Junior Cert French: Zodiac signs test adjectives and tenses

This year’s Junior Cert French papers were manageable with no surprises, according to teachers.

On the higher-level paper, students were asked about zodiac signs which will have tested their adjectives and tenses.

Elizabeth Hayes-Lynn, director of FrenchNotes.ie, said that the paper was "very doable, with questions about part-time jobs, pocket money and transport".

She said a recipe involving chicken and mushrooms will have tested their knowledge of verbs.

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“There was a question about what a young person likes to do at weekends; the vocabulary needed covered hobbies and activities and teachers will have covered this in class,” she said.

Natasha Lynch of EssentialFrench.ie said that the reading comprehensions were standard enough, following expected patterns.

“There was a lovely piece on the “Sea Bubble”, the new transport on La Seine and also a couple of tricky questions where the vocabulary of students was really tested.

There was a nice reading comprehension with themes including a recipe for protein balls

“The last comprehension, with students expected to know the words for ‘choosing a shoe size under your normal size’ would have been a challenge at Leaving Cert honours level.”

The ordinary paper was standard enough, said Ms Lynch.

“There was a nice reading comprehension with themes including a recipe for protein balls and organising a house party. There were no awkward points in the written section. Knowledge of tenses and typical letter-writing vocabulary was required.”

Ms Hayes-Lynn said that the junior cert French syllabus as it is currently constituted tests receptive skills, with the major emphasis on the listening comprehension.

Students responding to her Snapchat account said that it started off easier and got progressively difficult, with some tricky parts but nothing too hard.