This key facts covers Key rules at a glance within Read-aloud and follow-up questions for GCSE French. Revise Read-aloud and follow-up questions in Speaking: Role-Play, Read-Aloud and Photo Card 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 3 of 4 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📌 Key rules at a glance
- 5 marks total: pronunciation + communication — both are assessed from the same read-aloud recording
- Silent -ent is non-negotiable: the -ent ending on all third-person-plural verbs is completely inaudible in correct French — zero exceptions
- Liaison is mandatory in specific contexts: determiner + noun/adjective starting with vowel (les enfants, un_ami), pronoun + verb starting with vowel (nous_avons, ils_ont)
- Liaison is forbidden in other contexts: never link a noun plural -s to a following verb: les enfants|arrivent (no liaison across subject-verb boundary)
- French -u requires rounded lips: practise by saying "ee" while rounding your lips — this is the sound in rue, du, une
- French -r is guttural: made at the back of the throat — practise gargling lightly and shape the sound into the word
- Preparation time is shared: the 12 minutes preparation time covers all three speaking tasks — do not spend all of it on the read-aloud
Practice questions for Read-aloud and follow-up questions
How many marks is the read-aloud task worth in total on the AQA GCSE French speaking exam?
Which of the following words has a SILENT final consonant when spoken aloud?
Quick recall flashcards
How do you pronounce the French 'r'?
The French 'r' is made at the BACK of the throat (not rolled like Spanish or tapped like English).
Think of a soft gargling sound.
Practise with: rouge, regarder, restaurant, Paris.
A strong English 'r' is the most noticeable foreign accent marker — getting this right makes a big difference.
What is the read-aloud task on Paper 2?
Task 2 on the speaking exam.
You read a short passage aloud in French (approx. 35 words at Foundation).
Marked on pronunciation and fluency (intonation, natural pace, hesitations).
Then the examiner asks follow-up questions about the passage topic.
10 marks total (4 read-aloud + 6 follow-up questions).