aqa a level french essay

French A Level AQA Past Papers

These pages are managed by andrew balaam. if you spot a broken link or have any comments, please send me an e-mail.

Old style papers below this point - speaking are not included as the format was very different.

Free Resources

All the resources on this page are free and new resources are added regularly. So...watch this space!

If you have downloaded and used any of these resources and think they were useful and saved you some time, please consider making a small donation via my fundraising page. 

I am now supporting WWF and all donations made via my JustGiving page go directly to this Charity. 

£594 was raised for Crisis

Les questions possibles, click on the boxes to get the questions for free (editable versions), vocabulary lists (.pdf versions), speaking activity.

Click on this image to download the card and model answers (editable version)

Vocabulary practice, memrise- online course, vocab tests and answers.

Film study: La Haine

Click on the pictures to download resources, essay questions.

Learning Mat

Essay Writing Guidance

Model Essay

Scheme of Work

Book study: No et Moi

Essay questions.

Worksheets to study chapters 1-5

La Biographie- Summary activity

Comment on traite les criminels.

Le bénévolat depuis la pandémie

Reading Activities

Click on the pictures to download the worksheet for free (editable version), fascinators / bell ringers, click on the pictures to download the resource.

Les expressions idiomatiques

Monsieur et Madame

Travail de détective

Differentiated online articles and differentiated worksheets (to download), (suitable for a-level students and most able gcse students), a revision website to share with your students, https://sites.google.com/view/alevel-french, la famille en voie de changement, la cyber-société, le rôle du bénévolat, une culture fière de son héritage, la musique francophone contemporaine, le septième art, schemes of work/ schemes of learning, la famille en voie de changement- pdf, la cyber-société- pdf, le rôle du bénévolat-pdf, le patrimoine-pdf, editable version, la musique francophone contemporaine-pdf, le septième art-pdf, aspects positifs d'une société diverse-pdf, quelle vie pour les marginalisés-pdf, comment on traite les criminels-pdf, ados, droit de vote et engagement politique-pdf, manifs, grèves-pdf, politique et immigration-pdf, glossary of grammar terms.

Ados, droit de vote et engagement politique  Le Référendum

Online article

Comprehension questions, comprehension answers, kahoot quiz, paper version of the quiz, quiz answers, la gastronomie par région, interactive reading activity.

Exam Techniques

Paper 1: reading and summary.

Watch this space... more freebies on the way!

Mind map activity.

• May 26, 2019

La Haine | A Level French Revision Tips | Writing Exam

Updated: Aug 5, 2021

The A Level French Writing paper is a breeze with these useful pointers from Adeline!

The film “La Haine” is a classic of the A Level syllabus, and is suggested for instance by Edexcel and AQA . Most A Level students will sit their French Paper 2 (Writing) mid-June, so we thought it would be worth going over some of the works that will come up!

We’ve already discussed Les Choristes and Entre les Murs in our Teacher in Talkies series, but today I would like to focus on La Haine for the Writing exam.

French Paper 2 (Writing)

Before we start, here’s a reminder of what will be expected of students in Paper 2 — as always, please double check the official instructions that apply to you with your own school and exam board, but this should apply to most students.

The exam paper will have a series of questions covering all the works set in the syllabus (texts and films). For each work, there will be two possible questions and you are free to pick the question you like the most out of the two. Out of all the questions, you only need to answer two. If you want to answer 2 questions on 2 texts, that’s fine, but you cannot answer 2 questions on 2 films: if you want to answer a question on a film, the second question you pick has to be on a text.

You won’t have access to the texts or films during the assessment, and you are expected to write essays that are approximately 300 words long. It is also noted that “all questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (e.g. the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film)” ( AQA ).

This is important: it means you need to know the plot and themes well, but also to be aware of the artistic and technical dimension of the work, so make sure you include both elements in your revision if you want to get a top grade! In “La Haine”, one of the obvious things to discuss would be the use of black and white for instance, but there are plenty of other things you might want to include.

La Haine — Main Facts

La Haine (“Hatred”) was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and came out in 1995 ( click to see trailer ). The film focuses on three young men — Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Hubert (Hubert Koundé) and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui) living in the French “banlieue”. It depicts 24 hours of their lives, on the day after violent riots took place, and describes the tension between them and the police.

Useful vocabulary & quotes from La Haine

• Banlieue : the film takes place in a French “banlieue” (it was shot in Chanteloup-les-Vignes , in the North West of Paris). “Banlieue” is tricky to translate because even though it literally means “suburbs”, the connotations are very different in French. In French, “banlieues” are low-income neighbourhoods with a high percentage of immigrant populations. They are often on the fringe of bigger cities like Paris or Lyon. I’ve seen “banlieue” translated as “fringe”, which reflects their marginal dimension and the fact that they tend to be overlooked by the rest of society. It is also worth noting that the inhabitants of banlieues are called “banlieusards” (the spelling is tricky so worth including on your revision cards).

• Bavure : litteraly, “baver” means to dribble, and “bavure” can be used to describe a smudge of ink on a page. In the context of the film — “une bavure policière” — it describes a police blunder, an act of violence that shouldn’t have happened. As the film revolves around the tension between the characters and the police, this is a particularly useful word to know!

• "C’est l’histoire d’un homme qui tombe d’un immeuble de cinquante étages. Le mec, au fur et à mesure de sa chute, il se répète sans cesse pour se rassurer : jusqu’ici tout va bien, jusqu’ici tout va bien, jusqu’ici tout va bien. Mais l'important n’est pas la chute, c’est l’atterrissage ."

This is probably the most famous quote in “La Haine”. Hubert describes a character falling off a building, and repeating to himself “so far I’m doing fine”. However, Hubert’s conclusion is that “it’s not the fall that’s important, it’s the landing”. There are many ways to analyse this but it can be seen as a comment on the state of the banlieues and the fact that society is trying to ignore the issues they are facing — pretending it’s all going to be fine, and exposing itself to disaster.

Extra reading

• In French: the French equivalent of IMDB ( Allociné ) has a lot of information on the film, including a section of anecdotes and fun facts about the film. Useful if you’re a cinema fan and want to know more about the references in the film.

• In French: Wikiquote has a very useful recap of quotes in the film. They are not all worth remembering, but you might want to learn one or two!

• In English: this Medium article is a bit more advanced but offers a fascinating reflection on the relationship between the environment (i.e. the architecture of the banlieue ) and the characters. It refers to specific techniques in the film so it is really good if you want more ideas about the technical aspects to comment on. If you find arguments you might want to reuse, remember to think of how you would put it in French.

Bonne chance!

Blog Post Crafted by Adeline

Adeline runs our Admin Team . With a PhD in English, she can call herself a doctor but can’t write prescriptions!

Adeline manages the staff on our Admin Team, liaising with tutors, clients and applicants. She is responsible for processing the ID, Qualifications, DBS Check and References for all our newly joining tutors , as well as taking tuition enquiries, matching tutors to clients, and supporting tutors and clients throughout the process of tuition.

• Movies & Film

Recent Posts

The Impacts of AI on Education

7 Doubly Fun Things To Do in Half Term

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Revision Habits

• French AS Level
• French A2 Level
• German AS Level
• German A2 Level

French AS Level Resources

Essential resources.

Les Nouveaux Médias

La santé et le bien-être, la famille et les relations, french as level speaking examination.

You can do it, too! Sign up for free now at https://www.jimdo.com

• Scroll to top

AQA AS French: Past Papers

Browse our range of AQA AS French Past Papers and Mark Schemes below. Testing yourself with AS French past papers is a great way to identify which topics need more revision, so you can ensure that you are revising as effectively as possible to help you get ready for your AS French exam.

Visit all of our AQA AS Past Papers here .

• UCAS Guide Home >
• A-Level French

A-Level French A* Revision Tips

Medical Student

Studying a language at A-level can be difficult since it’s very different from other a-levels. Below are 5 tips to help you whilst revising to get an A* in A-level French. Bonne chance!

Table of Contents

1. Learn your grammar

People often find learning grammar boring but having a good understanding of grammar will help you achieve your A* in A-level French. There are French grammar books that you can use to help improve your grammar skills. Alternatively, you can create your own personal list of grammar points that you have come across and that you can continue to add to throughout your studies. This way you can constantly refer to this list when writing essays. Revision cards can also be useful in remembering different tenses and important grammar rules.

2. Practice speaking French

To become more confident in the speaking exam as part of your A-level French, you want to try to practice speaking in French as much as possible. Try practicing with your friends both in lesson and outside of lesson. You could organise a weekly lunchtime session where you meet up to discuss a particular topic in French. If you have the opportunity to speak to a French native that can be very helpful as they will be able to correct your pronunciation and any mistakes that you’re making. You can also practice by yourself at home by reading French text out loud slowly to help you improve in confidence.

3. Immerse yourself in the culture

There are many different resources that you can use to gain a greater insight into French culture but will help you achieve an A style in a level French. For example, try reading French newspapers and listening to the French news in the mornings. This will give you a greater idea of French culture and what is currently happening in France. Listening to French music can be helpful, after listening to a song try to translate it to English and see how much you can translate. This means that you are actively learning and you can add any new words you learn to your French vocabulary.

4. Study French consistently

A-level French requires consistency, particularly because it is a language and it is easy to forget things after a while. Try to practice your French every day even if it’s only for an hour. Set yourself different tasks when you study to ensure that you’re increasing your ability everyday such as writing essays and asking your teacher to mark them. If you want to push yourself further, try changing your phone’s default language to French. This will mean you’re exposed to French from the moment you wake up and will increase your familiarity with the language.

5. Use A-level French exemplars

Each exam board releases examples of A-level French students’ essays which are an excellent resource. You can check these out on your exam boards website. Take note of what each student does well and what gains you more marks. For example, using impersonal expressions helps to improve your grammatical range and will mean your writing sounds more French. This will show the examiner that you know what you’re doing and will push you towards an A*.

To get an A* in A-Level French, you need to have a strong command of the language, including a wide range of vocabulary, advanced grammar structures, and effective communication skills. You also need to be able to analyze and interpret complex texts, both written and spoken, and express your ideas clearly and coherently.

To study A-Level French effectively, it’s important to practice regularly, immerse yourself in the language as much as possible, and focus on areas where you need improvement. You should also try to read and listen to authentic French materials, such as news articles, podcasts, and films.

To improve your writing skills for A-Level French, you should practice writing regularly, using a range of different styles and formats. You should also pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and use a variety of sentence structures to add depth and complexity to your writing.

Speaking practice is an essential component of A-Level French, as it allows you to practice your communication skills and develop fluency in the language. You should try to speak with native speakers as much as possible, and practice speaking in a variety of different contexts, such as debates, presentations, and conversations.

There are a variety of resources available for studying A-Level French, including textbooks, online tutorials, and language exchange programs. Your school or college may also provide additional resources and support, such as study groups or one-on-one tutoring.

If you’re struggling with A-Level French, you should reach out for help as soon as possible. This could mean asking your teacher or tutor for extra support, joining a study group, or seeking out additional resources online. Remember, it’s never too late to turn things around and improve your understanding of the language.

Getting an A in A-Level French is considered to be a challenging task, as it requires a solid command of the language, including a wide range of vocabulary, advanced grammar structures, and effective communication skills. However, with dedication, hard work, and effective study strategies, it is possible to achieve an A in A-Level French. It is important to note that the difficulty of achieving an A may vary from person to person depending on their individual strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. The level of difficulty may also depend on the specific exam board and the requirements for obtaining an A in their grading scheme.

Still got a question? Leave a comment

Leave a comment, cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Let's get acquainted ? What is your name?

Nice to meet you, {{name}} what is your preferred e-mail address, nice to meet you, {{name}} what is your preferred phone number, what is your preferred phone number, just to check, what are you interested in, when should we call you.

It would be great to have a 15m chat to discuss a personalised plan and answer any questions

What time works best for you? (UK Time)

Pick a time-slot that works best for you ?

How many hours of 1-1 tutoring are you looking for?

My whatsapp number is..., for our safeguarding policy, please confirm....

Please provide the mobile number of a guardian/parent

Which online course are you interested in?

What is your query, you can apply for a bursary by clicking this link, sure, what is your query, thank you for your response. we will aim to get back to you within 12-24 hours., lock in a 2 hour 1-1 tutoring lesson now.

If you're ready and keen to get started click the button below to book your first 2 hour 1-1 tutoring lesson with us. Connect with a tutor from a university of your choice in minutes. (Use FAST5 to get 5% Off!)

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Writing an essay- Student guide- AS and A level FRENCH

Subject: French

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

30 March 2019

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

A student guide on how to write an essay about a film/ text in French. Examples used are for the study of the movie La Haine but the guidance is relevant to any film or text.

If you are interested in getting more free resources of this type, you can check this facebook page: @frenchresources, where links are posted regularly.

Creative Commons "Sharealike"

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 29%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

La Haine- Model Essays (10+ practice) BIG BUNDLE- A Level French

In this Bundle: 10 model essays with their model answer and model plan + a writing essay practice Questions are: Lot1 : -Expliquez l'intrigue dans La Haine et la position des personnages principaux par rapport à l'intrigue -Eprouvez-vous de la compassion pour Vinz? Lot2 : -'Le titre du film La Haine est bien choisi car il reflète exactement le thème principal du film’. Dans quelle mesure êtes-vous d’accord avec ce jugement? -Dans La Haine, Mathieu Kassovitz a réussi à dépeindre l’exclusion sociale. Etes-vous d’accord? Lot3 : -Analysez les principales techniques utilisées par Mathieu Kassovitz dans La Haine. Que pensez-vous de ces techniques? -Analysez les influences sur le metteur en scène et comment ces influences se manifestent dans La Haine Lot4: (AQA summer 2017) -Examinez la représentation de la police dans ce film -Examinez jusqu'à quel point les trois personnages principaux sont des personnages réalistes ou des stéréotypes Lot 5: -Examinez le personnage d'Abdel Ichaha dans le film -Examinez les personnages principaux et comment ils attirent de la sympathie chez le spectateur Essay writing practice: -6 tasks focussing on different aspects of essay writing and using 6 different essay questions (each lot is available for £2; 29% saved with this bundle) If you are interested in more resources of this type, you can check this facebook page: @frenchresources

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

Mademoiselle Donay

Merci du partage! vraiment utile

Empty reply does not make any sense for the end user

Excellent, merci!

merci de votre excellent document.

Merci beaucoup.

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• Centre Services
• Associate Extranet
• All About Maths

Request blocked

This request has been blocked as part of the aqa security policy.

Your support ID is: 1773266424815751046

If you're seeing this message in error, call us on 0800 197 7162 (or +44 161 696 5995 outside the UK) quoting the support ID above.

Return to previous page