign-off.

A short outline of the points you will make before writing a longer text. Planning helps organise ideas logically, avoid repetition, and make sure you answer the whole task.

A rough first version of a piece of writing, used to get ideas down before polishing grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Time spent on a draft usually improves accuracy in writing tasks.

Reading through your own written work to check for mistakes in grammar, spelling, agreement, and tenses. It is a practical habit that earns marks in writing tasks.

Making words agree in gender and number, such as adjectives matching nouns and verbs matching subjects. Agreement is one of the most common areas where learners lose marks in writing.

Whether a French noun is masculine or feminine. Gender affects articles, adjectives, and pronouns, so learning each noun with its article, such as 'le livre' or 'la table', is essential.

A small word placed before a noun, such as 'le', 'la', 'les', 'un', 'une', or 'des'. French uses articles far more often than English, so choosing the right one matters for accuracy.

The article form used for an unspecified amount, such as 'du pain', 'de la soupe', or 'des légumes'. It is common with food and drink and changes to 'de' in negative sentences.

The structure used to make a sentence negative, usually with 'ne ... pas' around the verb. Other forms include 'ne ... jamais', 'ne ... plus', and 'ne ... rien'.

The word that expresses an action or state, such as 'manger', 'être', or 'aller'. In French it changes form depending on the subject, tense, and mood, so verb endings must be learned carefully.

The form of a verb that shows when an action happens, such as present, past, or future. Choosing the right tense, and forming it correctly, is central to accurate writing and speaking.

The main French past tense for completed actions, formed with a helping verb ('avoir' or 'être') plus a past participle, as in 'j'ai mangé' or 'elle est partie'.

A past tense used for ongoing situations, habits, and descriptions in the past, as in 'quand j'étais petit'. It is often contrasted with the passé composé in narratives.

The verb form used to talk about what will happen, such as 'je partirai'. It is needed for plans, predictions, and formal writing such as letters and applications.

A verb form used for polite requests, hypothetical situations, and reported speech, as in 'je voudrais' or 'il serait content'. It softens statements and appears often in formal writing.

A linking word such as 'd'abord', 'ensuite', 'cependant', or 'donc' that shows how ideas relate. Good use of connectors makes writing and speech more coherent and earns credit.

The way a piece of writing is organised, for example with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Clear structure helps the reader follow your argument or story.