Le temps libre
GCSE French model answers: free time
Foundation, about 90 words
- ce que tu fais le week-end
- ton sport ou loisir préféré
- ce que tu as fait le week-end dernier
- tes projets pour le week-end prochain
Le week-end, je joue aux jeux vidéo et je fais du vélo avec mes amis. Mon loisir préféré est la musique parce que c'est relaxant. J'écoute de la musique tous les jours et je joue du piano. Le week-end dernier, je suis allé en ville avec ma sœur. Nous avons acheté des vêtements et nous avons mangé une glace. C'était très amusant. Le week-end prochain, je vais regarder un match de foot au stade avec mon père. Ce sera génial parce que j'adore le foot !
At the weekend I play video games and I go cycling with my friends. My favourite hobby is music because it's relaxing. I listen to music every day and I play the piano. Last weekend I went into town with my sister. We bought some clothes and we ate an ice cream. It was great fun. Next weekend I am going to watch a football match at the stadium with my dad. It will be great because I love football!
- About 86 words, close to the 90 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 2 past-tense references and 1 future or conditional.
- 3 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 1 connectives to link ideas and make the writing flow.
Higher, about 150 words
- tes loisirs et pourquoi tu les aimes
- comment tes loisirs ont changé
- un spectacle ou un événement récent
- un loisir que tu voudrais essayer
Pendant mon temps libre, je fais de la natation et je lis beaucoup, ce qui me permet d'oublier le stress du collège. Quand j'étais plus jeune, je jouais dehors tous les jours, alors que maintenant je préfère sortir en ville avec mes amis. Samedi dernier, je suis allé voir mon groupe préféré en concert à Manchester. Nous avions attendu ce moment pendant des mois et l'ambiance était incroyable. Nous avons chanté toutes les chansons et nous sommes rentrés très tard. À mon avis, il est important d'avoir des loisirs variés, car on ne peut pas passer toute sa vie devant un écran. Un jour, j'aimerais apprendre à faire de la plongée, puisque j'adore la mer depuis toujours. Si j'avais plus de temps et d'argent, je m'inscrirais dans un club dès demain. Pour moi, c'est ça, la vraie liberté.
In my free time I swim and read a lot, which lets me forget the stress of school. When I was younger I played outside every day, whereas now I prefer going into town with my friends. Last Saturday I went to see my favourite band in concert in Manchester. We had been waiting for this moment for months and the atmosphere was incredible. We sang all the songs and got home very late. In my opinion it is important to have varied hobbies, because you can't spend your whole life in front of a screen. One day I would like to learn to scuba dive, since I have always loved the sea. If I had more time and money, I would join a club tomorrow. For me, that's real freedom.
- About 138 words, close to the 150 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 2 past-tense references and 1 future or conditional.
- 5 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 4 complex structures, such as si clauses, the subjunctive, the pluperfect and relative pronouns, which show a wide range of language.
- 3 connectives to link ideas and make the writing flow.
Phrases to steal
| ...ce qui me permet d'oublier... | ...which lets me forget... |
| Quand j'étais plus jeune, je + imparfait | When I was younger, I used to... |
| Nous avions attendu ce moment pendant des mois | We had been waiting for this moment for months |
| ...alors que maintenant... | ...whereas now... |
Try it yourself
Write your own answer to one of the tasks above, then see what the checker spots. Tip: press Hide the answer first so you're not tempted to copy.
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Quick questions
How do I get a grade 9 in GCSE French writing?
Answer every bullet point, write accurately, and show a wide range of language: past, present and future or conditional, opinions with reasons, and complex structures such as si clauses, the subjunctive and relative pronouns.
Can I learn these answers by heart?
Use them as a model, not a script. Learn the phrases to steal and the structures, then write your own answer about your own life. Examiners reward language that fits the task.
More French model answers
- My family and friends Ma famille et mes amis
- Healthy living La santé
- My school Mon collège
- Festivals and celebrations Les fêtes
- Celebrities and role models Les célébrités
- Holidays Les vacances
- Technology and social media La technologie
- My town and the environment Ma ville et l'environnement
Keep going
Learn the words for this topic in French vocabulary: Free-time activities, drill the French verbs, or practise speaking on the same topic in French speaking.