Preparing for a short test | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: In a language classroom, two adults prepare for a short test by choosing what to review and trying practice questions..

EN → FR / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Preparing for a short test to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

On a un petit test bientôt, c'est ça ?

ohn ah uhn puh-TEE tehst byan-TOH, seh sah? We have a short test coming up, right?
B

Il porte sur les parties principales de cette unité.

eel POR syur lay par-TEE prahn-see-PAHL duh set ew-nee-TAY. It covers the main sections from this unit.
A

Quelle partie dois-je réviser en premier ?

kel par-TEE dwah zhuh ray-vee-ZAY ahn pruh-MYAY? Which section should I review first?
B

Commence par la compréhension orale, parce que ça influence souvent ta note.

koh-mahnss par lah kohm-pray-ahn-SYOHN oh-RAHL, parss kuh sah an-floo-ahn-SAY soo-VAHN tah noht. Start with listening, since it usually affects your score.
A

On peut essayer quelques questions d'entraînement ensemble ?

ohn puh ess-ay-YAY kelk kes-TYOHN dahn-tray-nuh-MAHN ahn-SAHM-bl? Can we try some practice questions together?
B

On peut utiliser quelques questions courtes et vérifier chaque réponse.

ohn puh ew-tee-lee-ZAY kelk kes-TYOHN koort ay vay-ree-fyay shak ray-POHNS. We can use a few short questions and check each answer.
A

Je vais revoir mes erreurs après chaque question.

zhuh vay ruh-VWAHR may ZAY-RUHR ah-PRAY shak kes-TYOHN. I will review my mistakes after each one.
B

Ça devrait t'aider à te préparer.

sah duh-VRAY tay-DAY ah tuh pray-pah-RAY. That should help you prepare.

Word by Word

On Here, “On” means “we” and refers to the two learners discussing the test. “On” is commonly used in conversation for a group, as in “On peut essayer...”, when suggesting a shared action.
a In “On a un petit test”, “a” expresses having or there being a test scheduled for the group. It is useful in “On a...” when talking about something the group has or is facing.
un “Un” introduces one unspecified test in “un petit test”. Use “un” before a singular noun when introducing one item, such as “un test”.
petit In “un petit test”, “petit” describes the test as short or limited in scope. The pattern “un petit” plus a noun is useful when describing something as small, short, or modest.
test “Test” means an assessment or short examination here. You can use it in a classroom situation to refer to an assessment, as in “un petit test”.
bientôt “Bientôt” means “soon” and shows that the test is coming in the near future. Use it when discussing an event that is expected shortly, as in “un test bientôt”.
c'est In “c'est ça ?”, “c'est” means “it is” or “that’s”. Together with “ça”, it forms a conversational way to ask for confirmation, such as when checking whether your understanding is correct.
ça In “c'est ça ?”, “ça” refers to the situation or idea just mentioned and means “that” or “it”. The same form appears as “Ça” in “Ça devrait...”, where it refers to the proposed review activity; “ça” can point to an idea, action, or result.
Il Here, “Il” refers back to the test and introduces what the test covers. Use “Il” before a verb when referring back to a masculine noun already mentioned, as in “Il porte...”.
porte In “Il porte sur les parties principales...”, “porte sur” means that the test covers or concerns a topic. Use the pattern “porte sur” to introduce the subject or content being discussed.
sur In “porte sur”, “sur” introduces the topic that something concerns or covers. The reusable pattern is “porte sur” plus the subject, such as “porte sur les parties principales”.
les “Les” introduces the plural noun phrase “les parties principales” and refers to specific sections of the unit. Use “les” before a plural noun when talking about identified items.
parties “Parties” means sections or parts of the unit in “les parties principales”. It is useful when dividing a lesson, book, or course into separate sections.
principales “Principales” means main or most important and describes the sections in “les parties principales”. Use it with a noun when identifying the key sections of a subject or unit.
de In “les parties principales de cette unité”, “de” links the sections to the unit and expresses their connection to it. The pattern “noun de noun” is commonly used to show what something belongs to or comes from.
cette “Cette” points to the particular unit currently being studied in “cette unité”. Use it before a noun when identifying a specific item as “this” item.
unité “Unité” means a unit or section of a course. In this classroom context, “cette unité” refers to the lesson material covered in the current unit.
Quelle “Quelle” means “which” and asks the learner to choose one section in “Quelle partie... ?”. Use “Quelle” before a noun when asking someone to select or identify one option.
partie “Partie” means section or part in “Quelle partie”. It is useful for asking about one portion of a lesson, text, or larger subject.
dois-je In “dois-je réviser... ?”, “dois-je” asks what the speaker should or must do, using question inversion. The pattern “dois-je” plus an action is useful when asking about one’s obligation or best next step.
réviser “Réviser” means to review study material, and here it refers to reviewing a section before the test. Use it with the material being studied, as in “réviser une partie” or “réviser mes erreurs”.
en In “en premier”, “en” helps express the order in which something is done. The fixed expression “en premier” is useful when saying that an action should happen first.
premier In “en premier”, “premier” means first and identifies the starting point in the review plan. Use “en premier” when prioritizing one task before the others.
Commence “Commence” gives the informal instruction to start, directed at the other learner. Use “Commence par” when advising someone what activity or subject to begin with.
par In “Commence par la compréhension orale”, “par” introduces the starting point of the review. The pattern “Commence par” is useful when recommending the first activity in a sequence.
la “La” introduces the specific section named in “la compréhension orale”. Use it before a singular, identified section or subject when referring to it as “the” section.
compréhension In “la compréhension orale”, “compréhension” contributes the idea of understanding. Together with “orale”, it identifies the listening-comprehension section, which is relevant when choosing a language skill to review.
orale In “la compréhension orale”, “orale” specifies that the comprehension concerns spoken language, so the section is listening comprehension. Use the expression “compréhension orale” when discussing this language-learning skill.
parce “Parce” is the first part of the conjunction “parce que”, which introduces the reason for starting with listening. It should be used together with “que” when explaining why something is the case.
que In “parce que”, “que” completes the conjunction that introduces a reason. Use the full expression “parce que” before the explanation of why something happens.
influence “Influence” means affects or has an effect on something, here referring to the effect of listening on the learner’s score. Use it before the result being affected, as in “influence ta note”.
souvent “Souvent” means often and says that the effect on the score happens regularly, though not every time. Use it to describe a repeated tendency, as in “influence souvent ta note”.
ta “Ta” means “your” and identifies the score as belonging to the person being addressed. Use it before the thing connected with an informal “you”, as in “ta note”.
note “Note” means score or grade in “ta note”. It is useful in classroom situations when discussing the result received on a test or exercise.
peut In “On peut essayer...” and “On peut utiliser...”, “peut” expresses that the activity is possible or permitted. The pattern “On peut” plus an action is useful for making a suggestion or proposing what the group can do.
essayer “Essayer” means to try, here referring to attempting practice questions. Use it with the thing being attempted, as in “essayer quelques questions”.
quelques “Quelques” means some or a few and indicates a small, unspecified number of questions. Use it before a plural noun when referring to a limited number of items.
questions “Questions” means questions, here referring to items used for practice. It appears in “quelques questions d'entraînement”, a useful expression for questions designed to prepare for an assessment.
d'entraînement In “questions d'entraînement”, “d'entraînement” identifies the questions as practice or training questions. Use the full expression when describing material intended to help someone practise a skill.
ensemble “Ensemble” means together and shows that the two learners will try the questions as a group. Use it when describing a shared action, as in “essayer ... ensemble”.
utiliser “Utiliser” means to use and refers to choosing questions as study material. Use it before the object being used, as in “utiliser quelques questions”.
courtes “Courtes” means short and describes the questions in “quelques questions courtes”. Use it with a noun when emphasizing that an activity or item has limited length.
et “Et” means “and” and joins the two proposed actions: using questions and checking answers. Use it to connect two related actions or pieces of information.
vérifier “Vérifier” means to check or verify, here referring to checking each answer. The pattern “vérifier chaque réponse” is useful when reviewing exercise results.
chaque “Chaque” means each and focuses attention on the answers one by one. Use it before one item when describing a systematic action, as in “chaque réponse”.
réponse “Réponse” means answer, here referring to the answer given for each practice question. Use it in “vérifier chaque réponse” when checking whether responses are correct.
Je “Je” means “I” and identifies the speaker who is describing a personal review plan. Use it before a verb when talking about your own action or intention.
vais In “Je vais revoir...”, “vais” helps express the speaker’s planned upcoming action. The pattern “Je vais” plus an action is useful when announcing what you intend to do next.
revoir “Revoir” means to review again, here referring to looking back at mistakes after completing each question. Use it with the material being examined again, as in “revoir mes erreurs”.
mes “Mes” means “my” and shows that the mistakes belong to the speaker. Use it before a plural noun connected with yourself, as in “mes erreurs”.
erreurs “Erreurs” means mistakes, here referring to incorrect responses in the practice questions. Use it when discussing errors that can be reviewed and corrected.
après “Après” means after and places the review of the mistakes later than each question. Use it before an event or time reference, as in “après chaque question”.
devrait In “Ça devrait t'aider”, “devrait” expresses an expected or likely helpful result. The pattern “Ça devrait” plus an action is useful when reassuring someone about the probable effect of a plan.
t'aider In “t'aider”, “t'” identifies the person receiving help as “you”, while “aider” expresses the help itself. The full pattern “Ça devrait t'aider à...” is useful when saying that an action is expected to help someone do something.
à In “t'aider à te préparer”, “à” links the help to the action that the learner will carry out. Use the pattern “aider à” before an action when explaining what the help supports.
te In “te préparer”, “te” refers to the person addressed and shows that this person is getting ready. Use it in the expression “te préparer” when speaking informally about the other learner’s preparation.
préparer In “te préparer”, “préparer” means to prepare or get ready, here for the short test. Use the expression “te préparer” when telling an informal interlocutor to get ready for an upcoming activity.

Grammar Points

porter sur + nom

Le test porte sur les principales parties de l'unité.

luh tehst POR syur lay prahn-see-PAHL par-TEE duh lew-nee-TAY.

The test covers the main sections of the unit.

Porter sur means “to cover” or “to be about”; porte agrees with the singular subject le test.

Adjectif féminin pluriel : principal → principales

Le test porte sur les principales parties.

luh tehst POR syur lay prahn-see-PAHL par-TEE.

The test covers the main sections.

Principales agrees with parties, which is feminine plural, so the adjective takes -es.

French Vocabulary

avoir verb
ah-VWAHR to have a

On a un petit test bientôt.

bientôt adv
byan-TOH soon
commencer verb
koh-mahn-SAY to start; to begin commence

Commence par la compréhension orale.

compréhension orale phrase
kohm-pray-ahn-SYOHN oh-RAHL listening comprehension
en premier adv
ahn pruh-MYAY first
partie noun
par-TEE section; part parties

les parties principales

petit adj
puh-TEE short; small

un petit test

porter sur phrase
por-TAY syur to cover; to be about porte sur

Il porte sur les parties principales de cette unité.

principal adj
prahn-see-PAHL main; principal principales

les parties principales

réviser verb
ray-vee-ZAY to review; to revise

Quelle partie dois-je réviser en premier ?

test noun
tehst test

un petit test

unité noun
ew-nee-TAY unit

de cette unité

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That should help you prepare.

Show AnswerÇa devrait t'aider à te préparer.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to review; to revise

Show Answerréviser

section; part

Show Answerparties

soon

Show Answerbientôt

test

Show Answertest