- For "Not Given": students most often confuse it with "False". Test yourself — can you find a line that explicitly contradicts the statement? If not, and the topic is not mentioned, it is "Not Given". If the text mentions the topic but does not support the statement, it is "False".
- For short-answer questions: AQA awards marks for conveying the correct meaning in English. You do not need perfect sentences. A precise phrase is enough. Padding with irrelevant detail can actually hurt your mark if it introduces a contradicting idea.
- For opinion vs fact: in Higher texts, writers often state statistics (selon une étude) immediately followed by their own reaction to those statistics. The statistic = fact, the reaction = opinion. These are easy marks if you can identify the boundary.
- For grid completion: read the column headers before scanning. If the header says "reason", you need a cause, not a description. If it says "result", you need a consequence, not an action.
- For inference questions at Higher: the emotional vocabulary table above is your toolkit. When you see hélas, malheureusement, pourtant, malgré — stop and ask: what does the writer's word choice reveal about their feelings?
❌ Common error: Choosing "Not Given" when the text contradicts the statement.
✓ Correct: If the text says il n'aime pas les maths and the statement says "He likes maths", the answer is FALSE, not "Not Given" — the text directly contradicts the statement. "Not Given" requires the text to be completely silent on the topic.
Why it costs marks: This is the single most common error on the True/False/Not Given question type. Examiners report it in every examiner report. Distinguish: FALSE = text contradicts; NOT GIVEN = text is silent.
This exam tips covers Exam Tips & Common Errors within Reading comprehension: True/False/Not Given, opinion and matching for GCSE French. Revise Reading comprehension: True/False/Not Given, opinion and matching in Reading and Translation into English for GCSE French with 10 exam-style questions and 20 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.
Practice questions for Reading comprehension: True/False/Not Given, opinion and matching
Lis ce texte. **Je m'appelle Léa. J'ai deux frères et une sœur. Mon père est médecin et travaille à l'hôpital du lundi au vendredi.** Answer the following question in English. **What is Léa's father's job?**
Lis ce texte. **Je m'appelle Thomas. Le week-end, je joue au football avec mes amis le samedi matin. Le dimanche, je vais au cinéma avec ma famille. J'adore regarder des films d'action.** Answer the following question in English. **What does Thomas do at the weekend? Give TWO details.**