This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Higher vocabulary: communication and the world for GCSE French. Revise Higher vocabulary: communication and the world in Theme 3: Communication and the World Around Us for GCSE French with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors
- At Higher, it is not enough to state an opinion — you must justify it and consider an opposing view. Use D'une part… d'autre part… or Certes… mais… to show this balance.
- The subjunctive is expected at Higher in a few key sentences. Use it in 2–3 high-impact sentences rather than forcing it awkwardly throughout.
- Know the difference in register: Force est de constater que and il convient de noter que are appropriate for formal writing but would sound unnatural in a spoken conversation — adapt to the task type.
- Triggers like il faut que and pour que always take subjunctive. Triggers like on ne peut pas nier que take the indicative — don't over-apply the subjunctive.
- Show off your vocabulary by using precise synonyms: instead of mauvais, use néfaste (harmful), alarmant, or préoccupant (worrying).
❌ Common error: Il faut que le gouvernement prend des mesures.
✓ Correct: Il faut que le gouvernement prenne des mesures.
Why it costs marks: Il faut que is a fixed subjunctive trigger. Using the present indicative prend instead of the subjunctive prenne is one of the most common Higher errors — it suggests you know the trigger phrase but have not mastered its grammar. The subjunctive of prendre: je prenne, tu prennes, il/elle prenne, nous prenions, vous preniez, ils/elles prennent.
❌ Common error: On ne peut pas nier que la pollution soit un problème.
✓ Correct: On ne peut pas nier que la pollution est un problème.
Why it costs marks: Unlike bien que or pour que, the expression on ne peut pas nier que takes the indicative, not the subjunctive. Over-applying the subjunctive after every complex phrase is a very common Higher error. Learn which triggers use which mood.
Practice questions for Higher vocabulary: communication and the world
What is the correct English translation of 'le patrimoine mondial'?
A French student writes: 'Nous devons promouvoir la durabilité pour protéger notre planète.' What does 'la durabilité' mean?