VCE French oral: 5 mistakes to avoid!

Avoid these 5 VCE French oral mistakes

Every year, the VCE season hits and students start freaking out. But guess what? With a little preparation, you can totally crush it! 👊

In this article, I’m sharing 5 mistakes to avoid in the VCE French oral—and how to dodge them like a pro. Ready? Let’s dive in! 🥖

1. Giving answers that are too short

During the VCE French oral exam, some students give very short answers… and examiners often find this frustrating. Short answers hide your true level — they don’t let you show the full extent of your vocabulary and knowledge!

As a result, the assessor might think you’re not well prepared, and you could lose marks for vocabulary range and grammar structures. They may also be more likely to throw in unexpected questions, which can be destabilizing.

What you can do:

• Prepare long, well-developed answers.

• Back them up with specific examples.

• Keep a few go-to phrases ready to fill any awkward pauses.

I once received a piece of advice from my English teacher before the Baccalauréat (the final exam we take at the end of high school in France). I’ll never forget what she said: 

“Talk as much as you can so the assessor doesn’t need to ask you much.” 

Since then, I’ve applied it to all my oral exams! 😉

2. Not preparing key themes and vocabulary

This is a big one! When preparing for the VCE, you need to be ready to talk about a wide range of current topics: from global warming, to the use of artificial intelligence or social networks... If you lack vocabulary, it will be much harder to express your opinion and answer the examiners’ questions. 

What you can do:

• Think ahead about topics you might be asked.

• Identify and learn key vocabulary for each theme.

• Make a schedule:  for example, focus on one topic per week.

• Practise talking about them spontaneously.

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3. Not knowing the exam structure

Knowing the structure of your exam is key to preparing well for D-Day. It helps you know what to expect and avoid being surprised by the types of questions or the timing of each section.

The VCE French oral consists of two parts, lasting a total of about 15 minutes. Here’s how it works. ⤵️

The first section: general conversation

The first part of the VCE French oral lasts about 7 minutes. It’s a general conversation between you and the two examiners.

First, the assessors will ask about the student’s personal world. This may include topics such as le lycée, la famille, les loisirs, les petits boulots, le sport, la santé, les projets futurs, l’enfance, les voyages passés etc.

Then, they will move on to your relationship with French language and culture. They might ask questions such as:

• Pourquoi as-tu choisi d’apprendre le français ? 

• Quelles ont été tes difficultés ?

• Depuis combien de temps étudies-tu le français ? etc.

The second section: discussion on the chosen subtopic

The second part of the oral exam lasts about 8 minutes. The student begins with a brief introduction of the chosen subtopic and the related image (less than one minute). 

Then, they discuss the topic in depth with the assessors, answering questions, giving examples, and developing ideas!

➡️ Find all the details here!

4. Sounding rehearsed instead of spontaneous

The examiners will immediately notice if you are reciting by heart. Of course it’s important to prepare your answers well, but showing that you can play with the language and improvise will impress them! It’s a clear sign that you really master le français.

Moreover, the people assessing your speaking might throw unexpected questions at you or ask you to rephrase what you’ve just said.

What you can do:

• Practice spontaneous French conversation regularly.

• Train talking about a wide range of topics to build flexibility.

• Learn to reformulate your ideas and approach them from different angles.

• Slow down when you speak: take your time, pause, and breathe.

5. Forgetting to use varied grammar

Always sticking to the same simple sentence structures can make your French sound basic. Teachers will give you extra points if they hear you use varied tenses and more complex sentences. 

What you can do:

• Make a list of grammar points and tenses you can confidently use (passé composé, futur, conditionnel…)

• Prepare a bank of complex structures and opinion phrases to articulate your speech, such as: 

“Je crois que…”

“Selon moi…”

“A mon avis…”

“D’un côté… D’un autre côté…”

“En fait, je dirais que…”

“Ça dépend.”

• Practise including them naturally in your answers

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To sum up: 5 mistakes to avoid in the VCE French oral

• Giving answers that are too short;

• Forgetting to learn key vocabulary;

• Skipping learning the exam structure;

• Reciting all your answers by heart;

• Using only simple sentence structures.

Finally, don’t let stress take over (easier said than done, I know!). Remember — no one expects you to be perfect. Mistakes are part of the process when learning a language!

What really matters is being able to express your ideas and, ultimately, to travel and chat confidently with Francophones. The VCE is just one step in your language journey. 🙂

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