Feeling nervous about your GCSE French speaking questions and answers is totally normal. The good news? With a focused plan, you can quickly gain confidence and boost your grade. This guide walks you through the most common GCSE French speaking questions, sample answers, and expert tips to help you perform your best on exam day.
| Theme | Example Topics |
|---|---|
| Identity and Culture | 1. My family, friends and me; 2. Technology in daily life; 3. Hobbies and leisure activities; 4. Food and drink; 5. Customs and festivals |
| Local, National and International Areas of Interest | 1. Hometown, neighbourhood, environment; 2. Holidays and travel |
| Current and Future Study | 1. School; 2. School subjects; 3. School life; 4. College and university prospects |
| Career Ambitions and Employment | 1. Current or past part-time work; 2. Career aspirations |
French Speaking Exam Questions and Answers
Before practising your GCSE French speaking questions and answers, make sure you understand how the test works. The Foundation Tier lasts 3–5 minutes and checks how well you can communicate familiar ideas. The Higher Tier lasts longer, offering 30 marks for clear pronunciation, detailed vocabulary, and complex sentences.
Avoid using fillers like euh or donc by preparing complete ideas in advance. Review each theme and practise answers and reading so you can speak naturally without pausing for words. Now, let’s explore the main GCSE French speaking questions and answers so you can prepare confidently and know exactly what to expect on exam day.
This guide divides the exam into three key themes with sample French speaking exam questions and model answers to help you prepare effectively.
Theme 1: Identity and Culture
For many students, this is their first real oral exam, so it’s natural to feel nervous. The best way to calm those nerves is to know the French general conversation questions that usually come up — about family, friends, and hobbies. Once you’ve memorised a few opening answers, you’ll quickly find your rhythm and can handle more challenging questions more easily. Think of this section as a friendly chat. Revise textbook chapters like Me, My Family and Friends and prepare short answers you can expand on confidently.
| Example of Questions in Theme 1 |
|---|
| Quelle est ta personnalité? |
| Décris ton/ta meilleur(e) ami(e) |
| Parle-moi de ta famille |
| Qu’est-ce que tu vas faire ce soir / ce weekend avec tes amis / ta famille? |
| Est-ce que tu es sorti(e) récemment avec ta famille / tes amis? |
| Comment étais-tu quand tu étais plus jeune? |
| Préfères-tu sortir avec tes amis ou rester chez toi? Pourquoi? |
| Tu aimerais avoir des enfants? |
| Tu te disputes souvent avec tes parents? Pourquoi? |
| A ton avis, c’est mieux de se marier ou de vivre ensemble? Pourquoi? |
| Qu’est-ce que tu fais pendant ton temps libre? |
| Qu’est-ce qu’on devrait faire pour fêter l’anniversaire de la reine? |
Among the list of questions that you’re likely to be asked under theme 1, expect to be asked about your relationships with family and friends. For example, "How many family members do you have?".
It is also quite common for the examiner to quiz you on your plans by asking, "What are you planning to do over the weekend?" Just as any conversation that you’d have with a stranger might progress, you can expect to be asked bout your hobbies and interests.
This is an opportunity for you to discuss any movies, TV shows, and sports that capture your interest in French. You might also want to keep in mind that if you show a lot of interest in a particular show or artist, it’s not unheard of to be asked a follow-up question such as “What do you like about it?”, so make sure to have an answer in mind just in case!
Theme 2: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest
Theme 2 often feels harder, but it’s simply another chance to show what you know. Practise as you did before, focusing on local and global topics. Instead of seeing it as a more challenging part of the speaking exam, try to view it as an opportunity to show off your knowledge of the language and the preparation you’ve put in.
| Example of Questions in Theme 2 |
|---|
| C’est quelle sorte de région? |
| Qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire dans ta région? |
| Tu préférerais habiter en ville ou à la campagne. Pourquoi? |
| Comment serait ta maison idéale? |
| A ton avis, quel est le plus grand problème pour l’environnement? Pourquoi? |
| Qu’est-ce qu’on pourrait faire pour aider l’environnement? |
| Comment préfères-tu voyager en vacances? Pourquoi? |
| Tu préfères les vacances relaxantes ou actives? Pourquoi? |
| Où vas-tu aller l’année prochaine? |
| Comment seraient tes vacances idéales? |
| Où allais-tu en vacances quand tu étais plus jeune? |
| Quelle sorte de vacance est le mieux-les vacances d’été ou les vacances d’hiver? |
Home, Town, Neighbourhood and Region
When it gets to this stage of the conversation, you’re going to be answering questions based on your surrounding area. You may also have to talk about your house, your town, or even the facilities available across the greater area. So, if there is anything that stands out about where you live, whether you’re by the beach, in a city or a growing town, it’s quite likely that the examiner will steer the conversation in that direction.
Be ready to answer questions like "Qu'est-ce que tu aimes dans ta ville?" (What do you like about your town?) or "Décris ta maison" (Describe your house). This is a great portion of the conversation if you’re looking to pick up some marks, so make sure to get some practice talking about places you know well and ensure that you have the vocabulary for various buildings, amenities and nearby points of interest in your arsenal. Remember that for GCSE French revision, you should include vocabulary and grammar practice.
Social Issues and Global Issues
In the global section, expect questions like “Comment peut-on protéger l’environnement ?” or “Pourquoi le travail bénévole est-il important ?”. To impress examiners, give personal opinions and simple solutions, not memorised essays.
One curveball that can come your way in this section is "Comment peut-on protéger l'environnement?" (How can we protect the environment?) or "Pourquoi le travail bénévole est-il important?" (Why is voluntary work important?).
While these questions can be prepared in advance, just like the others we have discussed thus far, examiners also look to see if students have learned the vocabulary linked to worldwide problems. Again, if you are aiming for full credit, ensure that the answers you prepare reflect your thoughts on these subjects and propose solutions to challenges. To put yourself ahead of others completing the same assessment, you can include some contrasting perspectives to demonstrate an understanding of the issue.
Need to brush up on your French listening? Try this podcast.
Theme 3: Current and Future Study and Employment
The final theme covers school life and future ambitions. You’ll discuss what you study now and what you hope to do later. In this section, the examiner will likely be tuning their ears to hear if you have a strong grasp of the tenses, so make sure that you’re giving your response in the same tense as the question was asked. Start French lessons online here on Superprof.
| Example of Question in Theme 3 |
|---|
| Fais-moi une description de ton collège. |
| Quelle est ta matière préférée? Pourquoi? |
| Quelle est la matière que tu aimes le moins? |
| Parle-moi un peu d’une visite scolaire que tu as fait récemment. |
| Tu voudrais étudier quelles matières l’année prochaine? |
| A ton avis, quelles sont les pressions pour les élèves dans ton collège? |
| Quel est ton emploi idéal? Qu’est-ce que tu voudrais faire comme travail? |
| Tu aimerais aller à l’université un jour? |
| Qu’est-ce que tes parents font comme travail / dans la vie / comme métier? |
| Quel travail est-ce que tu voulais faire quand tu étais plus jeune? |
| A part le travail, quels sont tes projets pour l’avenir? |
| Quel est le plus important pour toi dans un métier? |
School Life and Studies
When you chat about your time in school, make sure you're ready to discuss the classes you take and the teachers who guide you. For example, you might say, "Across the UK, it's compulsory to study maths, science, and English.”
Again, if you mention any subject that is your favourite, expect some follow-up questions about why you like it or whether you like your teacher. Given that you are in the exam year of your GCSE education, another area that you might want to prepare for in advance would be discussing your opinions on school pressure. So, by talking about the academic pressure you put on yourself, whether it comes from teachers or your parents, by coupling this up with a couple of sentences about how you’re finding the workload this year, you’ll be all set!
"Tu aimes étudier les langues?" Closed-ended questions such as these, ones that normally would be answered with just a 'yes' or 'no', need to be answered with extended answers.
Remember, the examiner is looking to see your command of the language, not just that you understand the question.
Still, like the 150-word question you'll be tasked with elsewhere in your exam, this question gives you a lot to work with. You might also field questions about your school uniform - don't just describe it, also share your thoughts on school uniforms being a good/bad idea, and why. What you'll study in the future: again, a seemingly limiting question, but one you can expand on.
Career Choices and Ambitions
The majority of your time in this section should be spent talking about your plans for the future and showing off all the work you’ve done in the future tense. This also means there will be significant variance in the kinds of answers the examiner hears from students, so make sure yours stands out.
Your plans might read something like, "Once I finish my A-levels, I plan to study modern languages because I love travelling, and speaking several languages is a big advantage." We’re sure your French examiner will agree with that one! Find more French lessons London here on Superprof.
The Role Play Component
Your French speaking exam will challenge you with two roleplay exercises. The first one is not as flexible as the second; you're expected to speak lines as prompted. However, the second exercise allows you more latitude; this is where you can really shine.
For both roleplay exercises, you'll be given a card that lists expectations - elements that you should include in your speech. This card will indicate the five elements you must incorporate into your roleplay. For instance, the word written in French means that you must include a sentence related to that word or that uses that word.
If your card lists a French word followed by a question mark, that signals you should ask a question relating to the topic that word represents. For example, if your card reads 'Vacances ?', you should ask your teacher about taking holidays.
Throughout your French speaking test, you will be graded on your use of verb tenses and proper grammar. To ensure the best marks, take your cue from the teacher: if they use a conditional tense, you should use it, too. And, of course, to roleplay competently, you should have a whole lexicon of French words at your disposal. How well do you know the words on your French vocabulary list?
How the Exam is Graded and Using the Marking Scheme
With an understanding of what your examiner is looking for with each question they ask and what sort of responses are worthy of the various grade brackets, you can start tailoring your approach to preparing for the French oral exam.
It will also provide you with a narrower scope when approaching your study and help you allocate your time more effectively. At this point, you should go to the internet to get a copy of some of the marking schemes for past exams, as time is particularly scarce for a GCSE student like yourself.
🙋♀️ Communication
📚 Language Accuracy & Range
🗣️ Intonation & Pronunciation
The test is graded based on four areas: communication, variety and accuracy of language usage, pronunciation and intonation and ability to speak spontaneously and fluently. If you are worried about mastering French pronunciation, then you could benefit from taking a few French lessons with a private tutor.
To aim for a grade, first and foremost, focus on confidently expressing your thoughts in conversation. Then, you’ll need to show that you have a broad knowledge of French grammar structures. Since your pronunciation and intonation will also impact your score, you’ll need to pay attention to these throughout the conversation too.
On the other hand, if you are fretting over the language accuracy criterion, you might need to brush up on your French grammar and verb tenses. The last box that you’ll need to tick is your fluency and capacity to respond, which will only come with plenty of practice speaking French! With an understanding of the grading criteria, you’ll get some invaluable insights into what examiners seek in your answers and be more than prepared to impress on the day!
GCSE French speaking questions and answers focus on building confidence and practising skills. Once you have a better idea of what to expect, you can focus on how to express your ideas. Revise key vocabulary, listen to native speakers, and practice short conversations every day. Beyond that, you can also look to Superprof tutors, with most offering the first session for free, so you can try a few out before choosing the right one for you.
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