Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

TM
Cambridge IGCSE / IGCSE (9–1)
French 0520 / 7156
For examination from 2021
Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 v1
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Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................4
Question 2........................................................................................................................................................................6
Example Candidate Response – low/middle...............................................................................................................6

Question 4........................................................................................................................................................................7
Example Candidate Response – high.........................................................................................................................7
Example Candidate Response – middle.....................................................................................................................9
Example Candidate Response – low........................................................................................................................11

Question 6......................................................................................................................................................................13
Example Candidate Response – high.......................................................................................................................13
Example Candidate Response – middle...................................................................................................................15
Example Candidate Response – low........................................................................................................................17
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge IGCSE / IGCSE (9–1) French
0520 / 7156, and to show how different levels of candidates’ performance (high, middle and low) relate to the subject’s
curriculum and assessment objectives.
In this booklet, candidate responses have been chosen from the June 2021 exam series to exemplify a range of
answers.
For each question, the response is annotated with a clear explanation of where and why marks were awarded or
omitted. This is followed by examiner comments on how the answer could have been improved. In this way, it is
possible for you to understand what candidates have done to gain their marks and what they could do to improve their
answers. There is also a list of common mistakes candidates made in their answers for each question.
This document provides illustrative examples of candidate work with examiner commentary. These help teachers to
assess the standard required to achieve marks beyond the guidance of the mark scheme. Some question types where
the answer is clear from the mark scheme, such as short answers and multiple choice, have therefore been omitted.
Please also refer to the June 2021 Examiner Report for further detail and guidance.
The questions and mark schemes used here are available to download from the School Support Hub. These files are:

0520 June 2021 Question Paper 22

0520 June 2021 Mark Scheme 22

Past exam resources and other teaching and learning resources are available on the School Support Hub:
www.cambridgeinternational.org/support

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

How to use this booklet

This booklet goes through the paper one question at a time, showing you the high-, middle- and low-level response for
each question. The candidate answers are set in a table. In the left-hand column are the candidate answers, and in
the right-hand column are the examiner comments.

Example Candidate Response – low/middle Examiner comments

1 Here, the candidate

successfully matches the key
1 word pain to boulangerie.

2 Here, the candidate has not

2
written an answer.
3 3 It is ideal if the answers
are written precisely inside the
4 box, but the written answer here
clearly reads E rather than F. The
correct answer, however, is H.

4 The candidate successfully

identifies livre and correctly
matches this with bibliothèque.
Answers are by real candidates in exam Examiner comments are
conditions. These show you the types of answers for alongside the answers. These
each level. Discuss and analyse the answers with your explain where and why marks
learners in the classroom to improve their skills. were awarded. This helps you
to interpret the standard of
Cambridge exams so you can
help your learners to refine their
exam technique.

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate could have improved their chances by ensuring that they wrote an answer to each part, rather than
leaving a blank.
• Candidates should be aware that marks are not deducted for incorrect answers, so it is in their interests to make a
guess even if they are not sure of the correct answer.
This section explains how the candidate could
have improved each answer. This helps you to
interpret the standard of Cambridge exams and
helps your learners to refine their exam technique.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

B was a common incorrect answer for 2(a), due to the similarity of the words boucherie and boulangerie.

Often candidates were not Lists the common mistakes candidates made
awarded marks because they misread or in answering each question. This will help your
misinterpreted the questions. learners to avoid these mistakes and give them the
best chance of achieving the available marks.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Question 2

Example Candidate Response – low/middle Examiner comments

1 Here, the candidate

successfully matches the key word
pain to boulangerie.
1 2 Here, the candidate has not
written an answer.
2
3 It is ideal if the answers are
3 written precisely inside the box,
but the written answer here clearly
reads E rather than F. The correct
4
answer, however, is H.

4 The candidate successfully

identifies livre and correctly
matches this with bibliothèque. The
candidate doesn’t, however, make
the same link between train and
gare in the final question.

Total mark awarded =

2 out of 5

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate could have improved their chances by ensuring that they wrote an answer to each part, rather than
leaving a blank.
• Candidates should be aware that marks are not deducted for incorrect answers, so it is in their interests to make a
guess even if they are not sure of the correct answer.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

B was a common incorrect answer for 2(a), due to the similarity of the words boucherie and boulangerie.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Question 4

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

1 1 Here, a small manipulation is

required. The candidate changes
j’aime to il aime.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

2 Again, the candidate makes the

2
small manipulation from mes to ses.

3 3 The candidate gives answers

that are brief and focused. The
individual parts of the question are
intended to be answered by just
a few words, and this candidate
illustrates how this can be done.

Total mark awarded =

12 out of 12

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate lifted just the relevant words and manipulated the text where necessary. There is not always a
requirement to answer in full sentences, but if candidates choose to do so, they will often need to manipulate the
text so that it answers the question without ambiguity (e.g. changing je to il or ma to sa).
• There will always be a small number of questions where a minor manipulation is required. Here, it is parts (e) and
(f).

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

1 This part can be answered by

just the word moderne. In choosing
1 to write more, the candidate
introduces errors and could not gain
the mark.

2 2 Hôpital is enough to answer

this question. The candidate
introduces errors in the extra
material, which leads to ambiguity,
3
and therefore could not gain the
mark.

3 Fatigués is enough to answer

this question, but the candidate
chooses to lift more from the
text. There are no errors in the
extra material and the question is
answered correctly, therefore the
candidate gains the mark.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

4 4 Incorrect answer.

5 5 The inclusion of Ils

grandparents qui habitent makes
the answer ambiguous and the
candidate cannot gain the mark.

6 6 Incorrect answer.

7 The candidate’s response

contains the correct answer, but
7
they do not manipulate the text in
the extra material (nous faisons).
This makes the answer ambiguous
and therefore the candidate cannot
gain the mark.

8 8 The missing ‘s’ on sandwichs

and the missing article before
spécialités are considered minor
errors and the candidate gains both
marks.

Total mark awarded =

6 out of 12

How the candidate could have improved their answer

The candidate could have improved their answers by focusing just on the words that answer the questions. Any extra
material risks invalidating an otherwise correct answer, especially if it includes material other than in the third person.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments

1 Moderne is enough to answer

1 the question. The candidate
chooses to write a sentence but
introduces an error in the verb.
The mark cannot be awarded as et
means something else in French.
2
2 Hôpital is enough to answer the
question. The candidate chooses to
write a sentence but introduces an
error in the verb. The accent at the
end of travaillé makes the answer
ambiguous and the mark cannot be
3 awarded.

3 Incorrect verb. The mark

cannot be awarded.
4
4 The candidate writes ce
instead of se. The word ce means
something different in French. The
mark cannot be awarded.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

5 This answer is not precise

5
enough. It is missing the vital
element à la sortie de.

6 The verb c’est is needed to

6
answer this question.

7 Error in the ending of the

verb invalidates the answer,
7
as emportents would not be
8 pronounced the same as emportent.

8 This response does not answer

the question.

Total mark awarded =

4 out of 12

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate could have improved their mark by taking care with spelling of familiar words, or when copying
words that are used in the question.
• Sometimes the mistakes were in parts of the response that were not actually required to score the mark, so writing
shorter answers would also have been beneficial.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

• Most questions can be answered by lifting a small number of words from the text. If candidates choose to lift more
than is required to answer questions, they must make any manipulation needed in the extra material, for example,
replacing je with il and changing the verb if necessary.
• Candidates are advised to answer with the minimum number of words. Writing more than was needed and
introducing mistakes was the biggest cause of loss of marks.
• Candidates also need to ensure that their response answers the question. The most common error was in part
(k) where the question asked what the family eats, and a significant number of candidates replied with dans un
restaurant.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Question 6

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

1 1 The verb c’étais is incorrect but

sounds like c’était, so the benefit of
the doubt is given.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

2 2 The candidate writes more than

is required to answer the questions,
but the extra material is correct.

Total mark awarded =

11 out of 11

How the candidate could have improved their answer

The candidate has given longer answers than required in their responses. It is not always necessary to answer in full
sentences, but this candidate has been able to do so without making mistakes, so they score full marks.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

1 Incorrect answer.
1
2 Question 6 is aimed at the
2
highest grades, and lifts from
the text need to be precise. The
candidate leaves donc in the
sentence and this invalidates the
3
answer.

3 C’est is required to answer the

question, therefore the mark cannot
be awarded.
4
4 In the first part, the pronoun
and verb are incorrect. This
question can be answered without
verbs, so the second part is
awarded a mark.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

5 The answer is incomplete.

5

6 The response contains the

6 correct word but does not provide
an answer to the question.

7 7 Incorrect answer.

8
8 Incorrect answer.

9 9 The first part is correct. In the

second part, the addition of extra
material means that the mark
10 cannot be awarded.

10 Question 6 is aimed at the

highest grades and is therefore
intended to discriminate between
the top and middle candidates.
Candidates in the middle will not
generally score that many marks on
this question.

Total mark awarded =

2 out of 11

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate could have improved their answer by writing only what is necessary to answer the question, as
mistakes in unnecessary material cost them marks.
• The candidate needed to think very carefully about what each word in their answer meant. This could have helped
them to see whether they included words which did not belong to the answer.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments

1 1 Incorrect answer.

2 2 Donc invalidates the answer.

3 3 C’est is required to answer the

question.

4 4 The candidate leaves their

answers in the first person.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

5 Again, the answer is left in the

5
first person.

6 6 The candidate response

contains the word anglais but does
not answer the question asked.

7 7 Incorrect answer.

8 8 The answer is left in the first

person.

9 For Question 6, greater

9 precision is required when lifting
from the text. The inclusion of qu’
and que invalidates the answer.

10 10 Question 6 is aimed at the

highest grades, so candidates
performing at lower grades can
expect to find it challenging.

Total mark awarded =

0 out of 11

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 2

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The candidate could have improved their mark by manipulating first-person sentences into the third person.
Candidates should be aware that a response using the first person is unlikely to score a mark in either Questions 4
or 6.
• The candidate could have also been more precise when lifting from the text. Lifting a complete sentence is unlikely
to accurately answer the question asked.
• Candidates need to read carefully what the questions are looking for.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

• Although verbs do not necessarily have to be correct to score a mark, the tense usually must be appropriate to the
question.
• Some candidates chose to paraphrase the text rather than lift words from the text. There is no need to do this, and
although some candidates did this well, others used inappropriate synonyms when paraphrasing and could not
gain the mark.
• (f) was the most successfully answered in this exercise and candidates who lost that mark usually did so because
they wrote too much and invalidated their answer. This was also the case for (g).
• Many candidates found the manipulation challenging in (e), and marks were usually lost for not realising that a
manipulation was required to answer (d) and (h) successfully.

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