Speaking Practice - Picture Task and Conversation: Studying and My Future

Ready to speak

In the speaking exam you describe a picture and hold a conversation. This module prepares you for the theme Studying and My Future (les études et l'avenir). You will build the key vocabulary, master the near future tense for talking about your plans, and practise structuring a good spoken answer. Everything here is in real French - accents and all - because in speaking and writing the accents matter.

School words in French

Learn these with their articles - the gender matters.

Match the French to the English

What Je vais étudier à l means in French

What does "Je vais étudier à l'université" mean?

• I am going to study at university
• I studied at university yesterday
• I would like to leave university
• I never go to university

Talking about the future

The easiest way to talk about plans is the near future (le futur proche): aller (conjugated) + an infinitive: je vais étudier (I am going to study), tu vas travailler, nous allons voyager. At Higher tier you can also use the future simple (j'étudierai = I will study) and the conditional (je voudrais = I would like) for aspirations. Now practise the near future.

Complete the plan

Après le _____, je vais étudier les _____ que j'aime. À l'_____, je _____ devenir professeur. Mon amie va faire un _____.

Two ways to say the future

Both talk about what will happen, but the near future is simpler and enough for a strong answer.

Which use the near future?

Select the TWO sentences that use the near future (aller + infinitive).

• Je vais travailler en France
• Nous allons voyager cet été
• J'étudierai les mathématiques
• Je voudrais être médecin

Match each phrase to its meaning

Build a strong answer

Put these French sentences into a sensible order to build a developed picture-task answer.

• Dans l'image, je vois des élèves dans une salle de classe
• À mon avis, ils étudient pour leurs examens
• Moi, j'aime les matières comme les sciences
• À l'avenir, je vais aller à l'université

Describing the photo

In the picture task, what does "Dans l'image, il y a..." mean?

• In the picture, there is...
• In the future, I will...
• In my opinion, I think...
• Yesterday, there was...

Hold the conversation

Three moments in the speaking exam. Choose the strongest French response each time.

• The examiner asks: "Qu'est-ce que tu vas faire après le lycée?" Which answer is best?
• You must describe a photo of students in a library. Which opening is best?
• How do you turn a basic future answer into a higher-mark one?

Your turn: prepare an answer

Prepare a short spoken answer in French. Imagine a photo of students at a lycée, then talk about your own future. Write four or five sentences in French.

• Describe the photo: use "Dans l'image, je vois..." or "il y a..."
• Give an opinion: use "À mon avis..."
• Talk about your studies: "J'étudie les matières comme..."
• Talk about your future with the near future: "À l'avenir, je vais..."

Accents and genders, every time

Top speaking answers do three things. First, they get the accents and genders right - étudier, le lycée, les matières, l'avenir - because accuracy is marked. Second, they use the near future confidently (je vais + infinitive) and, at Higher tier, reach for the future simple or conditional to describe ambitions. Third, they develop every answer: describe, give an opinion with a reason (parce que...), and link it to yourself and your future - never a bare one-word reply.