Describing people in French test answer key with scoring for French A2 (free PDF download)

Contents

The questions are on the Describing People In French test. Take it under real conditions before reading the answer key.

Quick answer: To describe a person in French, use être + an adjective that agrees with the subject for personality, avoir + les cheveux or les yeux for appearance, avoir l'air + adjective for an impression, and ressembler à + a person to say who someone looks like. This scoring guide gives the expected answers and the points for the 8 questions of the French A2 test on describing people in French, from feminine forms to describe a person, with the equivalent answers to accept.

Use these model answers and scoring notes to mark the test out of 20. Accept any correct variant, and take off only the points tied to the error, such as a missing feminine ending, a wrong article after à, or a verb that does not agree.

Level: French A2 (CEFR elementary) · Standards: CEFR A2, Spoken production

Question 1 Feminine forms (2 points)

a sérieuse · b travailleuse · c naïve · d discrète

Scoring: 0.5 point per correct form.

Question 2 Opposites (2 points)

a peureux (lâche) · b nerveux (agité) · c travailleur · d égoïste (avare)

Scoring: 0.5 point per valid opposite.

Question 3 Avoir l’air (2 points)

a fatiguée · b contents · c inquiet · d aimables

Scoring: 0.5 point per correct agreement.

Question 4 Ressembler à (2 points)

a à sa · b au · c à la · d aux

Scoring: 0.5 point per correct answer.

Question 5 Correct the mistakes (2 points)

a Elle a les cheveux longs. · b Il ressemble à son grand-père. · c Elle est sympathique mais très nerveuse. · d Il a l’air fatigué.

Scoring: 0.5 point per corrected sentence.

Question 6 Translate (3 points)

a Ma voisine est timide mais sympa(thique). · b Il a les cheveux courts et bruns. · c Elle a l’air inquiète. · d Tu ressembles à ton frère. · e Ils sont travailleurs. · f Elle a les yeux bleus et elle porte des lunettes.

Scoring: 0.5 point per correct sentence.

Question 7 Read the notice (3 points)

a He is tall and slim with short blond hair. · b Any two of: calm, tidy, a little shy, funny. · c He looks serious but is very funny.

Scoring: 1 point per answer (1 point for two traits, 0.5 if only one).

Question 8 Describe a person (4 points)

Model: Mon collègue Pablo est grand et il a les cheveux gris. Il est calme et très patient. Il a l’air sérieux, mais il est drôle. Il ressemble à un professeur de mon lycée.

Scoring: 0.5 point per required structure (2 points), 1 point accuracy and agreement, 1 point variety and clarity.

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Feminine of sérieux — sérieuse

Feminine of naïf — naïve

Feminine of travailleur — travailleuse

Hair: she has long hair — Elle a les cheveux longs

Eyes: blue, plural form — les yeux bleus

Color marron in agreement — invariable: yeux marron

She looks happy — Elle a l'air heureuse

He looks like his mother — Il ressemble à sa mère

Sympathique means... — nice (not sympathetic)

Opposite of courageux — peureux