This deep dive covers AQA Paper 3 Question Types within Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check for GCSE French. Revise Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check in Reading and Translation into English for GCSE French with 10 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 2 of 4 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📋 AQA Paper 3 Question Types
| Question type | What it asks | Key strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | Choose A, B or C for a statement about the text | Read all options BEFORE the text; use process of elimination |
| Grid / table completion | Fill cells with details from the text (name, time, price, etc.) | Each row = one section of the text; scan in order |
| Short-answer questions | Answer in English with specific detail | Find the evidence in French first, then translate — never answer from assumption |
| Find the French for… | Locate and copy a phrase from the text | Use structural clues (verb form, article, length) to narrow the search zone |
| Gap fill (in English) | Complete sentences using words from the text | Questions follow text order — move through the passage section by section |
| Matching | Match people/items to opinions or facts | Find each name in the text, read only that person's section |
| Translation (FR → EN) | Translate a marked paragraph into English | See U11-T3 for full translation process |
📋 Core Reading Strategies
| # | Strategy | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Read the question first, then search the text for evidence | Stops you reading the whole passage looking for the right section — questions guide your eye |
| 2 | Questions follow the order of the text | Q1 answer is near the start, Q5 answer near the end — use this to navigate quickly |
| 3 | Find the French evidence before writing your English answer | Prevents guessing from English assumptions — if you can't find it in the text, you can't answer it |
| 4 | For "which is NOT true": eliminate using the text, not logic | All three options are plausible — only the text tells you which one is false |
| 5 | For "find the French for…": use structural clues | If looking for a phrase with "should", look for devrait/devraient; match verb form, not just meaning |
| 6 | Unknown words: use context, cognates and word families | You do not need to know every word — surrounding words usually reveal the meaning |
📋 Decoding Unknown Words — Three Tools
Elle a une personnalité exceptionnelle et un talent remarquable pour la musique.
She has an exceptional personality and a remarkable talent for music.
- Cognates: personnalité → personality; exceptionnelle → exceptional; remarquable → remarkable. These work because French and English share Latin roots. Trust them unless you know the word is a false friend.
Il est passionné par l'environnement — il veut devenir biologiste.
He is passionate about the environment — he wants to become a biologist.
- Word family: passionné → from passion + past participle ending (-é) → "passionate about". biologiste → biology + -iste (person who does) → biologist. Knowing that -iste = person who practises that discipline unlocks dozens of words.
📋 Key Word-Family Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -eur / -euse | person who does (m/f) | chanteur/chanteuse (singer), professeur (teacher), conducteur (driver) |
| -tion / -sion | noun formed from a verb | communication, information, expression, décision |
| -ment | adverb from adjective | lentement (slowly), heureusement (fortunately), rapidement (quickly) |
| -able / -ible | able to be done | remarquable (remarkable), impossible (impossible), lisible (legible) |
| re- | again / back | refaire (to redo), recommencer (to start again), revenir (to come back) |
| dé- / dis- | un- / reversing the action | défaire (to undo), désordre (disorder), désaccord (disagreement) |
| -ique | equivalent of English -ic | fantastique (fantastic), scientifique (scientific), magique (magical) |
| -ité / -té | equivalent of English -ity | liberté (liberty), qualité (quality), nationalité (nationality) |
⭐ Higher Tier: Inference Questions
At Higher tier, some questions ask you to read between the lines — the answer is not stated directly. Look for: evaluative adjectives (malheureusement, hélas, je suis ravi), contrast phrases (pourtant, cependant, malgré), and tone shifts. Ask: "What does the writer's choice of word suggest about how they feel?"
Practice questions for Reading strategies: skim, scan and trap-check
What is the purpose of skimming a French reading text before answering questions?
You need to find what time a French event starts. Which reading strategy should you use?