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The 50-Word Task — Foundation Section B
✍️ The 50-Word Task — Foundation Section B
Foundation Paper 4 Section B asks you to write around 40 words addressing four bullet-point tasks. It is worth 8 marks — 4 for communication and 4 for accuracy. Every unanswered bullet costs you directly and immediately, so the golden rule is simple: address all four, one accurate sentence each, in order.
The Task Format and Strategy
The prompt is typically introduced as Vous écrivez un article pour un magazine français or Vous écrivez un e-mail à votre correspondant(e). You are then given four bullet points — each one is a separate communication task worth 1 mark.
Earn the mark scheme marks
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- Read all four bullets before you write a single word — plan one idea per bullet in your head first
- Number your bullets mentally as you go — tick off each one so you never accidentally skip one
- If you forget a word, paraphrase: cannot remember piscine? Write l'endroit où on nage — paraphrase still earns the communication mark
- Do not repeat vocabulary — using the same adjective four times hurts your accuracy score
- Gender agreement matters for accuracy marks: un ami / une amie, il est allé / elle est allée
- Spell-check your key verbs: j'ai mangé not j'ai manger — the past participle must be correct
❌ Common error: Writing a long paragraph about your opinion of weekends and then running out of time — only two bullets addressed at 90 words.
✓ Correct: Write one sentence per bullet first. Once all four are covered, go back and expand if time allows.
Why it costs marks: Each missed bullet loses exactly 1 communication mark. Two missed bullets = 2 marks gone before the accuracy mark is even considered. Coverage before depth, always.