This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within The imperfect for description: c'était, il y avait for GCSE French. Revise The imperfect for description: c'était, il y avait in Time Markers and the Three Time Frames for GCSE French with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. 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
- In speaking (photo card / general conversation), use C'était + adjective parce que… to evaluate any past experience — it is a high-value, low-risk structure.
- For the 90-word writing task: one or two imperfect verbs (even just c'était) alongside your perfect-tense sentences signal grammatical range (AO3).
- The imperfect stem for faire is fais-: je faisais du sport (I used to do sport).
- Il y avait never changes — it has no plural form: il y avait un chien / il y avait des chiens.
❌ Common error: J'ai été heureux pendant les vacances. (using the perfect tense for a state/feeling)
✓ Correct: J'étais heureux pendant les vacances.
Why it costs marks: States, feelings, and descriptions in the past use the imperfect, not the perfect. Être as a state verb almost always takes the imperfect: j'étais, c'était, il était. Using the perfect for states (j'ai été heureux) is grammatically possible in very specific contexts but sounds unnatural and signals that the student has not grasped the imperfect / perfect distinction — a key AO3 marker at GCSE.
Practice questions for The imperfect for description: c'était, il y avait
What does 'c'était génial' mean in English?
What does 'il y avait beaucoup de monde' mean in English?