La santé
GCSE French model answers: healthy living
Foundation, about 90 words
- ce que tu manges
- le sport que tu fais
- ce que tu as fait hier pour être en forme
- tes projets pour être en bonne santé
Pour être en bonne santé, je mange beaucoup de fruits et de légumes. J'adore les pommes parce qu'elles sont délicieuses, mais je déteste le poisson. Je joue au basket deux fois par semaine au collège. Hier, je suis allé à la piscine avec mon père et j'ai nagé pendant une heure. C'était fatigant mais super ! Je ne fume pas parce que c'est dangereux. À l'avenir, je vais manger moins de chocolat et je vais dormir plus. Je voudrais aussi courir un marathon un jour.
To be healthy, I eat lots of fruit and vegetables. I love apples because they are delicious, but I hate fish. I play basketball twice a week at school. Yesterday I went to the swimming pool with my dad and I swam for an hour. It was tiring but great! I don't smoke because it's dangerous. In the future I am going to eat less chocolate and I am going to sleep more. I would also like to run a marathon one day.
- About 85 words, close to the 90 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 1 past-tense reference and 3 future or conditional.
- 4 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 1 connectives to link ideas and make the writing flow.
Higher, about 150 words
- ton mode de vie
- un changement que tu as fait récemment
- les dangers pour les jeunes
- tes résolutions pour l'avenir
J'essaie de mener une vie saine, même si ce n'est pas toujours facile avec le stress des examens. D'habitude, je fais du sport au moins trois fois par semaine et je mange équilibré. Il y a six mois, j'ai décidé d'arrêter de boire des boissons sucrées, car je m'étais rendu compte que j'en buvais trop. Depuis, je me sens beaucoup plus énergique. À mon avis, le plus grand danger pour les jeunes, c'est le manque de sommeil, surtout parce qu'on passe des heures sur les écrans. De plus, certains commencent à fumer pour faire comme leurs amis, ce que je trouve vraiment triste. L'année prochaine, j'essaierai de me coucher plus tôt et je ferai de la natation le week-end. Si tout le monde faisait un petit effort, nous serions tous en meilleure santé. Il est essentiel que les écoles encouragent les élèves à bouger davantage.
I try to lead a healthy life, even if it isn't always easy with exam stress. Usually I do sport at least three times a week and I eat a balanced diet. Six months ago I decided to stop drinking sugary drinks, because I had realised that I was drinking too many. Since then I feel much more energetic. In my opinion, the biggest danger for young people is lack of sleep, especially because we spend hours on screens. What's more, some start smoking to copy their friends, which I find really sad. Next year I will try to go to bed earlier and I will go swimming at the weekend. If everyone made a small effort, we would all be healthier. It is essential that schools encourage pupils to move more.
- About 145 words, close to the 150 the task asks for, with every bullet point covered.
- Three time frames: 1 past-tense reference and 2 future or conditional.
- 4 opinions, most of them backed up with a reason.
- 5 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
| J'essaie de mener une vie saine | I try to lead a healthy life |
| Je m'étais rendu compte que... | I had realised that... |
| Le plus grand danger, c'est... | The biggest danger is... |
| Il est essentiel que + subjonctif | It is essential that... |
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.
The checker looks for common patterns, so it can miss things or be fooled. It can't judge accuracy: ask your teacher to mark your writing properly. Your writing is saved on this device only.
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
- My school Mon collège
- Free time Le temps libre
- 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: Healthy living and lifestyle, drill the French verbs, or practise speaking on the same topic in French speaking.