French Extension HSC exam papers archive
French Extension 2017 HSC exam pack (archive)
2017 French Extension HSC paper (archived)
HSC marking guidelines
Marking guidelines are developed with the examination paper and are used by markers to guide their marking of a student's response. The table shows the criteria with each mark or mark range.
Sample answers may also be developed and included in the guidelines to make sure questions assess a student's knowledge and skills, and guide the Supervisor of Marking on the expected nature and scope of a student's response. They are not intended to be exemplary or even complete answers or responses.
HSC marking feedback
Select from the link(s) below to view feedback about how students performed in this year’s examination.
Use the feedback to guide preparation for future examinations. Feedback includes an overview of the qualities of better responses. Feedback may not be provided for every question.
Feedback on practical examination
Oral examination
Question 1
Students should:
- use their time wisely
- make a connection to the question especially in the introductory and concluding statements
- ensure their point of view was clearly expressed
- explain their use of statistics and findings from survey companies, making clear links to the question
- clarify and explain their ideas relevant to the question
- answer all elements of the questions, repeating ideas where necessary
- ensure there are no contradictions in the arguments they present, with the introduction matching the conclusion
- refer to the contemporary world rather than the personal (avoid je, mes amis and personal anecdotes).
Students can prepare for this examination by:
- practising correct sentence construction and the avoidance of English syntax and Anglicisms
- using correct pronunciation and grammar conventions, such as verb and adjectival agreements, tenses and gender
- avoiding mistakes such as: ecouter; pays; bénéficiel; spécialement; autour le monde; idées mal; conjugation of promouvoir, confusion between experiencer/ experimenter.
In better responses, students were able to:
- present clear arguments about how essential it is to listen to others
- approach the question in a logical and structured manner with arguments supported by relevant examples and links to the question; explaining how and why; and, including a clear introduction and conclusion
- provide evidence on how listening to others could have positive or negative outcomes. The positive and negative impact of listening were explained and supported with current, relevant and well-selected examples from the contemporary world, such as learning from mistakes of older generations, gaining understanding by listening to other cultures (avoiding racism, intolerance and discrimination) as well as not listening to ill-advised or ignorant people
- communicate ideas confidently and fluently, with authentic intonation and pronunciation, and with only minor inaccuracies
- demonstrate a high level of linguistic competence, with sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures as well as a high level of accuracy, which was used to manipulate the argument concisely
- establish the crux of the argument straight away, before getting into the body of the discussion.
Question 2
Students should:
- make a connection to the question especially in the introductory and concluding statements, avoiding formulaic content such as c'est à nous de changer l'avenir avant que cela soit trop tard as a final statement
- use time wisely
- ensure they clearly state their point of view; some students gave l'autre côté de la medaille at the end
- explain their use of statistics and findings from survey companies, making clear links to the question
- maintain a connection with the question and avoid using pre-learned material
- make clear links to the question, responding to the key words and avoiding repetition
- develop their arguments, with the introduction consistent with the conclusion
- refer to the contemporary world rather than the personal (avoid ‘je’ and personal anecdotes).
Students can prepare for this examination by:
- being able to construct their sentences correctly, avoiding English syntax and Anglicisms
- use correct pronunciation and grammar conventions, such as verb and adjectival agreements, tenses and gender
- avoiding errors such as with the use of defavorise; jeunes/gens; les étudiants
- minimising the use of colloquial terms such as boulot and truc.
In better responses, students were able to:
- address all elements of the question, especially the implied comparison of time-frames (d'aujourd'hui) and what caused Youth to be disadvantaged or not
- discuss clear examples of disadvantage such as psychological illness caused by pressure, technology, cost of housing and education or advantage such as the positive impact of technology, travel opportunities and education. These were well linked to the question and explored in depth.
Feedback on written examination
Section I
General feedback
Students should:
- read each question carefully and pay close attention to key words in the question to ensure their response addresses and answers the question
- follow the word limit as indicated by the question
- write responses appropriate to purpose, context and audience
- structure and sequence their ideas and response in a logical and coherent manner.
Students should expect to:
- analyse and interpret rather than recount the text
- make links between discrete extracts as well as the film as a whole
- the question for Section II to have two or more elements
- situate each text in the film and to know what precedes and follows each extract.
Students can prepare for this examination by:
- being familiar with the whole prescribed text alongside the prescribed themes and issues
- being able to analyse the extracts within the parameters of the prescribed issues
- reading aloud the scripts of the extracts to get a better feeling of the characters
- having an empathic perception of the events through the eyes of each character involved
- practising writing, stepping in the shoes of the characters and reacting to events rather than recounting them
- practising writing in different text types (formal letters, articles, script of a speech etc.)
- practising answering questions within a set period of time to see if they know the prescribed texts well enough but to also practise editing their responses as they write them.
Response to Prescribed Text – Part A
In better responses, students were able to:
- accurately convey the effect of film techniques
- show extensive knowledge of the prescribed text and prescribe issues and are able to adapt their knowledge to answer the question appropriately
- express themselves succinctly
- select an appropriate example, elaborate upon it and establish a clear link to the question
- show an in-depth knowledge of the issue of social class and are able to articulate Sami’s deepening awareness of the gap between the social classes, in both extracts given
- see the progression of the questions and avoid repetition of ideas and examples given in previous answers
- see the issue through the eyes of Sami in (part (d)).
Response to Prescribed Text – Part B
In better responses, students were able to:
- analyse the extract and include their reflections on the quotes
- write about events that directly and immediately relate to the quote and question without going on tangents (events that have not yet taken place)
- analyse each character (including their language, tone, register and behaviour) in order to replicate it in their writing
- mimic the tone, register, for example, using appropriate language and persona of the characters, staying true to each character, for example, using humour if appropriate
- demonstrate a perceptive and sensitive understanding of the prescribed text by writing in the true voice of Sami and correctly identifying key elements of the film and the characters through his text
- analyse with specific references to the quote, for example, liking or leaving the room, the posters and politics
- demonstrate effectively Sami’s reflections and emotions on whether or not he should stay and possible actions he could take, for example, lack of choice and taking his mother’s feelings into consideration – not Nadia but maman)
- demonstrate flair and creativity when reflecting on Sami’s distressed and frustrated reaction to his stay in Neuilly, for example, j’en ai marre, je m’en fou, ce n’est pas mon choix de rester ici, as well as his treatment from the rest of the De Chazelle family
- use a good range of tenses and language, including the subjunctive and imperative moods, si clauses, complex structures (object pronouns) and indirect speech, rhetorical questions and modal verbs
- address the question fully, succinctly and to the point, without verbosity
- use a small amount of humour as would Sami, for example, c’est la faute de Zidane.
Section II
Writing in French
In better responses, students were able to:
- fully address the two parts of the question , that is, l’expérience et l’intolérance and l’inégalité et les relations humaines
- write well-structured responses by clearly introducing their topic and providing examples
- show knowledge of the text type and extensive knowledge of the prescribed issues
- express themselves succinctly and authentically
- select appropriate examples, elaborated upon them and establish clear links to the question
- avoid repetition of ideas and examples given in previous arguments
- demonstrate breadth and depth of argument
- use a range of sophisticated language to develop their ideas and link back to the question
- use connectors
- address the key words of the question
- use correct gender/noun agreements/ plural and singular
- use correct verb endings and tenses as well as spelling
- use prepositions.
HSC exam resources
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French Extension syllabus
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