Leaving Certificate French tests a range of skills, from reading and writing to listening and speaking. Simply learning vocabulary isn't enough on its own. Here are seven common mistakes students make, and how to avoid them.
1. Learning Vocabulary Without Context — long lists of individual words can be difficult to retain. Instead, learn useful phrases and expressions you can apply to different topics and questions, which will make your French sound more natural and help you remember vocabulary more easily.
2. Ignoring Grammar — good vocabulary is important, but grammar makes a major difference to the quality of your written and spoken French. Regularly revise verbs, tenses, agreements and sentence structures.
3. Not Practising the Oral Early Enough — don't leave your oral preparation until the weeks before the exam. Practise speaking French regularly throughout the year so that answering questions becomes more natural.
4. Trying to Understand Every Word in Reading Comprehensions — you don't always need to understand every single word. Focus on the overall meaning of the text and use the surrounding sentences to help with unfamiliar vocabulary.
5. Memorising Full Opinion Pieces — prepared material can be useful, but memorising an entire answer can cause problems if the exam asks the question differently. Learn flexible phrases, arguments and vocabulary you can adapt to different topics.
6. Neglecting the Aural — listening skills improve through practice, so regular exposure to spoken French will help you become more comfortable with different accents, speeds and vocabulary.
7. Not Reading the Question Carefully — make sure you understand exactly what's being asked before you answer, particularly in the written section, where going off-topic can cost valuable marks.
Improving your Leaving Certificate French comes down to regular practice across reading, writing, listening and speaking. At Leaving Cert Plus, our French notes, videos, flashcards, exam questions and quizzes are designed to help you develop these skills and approach the exam with confidence.