Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Cambridge International AS Level

French Language 8682
For examination from 2021
Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2021 v1
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Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................4
Question 2........................................................................................................................................................................6
Example Candidate Response – high..............................................................................................................................6
Example Candidate Response – middle..........................................................................................................................8
Example Candidate Response – low..............................................................................................................................10
Question 5......................................................................................................................................................................13
Example Candidate Response – high............................................................................................................................13
Example Candidate Response – middle.........................................................................................................................15
Example Candidate Response – low..............................................................................................................................17
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge International AS Level French
Language 8682, 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 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. Therefore, in some
circumstances, such as where exact answers are required, there will not be much comment.
The questions and mark schemes used here are available to download from the School Support Hub. These files are:

8682 June 2021 Question Paper 32

8682 June 2021 Mark Scheme 32

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 3

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 – high, continued Examiner comments

5 This paragraph would

have benefited from further
development.

5 6 The candidate takes

a strong point of view and
pursues this throughout. The
conclusion bears this out
6
7 This is a straightforward
and well-structured answer to
the question. The candidate is
clear from
Examiner the outsetare
comments th
Answers are by real candidates in exam 7 alongside the answers. These
conditions. These show you the types of answers for explain where and why marks
each level. Discuss and analyse the answers with your were awarded. This helps you
learners in the classroom to improve their skills. 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

• Careful proofreading would have helped to eliminate some of the grammatical errors.
• The candidate stuck to a safe formula with each paragraph coming clearly to the same conclusion about family
meals: a wider consideration of why family meals might be considered by some to be an important part of family life
(as touched on in paragraph five) might have given more depth to the
This answer.
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

• Focus on the question set was poor and arguments superficial.
• Plans, if written, were short and basic in content, leading to muddled answers with no clear prioritisation or sense
of balance.
• Essays on the overarching topic area (L’alimentation et les boissons) scored poorly on content since much of the
material used by candidates was only marginally, if at all, relevant to the actual question title.
• Introductions were sometimes overly ambitious and included definitions of common words and inappropriate
quotations or which were in an incorrect register.
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 3

Question 2

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

1 1 A clear and concise

introduction.

2 Informal register for a

2
discursive essay.

3 Good range of structures used

3
in this paragraph but careless errors
also apparent.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

4 Each paragraph begins with a

4
clear linking phrase.

5 This paragraph would benefit

from further development.
5
6 The candidate takes a strong
point of view and pursues this
throughout. The conclusion bears
this out.
6 7 This is a straightforward and
well-structured answer to the
question. The candidate is clear
7 from the outset that the family
dinner is now an outdated ritual,
and each paragraph explains why
that might be. The essay reads well,
and a wide range of structures was
deployed. A considerable number
of careless errors in spelling and
agreements, however, prevents the
candidate from reaching the highest
level of marks.

Content = 13 out of 16
Quality of Language =
20 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

33 out of 40

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• Careful proofreading would have helped to eliminate some of the grammatical errors.
• The candidate stuck to a safe formula with each paragraph coming clearly to the same conclusion about family
meals: a wider consideration of why family meals might be considered by some to be an important part of family life
(as touched on in paragraph five) might have given more depth to the answer.

7
Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

1 A rather personal opening for

1
a discursive essay. The sense of
cohabiter is not clear.

2 These two opening paragraphs

2 directly address the question but
normally these opinions would be
better employed in a conclusion.

3 Unnecessary use of en.

3

4 A good list of examples; rather

4 awkwardly expressed.

5 5 The candidate shows ambition

in the range of structures and
tenses but often makes mistakes.
Here, for example, the verb is
misspelled and requires a d’ before
avoir.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

6 Two clear counterarguments in

6 these paragraphs.

7 Apart from the repeated use of

the colloquial ça, this last sentence
brings the essay to a good
7 conclusion.
8
8 This is a relevant answer which
directly addressed the question.
There are a reasonable number
of points made about the place of
family meals in today’s busy world.
The essay has a structure; although
the candidate does not indent or
leave spaces between paragraphs,
it was clear where they began and
ended. There is some ambition
shown in the language and a fair
level of accuracy but there are
also some serious errors and
inconsistencies.

Content = 9 out of 16
Quality of Language =
15 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

24 out of 40

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The content of the introductory paragraphs might have served better as a conclusion after the ‘for and against’
arguments had been made.
• The candidate could have expanded more on the reasons why young people might consider a family meal
outdated and to be avoided, for example, dietary habits and differing points of view of the young conflicting with
those of the older members of the family.
• Overall, it would have benefited the candidate to re-read the essay in order to eliminate some of the spelling and
grammatical errors.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments

1 The use of ta is too informal in

1 this type of essay.

2 This is a spoken rather than a

2 written form of the question. This is
a weak introduction.

3 3 This point is not clearly made.

What does tout refer to? What is
the impact of religion?

4 There are many grammatical

4 errors in this paragraph.

5 5 The candidate could helpfully

expand on this point.

6 This point lacks clarity and

relevance. What is the significance
6 of eating different foods?

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

7 Third person present tense

7 used when a noun construction
such as au travail required.

8 8 The candidate has points to

make but limited capacity with
language hinders the ability to
express them clearly.

9 Two examples in this

paragraph of third person plural
9 present tense used instead of
infinitive.
10 10 The essay has a structure
and is generally relevant to the
topic although it is often the case
that points are not fully developed.
Overall, the answer is superficial
and naively expressed. The
language used, while showing
some ambition, is generally poor,
with persistent errors revealing
considerable limitations in
grammatical knowledge. At times
the register is inappropriate.

Content = 7 out of 16
Quality of Language =
9 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

16 out of 40

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• The introduction is weak as are the links between paragraphs.
• A detailed plan would have benefited the candidate.
• A deeper discussion of why family meals are important and why they might now be outdated would have improved
the answer.
• As an example, some mention of the influence of technology would have provided another dimension.
• Significant revision of basic grammar and spelling would be required to enable the candidate to have a better
chance to express their ideas.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

• Focus on the question set was poor and arguments superficial.
• Plans, if written, were short and basic in content, leading to muddled answers with no clear prioritisation or sense
of balance.
• Essays on the overarching topic area (L’alimentation et les boissons) were awarded low marks for content since
much of the material used by candidates was only marginally, if at all, relevant to the actual question title.
• Introductions were sometimes overly ambitious and included definitions of common words and inappropriate
quotations or which were in an incorrect register.
• Some of the statistics used failed to elucidate any argument.
• Some of the conclusions listed what had gone before and did not clearly show the candidates’ view once all points
had been taken into consideration.
• A lack of basic grammatical, structural or idiomatic awareness meant that some candidates struggled to express
their ideas.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Question 5

Example Candidate Response – high Examiner comments

1 This is a very good opening

section which explains clearly
1 how the candidate interprets the
question and how they will tackle
the discussion. It is, however,
a long introduction and could
benefit from being broken up into
paragraphs.
2
2 This linking paragraph
allows the candidate to open
the argument, but it might be
better incorporated into the next
paragraph.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – high, continued Examiner comments

3 A well-made point about

the reasons why people might
be unwilling to adapt to help the
3
environment.
4
4 New paragraph is needed here
but the candidate structures the
response clearly.

5 A good example is used here to

5
illustrate the point.

6 This is a clearly structured,

6 coherent and concise response
to the question set. The language
used is accurate and fluent,
showing the candidate’s control
of a wide range of grammatical
structures and idioms.

Content = 13 out of 16
Quality of Language =
22 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

35 out of 40

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• To gain higher marks for content, the candidate could have provided more examples of the sacrifices people need
to make to offset the current environmental problems.
• The answer is thoughtful but at times appears abstract. Some concrete examples would anchor the argument even
more securely.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – middle Examiner comments

1 1 Some serious errors in the

spelling of basic topic vocabulary in
this sentence.

2 This section is more about

2 controls applied by governments
than the response of people in
general to changes.

3 There is no explanation of
3 why banning plastic bags might be
so important in the fight against
environmental changes.

4 4 An incorrect form of past

participle is used here.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – middle, continued Examiner comments

5 5 There is a verb form and

adjectival agreement error made
here.

6 6 This sentence contains some

serious linguistic errors, and the
sense is not clear.

7 This is a valid point even if

the examples used show how
7 limited people’s adaptations to
environmental change have been
so far.

8 This is not really the question

8 being discussed and this feels
like a tacked on and unnecessary
comment. A better comment might
9 be to ask ourselves how we can
make it clear to people that they
need to make real sacrifices.

9 This is a relevant if rather

superficial answer. There is a clear
structure, and some reasonable
points are made. In terms of
language terms, the essay has
a number of serious errors, yet
reads quite well and there is clear
ambition in the use of structures
and vocabulary.

Content = 9 out of 16
Quality of Language =
14 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

23 out of 40

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• More attention to basic grammar and spelling would have improved this answer. The examples used (plastic bag
removal and litter collection) seemed rather narrow in scope.
• Other major factors such as the use of cars, air travel for holidays and business, reliance on fossil fuels for energy
were not mentioned.
• More concentration on personal responsibility would have resulted in a more directly focused answer.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – low Examiner comments

1 This is not a focused

introduction to the question set but
rather a general narrative about the
1 environment.
2
2 This sentence is not linked to
what precedes and has no verb.

3 There is no direct link between

3
these illnesses and the preceding
comments.

4 A heartfelt but rather naive

4
comment in the context of
a discursive essay. Serious
grammatical errors in this sentence.

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

Example Candidate Response – low, continued Examiner comments

5 This is the first time the

5 candidate refers to the question –
very late into the essay.

6 6 The candidate presents some

examples of how people might
adapt to help the environment.

7 This is an unsupported
7
comment not linked to previous
statements.

8 A weak conclusion which

8 merely repeats the introduction and
includes an unnecessary quotation
of the title.

9 9 The essay lacks structure and

clear paragraphing. It reads like
a list of thoughts, often without
links or supporting evidence. The
candidate uses a telegraphic style
with much personal narrative.

Content = 7 out of 16
Quality of Language =
9 out of 24

Total mark awarded =

16 out of 40

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Example Candidate Responses – Paper 3

How the candidate could have improved their answer

• A plan would have improved this candidate’s response.
• A clear introduction setting out the parameters of the question followed by ideas set out in paragraphs would have
meant more clarity and focus.
• The candidate could have spent more time analysing the ways in which people respond to the problems of the
environment rather than explaining in detail what those problems are.
• More concentration on the development of appropriate essay-writing skills would help this candidate.

Common mistakes candidates made in this question

• Essays on the overarching topic area, in this case, L’environnement, instead of answering the specific question
asked. These essays often received poor content marks as they were only tangentially relevant.
• Opening paragraphs where the scope was too ambitious and/or there were unnecessary quotations or definitions
of words in the title.
• Use of made-up statistics.
• Weak conclusions that only listed what had gone before and did not express the candidates’ view once all points
had been taken into consideration.
• Pre-learned phrases, which served only to highlight the deficiencies in the candidates’ own writing.
• A lack of basic grammatical, structural or idiomatic awareness, which meant that candidates struggled to express
their ideas.
• Superficial arguments, expressed in terms that were too personal.
• Short and basic plans, if at all present.
• Poorly constructed essays with no clear paragraphing or links between paragraphs and ideas.

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