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Ultimate Guide to the AP French Language and Culture Exam

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The AP French Language and Culture exam is one of the most popular AP language exams, second only to Spanish. In 2019, over 23,000 students took the exam—about 75% of which were standard foreign language students, with the remainder being students who regularly spoke or heard the foreign language outside of school, or who studied abroad for more than one month. 

Students who are interested in gaining proficiencies in the interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of French communication are best suited for this line of study. If you are interested in taking the AP French Language and Culture exam—whether you have taken the class, are a native-speaker, or have self-studied—read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare for it.

When is the AP French Language and Culture Exam?

On Friday, May 15, at 8 am, the College Board will administer the 2020 AP French Language and Culture exam. For a comprehensive AP exam schedule, along with study tips and more, check out our blog post 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know.

About the AP French Language and Culture Exam

The AP French Language and Culture exam aims to promote both fluency and accuracy in French language use. To accomplish this, the AP French Language and Culture course is taught primarily in French, and students will read and listen to authentic texts from the francophone world throughout the course. The course focuses on the three foundational modes of communication as defined in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational.

Though it is easy to get caught up in grammatical nuances when learning a foreign language, the AP curriculum explicitly seeks not to overemphasize grammatical accuracy at the expense of communication. As such, while grammar is tested on the exam in the context of written and oral responses, a higher weight is placed on general communication skills.

A spelling reform known as La Nouvelle Orthographe is currently underway in France. The new spelling is officially encouraged but not required by the French government. The AP French Development Committee notes that students will not be penalized for using the new spellings in the writing portion of the AP French Language and Culture exam. 

AP French Language and Culture Course Content

There are no formal prerequisites for the AP French Language and Culture course; however, most students who take it are in their fourth year of high school-level French study. Native speakers or students with exceptional exposure to the French language may take a different course of study leading to the AP French Language and Culture course, or might completely self-study for the exam.

The framework of the AP French Language and Culture course is made up of six units, and contained within those six units are five to seven contexts. Through the exploration of these units and their contexts, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of French language and culture and engage with it in a variety of ways. Below are the six units and their contexts:

Throughout the AP French Language and Culture course, you’ll develop and hone eight language and communication skills. Below is a list of the eight course skills, a description of each, and the weight given to each skill on the multiple-choice section of the AP French Language and Culture exam: 

AP French Language and Culture Exam Content

The AP French Language and Culture exam is one of the longer exams, consisting of two sections, and clocking in at three hours and three minutes. The first section takes one hour and 35 minutes to complete, contains 65 multiple-choice questions, and accounts for 50% of your total score. 

The multiple-choice section of the AP French Language and Culture exam is two parts. In the first part, you will spend 40 minutes completing 30 multiple-choice questions based on printed texts. In the second part, you will have 55 minutes to complete 35 multiple-choice questions based on audio or combination audio and print texts.

Section 1(a): Multiple-Choice Text

40 minutes | 30 questions | 23% of score

The first multiple-choice section of the exam uses print materials—such as journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables—as a stimulus. The questions require you determine the main idea and details of the stimulus, determine the meaning of words in context, identify the author’s point of view or target audience, and demonstrate cultural knowledge or interdisciplinary information contained in the stimulus. 

Examples of text-based multiple-choice questions:  

Answers – 1: C | 2: B | 3: D

Section 1(b): Multiple-Choice Audio 

55 minutes | 35 questions | 27% of score

The second part of the multiple-choice section uses audio material—interviews, podcasts, PSAs, conversations, and brief presentations—as a stimulus. In this part of the exam, students will encounter two subsections of questions. One set of questions uses audio files in combination with print materials as the stimulus, and the other set of questions uses only audio material as the stimulus. 

Examples of audio-based multiple-choice questions (click on the question for audio): 

Answers – 12: B | 13: D

The free response section of the AP French Language and Culture exam is also broken down into two parts. The first part of the free response section is focused on writing, the other part is centered on speaking. 

Section 2(a): Free Response Written

1 hour 10 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

The first part of the free response questions consists of two questions. The first question requires you to read and reply to an email. You’re alloted 15 minutes to answer this question and it accounts for 12.5% of your total score. The second question tasks you with writing an argumentative essay based on three provided sources. You’re given 55 total minutes—15 to review sources and 40 minutes to write—to form your essay. This question also accounts for 12.5% of your exam score. 

Example of an email free response question: 

Section 2(b): Free Response Spoken

18 minutes | 2 questions | 25% of score

During the second part of the free response section, you will listen and respond orally to prompts. You will first need to complete five exchanges (20-second responses) in a simulated conversation. You will then deliver a 2-minute presentation comparing a cultural feature of a French-speaking community to another community you’re familiar with. 

Example of a spoken free response question: 

AP French Language and Culture Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, students generally did quite well on the AP French Language and Culture exam. Of all test takers, more than 77% received a score of 3 or higher, including 73.9% of standard group students (excluding native or heritage speakers). Only 16.1% of all students received the top score of 5, while less than 5% scored a 1 on the exam.

Keep in mind that credit and advanced standing based on AP scores varies widely from college to college. While a 3 is generally considered passing, you may need a 4 or 5 to receive credit. Some schools don’t grant credit at all, and only use AP exams for placement. You can find regulations regarding which AP exams qualify for course credits or advanced placement at specific colleges on the College Board’s website . 

A full course description that can help to guide your studying and understanding of the knowledge required for the test can be found on the College Board AP French course website . If you’re curious about other score distributions, see our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Best Ways to Study for the AP French Language and Culture Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge of the material. Although the College Board does not provide a complete practice test, you can find sample questions with scoring explanations included in the course description . Additionally, there are free practice exam questions available on practiceexam.com . You may also find practice or diagnostic exams in many of the commercial study guides.

Step 2: Study the Theory

To really devote yourself to this study, you should endeavor to immerse yourself as much as possible in French language and culture. You should listen to, speak, and read French as much as you can. You can find interesting books in French, watch Youtube videos in French, read the French news (like Le Monde) , follow French blogs, or listen to French podcasts. Try to find engaging sources of information presented in French and use them as much as possible. You will be amazed by how much your own listening, spoken language, and written French will improve simply from exposing yourself to the language more often.

You can also prepare for the exam by reviewing the College Board’s AP World Language Practice Tips and by previewing the exam’s sample AP French audio files . 

For a more specific idea of where to focus your studying, you may consider using a commercial study guide. Barron’s AP French Language and Culture with MP3 CD offers a comprehensive guide to the exam content, including two full-length practice exams with all questions answered and explained, along with an MP3 CD containing exemplary conversations and oral presentations. Barron’s is the top-rated choice for AP French Language and Culture study guides.

Another solid option is the AP French Language & Culture All Access w/Audio: Book + Online + Mobile , which receives good reviews for the volume of practice material it includes, though some users note that it contains some typos and should be used only in conjunction with other study materials to reinforce existing skills.

In addition, there are tons of study resources available online, including many from AP teachers who have posted comprehensive outlines and study guides. This AP French website , created by a long-time teacher, has a host of links, references, and courses. Best of all, it’s free! 

Another convenient way to study is to use one of the recently-developed apps for AP exams.. The FluentU app has a free version with basic video content that is highly rated for foreign language acquisition, but watch out for in-app purchases—the “Plus” version can set you back between $30 and $240.

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. You could also try taking the multiple-choice section of another practice exam.

The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple choice questions along with explanations of their answers. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any vocabulary that is still unfamiliar.

Step 4: Practice Free Response Questions

Your preparations for the free response section of the AP French Language and Culture exam will differ from the preparations for those of other AP exams. Although you’ll still need to practice some writing responses, you’ll also need to practice your listening skills and oral responses.

Regardless, you should begin your preparations for the free response section by brushing up on your vocabulary and grammar. Quizlet and Brainscape both have good online flashcards available for free. Make sure you have a solid selection of verbs to fall back on in both conversational and formal tones, and practice using them in multiple contexts. Although you won’t officially be scored on your grammar, you’ll still need to be able to communicate effectively, so make sure you can get your point across.

Your best preparation for the written prompts is simple: repeated practice prompts. You can find tons of past exam prompts dating back to 2012 on the College Board’s AP French Language and Culture exam homepage . While you’re there, also check out the Student Performance Q&A links, which give you insights from the Chief Reader of the AP Exam. This figure compiles feedback from members of the reading leadership to describe how students performed on the free response questions, summarize typical student errors, and address specific concepts with which students have struggled the most that particular year.

The oral portion of the free response section is perhaps the hardest to prepare for, since it can be difficult to gauge your own speaking abilities. One suggested practice method is to record your own sample answers using the past exam prompts, and then replay them for yourself after you’ve reviewed the scoring criteria. You might also team up with a classmate to compare responses and offer each other some constructive criticism. Another less direct method of preparation is simply to make sure you are hearing and speaking as much French as possible on a daily basis.

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the very beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge you’ve accumulated, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics 

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

For more information about APs, check out these CollegeVine posts:

• 2020 AP Exam Schedule
• How Long is Each AP Exam?
• Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

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The AP French Exam: Your Ultimate Guide (with 15 Study Tips and Test Strategies)

This is your ultimate guide to study and prepare for the AP French Language and Culture Exam.

From detailed information about the exam to 15 study tips and test-taking strategies, you’ll find everything you need to set up your study plan!

What Is the AP French Exam?

How will the ap french exam help in college, how is the exam scored, when and where do i take it, how is the exam structured, 1. start early, study often, 2. make the most of your ap class, 3. bring french into your daily life, 4. practice speaking as often as you can, 5. practice conversational vs. presentational tone, 6. use a study guide, 7. take practice tests, test-taking tips, 1. don’t underestimate simple concepts, 2. read the entirety of each question, 3. listen and read holistically, 5. budget your time, 6. remember to breathe, 7. smooth out your transitions, 8. mind your register.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

AP exams are comprehensive subject-specific exams for accomplished high school students . Having a high AP exam score on your high school transcript can help you stand out to colleges.

If you’re taking an AP French class, it means that you are studying more advanced French material than the average high school French class in preparation for the exam.

Even with class time, this exam is advanced and rigorous, requiring additional individual study time in order to excel.

Whether you want to major in French or just want to learn it, a passing score on the AP French Exam will let you test out of introductory classes and save time and money . You might also earn college credits before you start college.

This is especially useful if you have a different major but want to minor in French, because minors often have course loads that can cause scheduling conflicts with your major.

Colleges also sometimes consider AP experience when awarding scholarships.

The exam is scored on a simple 1 (worst) to 5 (best) scale. Usually, a score of 3 and above will qualify you for college credits and/or advanced placement, but each college sets their own requirements.

AP exams are given every year in May . You’ll take the exam in class during a normal school day.

Signing up for the AP exam is as simple as registering for AP classes in high school. Then, you will be provided with a test schedule and pay a fee (which is significantly less than a college course would cost) in order to register officially for the exam.

In many districts, there are subsidies available to offset the exam fee, offering a further incentive to take the test.

The exam is 3 hours long , of which roughly half consists of multiple choice questions and the other half free response.

Section 1: multiple choice (1 hour, 35 minutes)

This section consists of 65 questions that test your passive French reading and listening skills.

• Part A (40 minutes) is 30 questions based on sample texts such as newspaper articles or train schedules.
• Part B (55 minutes) is 35 questions based on audio clips which may or may not be paired with texts. All audio is played twice.

Section 2: free response (1 hour, 28 minutes)

This section consists of four tasks that test your active French writing and speaking skills.

• Part B (18 minutes) is two speaking tasks: a conversation and a presentation that demonstrates your knowledge of French and Francophone culture.

As with most tests (especially AP exams), you can’t just study the day before the exam and expect to get a good score.

Start scheduling as far ahead as you can. Consistency is key, and time is your greatest ally.

If you start studying 6 months before your test, you can spend just 15 minutes a day studying and build confidence in your skills.

If you wait until the last minute, you might spend hours and hours cramming in all your studying the week of, only to be unprepared and burned out for your exam.

Remember: your French teacher is already an expert in the language! Take advantage of their knowledge as much as possible while you still can. Something I used to do when learning French was to make a point of asking at least one question in class every day .

Pay extra attention to all the materials your teacher provides for you. They know what the exam will be like, so they know what it’s most important for you to be studying.

Whether it’s simple worksheets, beneficial websites or games, don’t just blow through these activities! Ask yourself what aspect of French these assignments are actually teaching you . Take them to heart.

Immersion is the best way to pick up any language.

While you may get short bits of immersion in your French classes, there is more that you can do outside of school that will immerse you in the language and get you thinking in it.

Try reading in French , setting your Facebook page to French , listening to French music or even finding some cool YouTube videos! You can also watch movies and TV shows or listen to podcasts in French.

Really, anything in your everyday life that’s usually done in English can probably also be done in French.

Whether it’s with a classmate, your teacher, a French friend or even yourself , find every possible opportunity to get in that speaking practice .

You might be able to understand written French and know the grammar concepts like the back of your hand, but speaking is a huge part of your test and you need to sound confident while doing it!

This one’s very important. Remember, an email isn’t an essay, and a conversation isn’t a presentation.

When you compose your email, write as if you’re a French person casually writing to another French person. Same goes for the conversation.

It’s during the essay and presentation that you want to show off how formal and informative you can be!

A study guide often includes important information on how the test is formatted and how to best approach it, as well as the grammar and vocabulary that you should know.

Be sure to find a study guide that covers all four language skills (speaking, writing, listening and reading).

Here are some of the most popular guides you can try:

• Barron’s – Breaks things down well and includes MP3 audio and two full practice tests.
• REA – Offers mobile and online content and tracks your progress with quizzes.
• College Board – While not technically a study guide, it has lots of relevant study material that is sure to help you since it comes from the creators of the test!

There are plenty of practice AP French exams out there, including in the study guides mentioned above. There are also practice exams online from resources such as Albert . The College Board website AP Central offers examples of past test questions , including writing and audio samples.

Try timing yourself with the actual exam times and keeping track of your progress, then studying the parts you struggle with the most.

Practice tests will have the same instructions as the real exam, so pay attention to them to understand what to expect beforehand.

While knowing advanced French is a plus, don’t forget what you learned when you were just starting out.

Things like incorrect gender , forgetting to use the subjunctive and improper conjugations are simple mistakes that even advanced speakers can commit. Don’t fall into that trap.

Read carefully to be sure the question you think you’re answering and the question you’re really  answering are one and the same.

If you skim through the questions, you may miss important parts that would completely change your answer.

The audio section presents the stress of only being able to listen to the audio twice. The key here is to listen holistically.

Don’t try to understand every word; that’s not necessary to answer the questions. If you dwell too long on one word you didn’t understand, you might miss the rest of the audio.

This goes for the reading portions of the exam, too. Especially considering the advanced level of language used in the exam, you are most likely going to come across something you don’t recognize. That’s okay! Just pick out the words you do know and use context clues to fill in the missing pieces.

You will be sitting at your exam for a little over three hours.

This means you should make sure to not only eat a big, nutritious breakfast, but also bring along a small snack or two to give you a boost. It’s hard to remember subject-verb agreements when your stomach won’t stop grumbling.

Water is also important.

You have to take care of your body to prepare your mind!

With 65 multiple choice questions to answer in 95 minutes, that leaves you about 1.5 minutes to answer each question.

Don’t get caught hemming and hawing over a question for five minutes. You can circle the question, move on, and get back to it if you have time at the end.

Since you’re not penalized for wrong answers—they’re simply not counted—you should try to fill in an answer for every question, even if it’s just a wild guess.

When it comes to the speaking portion, don’t let nervous jitters jumble your words. Speak slowly and deliberately. Remain calm.

You can even throw in some fillers à la française (in the French style) such as uh and ben (well) to give yourself some time to gather your thoughts, find le mot juste (the right word), and sound elegantly fluent .

In order to make your French sound as smooth and buttery as possible, you’ll need to be sure to have a store of transitions in your arsenal that will allow you to make logical connections and add variety to the structure and length of your sentences.

Think of the free response section as an opportunity to show that you know the difference between words like pour que (so that) and quoi que (no matter what).

Register is one of the areas in which you’ll be evaluated on the exam. In part A of the free response section, for example, you’ll be asked to reply to an email.

If the email is addressed to a close friend, you’d use tu . Addressing a professional acquaintance, on the other hand, requires vous . You should have the difference between the formal and informal register down pat.

With ample preparation, not only can you pass the AP French Exam, but you can improve your French enormously in the process.

Take it from a seasoned veteran of AP exams: there’s nothing on the AP French Exam that you can’t do, especially if you’re already a passionate learner.

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Practice for ap french exam.

Travail 1-La révision de l'examen AP

• Six thèmes de Français AP
• Here is a wiki made by teachers all over the world to help with AP French practice
• Check out the format of the test and a practice test

Source: http://lhsfrenchdevoirs.wikispaces.com/French+V+AP-2012-2013+Exam+practice

AP FRENCH EXAM expectations and information:

*Describes in detail the AP course and exam. Includes the curriculum framework and a representative sample of exam questions: College Board Booklet on the expectations for this AP language exam Click on the link!

Source: media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-french-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Comment est l'examen?

Source: http://lhsfrenchdevoirs.wikispaces.com/AP+French+Test+information

The Persuasive Writing Tips:

Tips for the persuasive essay:

The persuasive essay has to have an introduction, treat the opposing views of the two sources of information, and give the student's personal opinion, then conclude.One should use "on" in the AP essay where a student will read + listen + view a neutral graph. (these + antithese + sythese) 5 paragraphs are a goal. What is sure is that students must present different viewpoints (including reference to viewpoints in the sources provided) and then defend their own opinion. How they organize their essay may well be in 5 paragraphs but not necessarily. Students must cite all three sources in their essay. 1) All three sources are clearly referenced using verbal strategies such as " d'après la seconde source... ". Allusions and just stating the name of the person who talked is not sufficient.

2) Our students will need

      a) to demonstrate understanding of what was written and  said,

      b) to say why it is important in order to support their argument

      c) to provide justification, or an extension as to how their supporting details promote or impede the topic of the argument. In other words, "what is the difference that the example will make" in the argument.

3) Rich language, a variety of sentence structures and complex sentences: relative pronouns EX: ceux, auquel, ce dont and gerunds.

4) Students should write on the same level of complexity as the sources. -James O'Donnell.

QUIZLET link for expressions for the persuasive writing portion of the AP FRENCH exam

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER:)

Source: http://quizlet.com/78290372/ap-french-persuasive-essay-flash-cards/

The email response-TIPS (E-mail : Courriel : mél : mail : basic details)

Directions: You will write a reply to an email message. You have 15 minutes to read the message and write your reply. Your reply should include a greeting and a closing and should respond to the two questions and requests in the message. In your reply, you must also ask one question for more details about something mentioned in the message. Also, you should use a formal form of address.  

The students will have 15 minutes to write the response to the email - This is not an essay!

• It must be FORMAL !! VOUS and formal register and tone. POLITE
• Students must answer two questions
• Students must also ask one question before ending the email.
• The mail is organized and clear.
• At the end they should use a formal closure

Quizlets to help with formal expressions, transitions, greetings and salutations.

Click to access the Quizlet lists to improve your writing skills!

Greetings and salutations 1

Greetings and salutations 2

Email advice

Transitions

Source: http://quizlet.com/62579125/email-ap-french-exam-vocabulary-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/23236464/french-ap-email-greetings-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/70771748/ap-french-email-advice-flash-cards/ , http://quizlet.com/18923896/french-writing-transitions-flash-cards/

From College Board, these should all sound familiar...

Source: http://www2.ignatius.edu/faculty/turner/apthemes.pdf

Authentic Audio Recordings that follow the chapiters in Allons au Dela...

Chapitre 1   Mobilisation en faveur des Roms © TFI

Chapitre 2   Climat et météo © Canal Académie, fiches établies par le CAVILAM en copyright

Chapitre 3   Mieux comprendre le stress © Canal Académie, fiches établies par le CAVILAM en copyright

Chapitre 4   Droits de l'homme et droits de la nature © Canal Académie, fiches établies par le CAVILAM en copyright

Chapitre 5   Émeutes de la faim © Canal Académie

Chapitre 6   Lettres de résistants © Canal Académie

Chapitre 7   Percer le secret des Exoplanètes © Canal Académie, fiches établies par le CAVILAM en copyright

Chapitre 8   L’avenir de l’internet © Canal Académie

Chapitre 9   Nouveaux scanners dans les aéroports, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 10  Call center, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 11  La maison et moi © Canal Académie

Chapitre 12  Le sportnographe © Radio Canada

Chapitre 13  L'après-midi porte conseil, émission du 25/11/10 © Radio Canada

Chapitre 14  Le poupon, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 15  Je suis la voix de la sncf © Le Monde

Chapitre 16  Immigration et intégration © Canal Académie

Chapitre 17  L’Islam, Religions du monde, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 18  Algérie, le français reste une langue incontournable, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 19  L'immigration © Canal Académie

Chapitre 20  Les enfants des rues, extract from audio on site RFI © RFI

Chapitre 21  Senghor © Canal Académie

Chapitre 22  La face cachée d’Halloween © Canal Académie

Chapitre 23  La famille © Canal Académie

Chapitre 24   Lettre d’amour : George Sand à Alfred de Musset © Canal Académie

Chapitre 25  L'homme de néanderthal est-il notre ancêtre © Radio Canada

Chapitre 26  La demeure de Claude Monet © Canal Académie

Chapitre 27  Ravel, roman © Canal Académie

Chapitre 28  Le Theatre du Chatelet © Canal Académie

Source: http://www.bosvick.com/2012_themes.htm#id.hspmmwmjjed4

Les Médecins Sans Frontières

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qQ_0AWncpQ

Published on Oct 31, 2013 Immuniser un million d'enfants contre la rougeole Pour en savoir plus, rendez-vous sur le site de l'une des sections MSF francophones : • MSF Belgique : http://www.msf.be • MSF Luxembourg : http://www.msf.lu • MSF France : http://www.msf.fr • MSF Suisse : http://www.msf.ch

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkAMpMKmekk

Uploaded on Feb 24, 2009

REPORTAGE: Le clonage des embryons humains est une pratique controversée dans la plupart des pays. Mais pas en Chine où les scientifiques viennent de réussir le clonage de 5 embryons humains grâce à une toute nouvelle technique.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5Cqrl-TUc

Practice open responses from 2012

From the college board site, here is the written items, directions and the practice test, which was actually the exam in 2012.

Once you download the PDF with the directions and the prompts, then go to this site to be able to access the listening and speaking prompts.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/219263.html

Source: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/4559.html#name12 , http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/219263.html

2012 sample responses to the persuasive essay, the AP scoring rubric and the comments on the graded samples

Source: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap12_french_task_2_presentational_writing.pdf

2013 Free Response Questions

Look at the persuasive essay, you can view on here or download the PDF. Make sure to look at the different sources and follow the link (or cut and paste to get the audio selection.) link: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/221935.html

2013 AP French Language and Culture Task 2 Persuasive Essay

Source: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/4559.html#name13

2013 Free Response Samples and Scoring Guidelines

After completing your practice essay using all three sources, go through and read several samples provided by College Board. There are explanations of the scoring guidelines and what each sample scored and why.

Resources and Links from tsdwlstandards - AP French wiki

Ap french wikis.

• AP French Planning DMD
• TAP-FLC Collaborative wiki for AP French teachers
• Sources and prepared units for A1, B2, etc
• DELF exams listening sections use
• Infos de Suisse
• AP French links for each theme-well- organized all materials
• Le Plaisir d'apprendre-excellent exercises
• Over 200 French texts
• PowerPoints for French themes
• Educavox- site for education and tech-readings and videos
• Sitioguide-themes divided up with links.
• Liens pour la classe d'AP French
• AP French Planning
• French PBL wiki
• Monsieur Doehla
• Frenchified -blog with excellent activities
• Le Cahier du FLE excellent resource for listening and reading
• Netvibes organized theme suggests for activities
• Sitothèque des sites-AP
• AP site of resources and organization>
• ICT magic-languages, culture
• Practice reading selection from Scotland
• Practice French tests from Austrailia

Online practice tests from other resources

• Transparent Language
• BBC French test
• La France Bis-listening and reading activities
• Paris Monterrey Blog with podcasts leved A1. A2, etc.

AP French Listening Exercises

• Reportages de la télé. etc. (authentique)
• Audio Lingua -Short passages to use at all levels-excellent source
• Publicités, etc.
• Medecins sans Frontières audio et vidéo avec des exercises
• Espace Apprendre -AP listening exercises taken lots from here
• Baladodiffusion et enseignement podcasts and other listening exercises
• La guinguette -articles and listening recordings with scripts
• Podcasts Facile-great for Fr. 1, 2, 3
• French Listening Comprehension : About.com-excellent for levels 1-4
• Les 7 jours sur la planète-les dossiers
• Culture Box-site video-actualités de la France-vidéo/régions
• BBC-GCSE Listening sources
• African resources from many countries
• ONU-United Nations Radio
• Montreal:short clips on a variety of topics
• Newsmap of world events about France in French
• La vie contemporaine-Univ.
• 6 avril 2009 : « Vox pop : Qu’est-ce qu’un chercheur ? » (3:13) Thème du cours : La science et la technologie
• La Belgique-webcasts radio
• Radio Belge-podcasts
• French Today listening and text
• Les publicités françaises
• Autour de la Gastronomie
• Health podcasts
• La rentrée scolaire>
• Media, écoles, etc.-great simple resources

AP French theme resources and activities

• UNICEF: La voix des jeunes: Les défis des enfants

3. Immigration: Organisation International pour les migrations 4. Tahar Ben Jelloun 5. La Banque Mondiale 6. Series of Readings on many topics to match many themes with questions-very useful. 7. Series of worksheets at all levels-excellent 8. Le clé de l'actualités-(science aussi) 9. Québec et son identité 10. Using short films to teach languages 11. Metro Paris-current news-appeals to youth 12. Val de Marne :Interesting collection of video from the Val de Marne département south of Paris covering many of the topics in a local newsy type of way.  

AP Practice in General

• Trésors du temps-quia-l istening, reading and videos to prepare and synthesize for the test
• DelfB Junior Livres du Clé International
• Delf B exam Practice
• Les 93 expressions texto en français
• Radio Canada pour la Jeunesse
• AP@Share:blog to share new AP ideas

Grammar, art, literature resources

• PowerPoint resources and activities
• Free online books and magazines
• France Interactif-Univ of Texas
• Vidéo clips-French 1/2
• Kiffe, kiffe, demain-roman> >
• Lire, récréer lire>
• Languaguesonline.org.uk has some good reading but not in the multiple choice format.

Charts, etc to analyze

• Polls and charts
• Mangerbouger
• Fraîcheattitude>

Source: http://tsdwlstandards.wikispaces.com/AP+French+resources

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The Ultimate List of AP® French Language Tips

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

If you’re like many foreign language students, the AP® French Language exam has been a worrisome figure on the horizon for quite some time. As you finally begin this AP® course and prepare for the exam next spring, remember that there are many different resources out there to help you along the way. This Ultimate List of the AP® French Language tips will give you a head start over all of the other French students preparing for the exam. Use this list, combined with some hard work and assistance from your AP® teacher, and you’ll ace this exam in no time.

So you want to pass the AP® French Language exam? Well here’s the breakdown. Every year:

– More than 20,000 students take the AP® French Language exam

– About 75% receive a score of 3 or higher

– Only about 38% receive a crucial score of a 4 or 5

– Only  12% score a 5, which can really blow away college admissions staff

Want to be in the top 10% of exam takers? Want to receive even more scholarship money and acceptance letters from top universities? Want to awe and impress your AP® teacher and fellow students? Follow this indispensable list for some tips that will set you on your way. Also, if you’re looking for the best AP® French Language review books, this resource may help .

How to Study for AP® French Language Tips

1. It’s simple – use French! Easier said than done. Unlike Spanish, French doesn’t have a huge presence in the U.S. today. There aren’t French news channels or (many) French radio stations. So how can you start using the language? We’ll offer several ideas in the tips below.

2. Find the culture in your every day . What do you think of when you think Francophone culture? Well, we think of food first and foremost! A fantastic way to incorporate more French into your daily routine – and learn some great new recipes – is to cook French food. Used bookstores typically have foreign language cookbooks on the cheap. Pick one up and highlight some recipes that you’d like to try out. They don’t have to be complicated for you to benefit from the language. Some of the best dishes are simple and require few ingredients – fondue au fromage , anyone?

3. Find a language buddy. This applies to all foreign language students: most high schools have foreign exchange students and teachers. Lucky for you, as a French language student, tons of countries have French as a national language – not just France! French is an official language in all of these places:

France, Canada: Quebec and Ontario, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali, Monaco, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Niger, Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Haiti, Réunion, Martinique, Switzerland, and many more!

Use this to your advantage! Find a language buddy to practice your French. Often times, other students and exchange teachers are willing to do 15 minutes in French for 15 minutes of English practice with you!

4. Find a language exchange. These are more common than you think! Many French speakers in the U.S. are looking to improve their English and are beyond happy to participate in conversational language exchanges with native English speakers. Typically you spend 15-20 minutes speaking in one language and then switch to the other. Where can you find these exchanges? Check out the public library, civic center, or ask around at your school.

5. Get your vocabulary up to par! So you’ve reached AP® French Language. By this time in your foreign language career, you’ve most likely mastered the grammar of the language – at least in written form. You’ve seen all the verb tenses and know your irregular adjective conjugations. Still, you’ll be at a loss communicating in French if you don’t have an extensive vocabulary to express yourself. Get ready, here’s how to start expanding your vocabulary in French today.

6. A new word every day. The easiest way to start studying for AP® French is to introduce a new word into your French vocabulary every day. The Instagram account French Words has a new word (as well as its phonetic pronunciation and grammatical gender) every day! Flip calendars are also great for getting a new word every day. Then, try to use it during class.

7. Bring out your vocabulary cards. Or don’t! We recommend using vocabulary cards – they are a language learner’s best friend. Put a word in French on one side and a description of the word on the other side. Don’t like carrying around a ton of paper? There are so many apps available to make flashcards. Run through the words while you’re on the treadmill. Or every time commercials come on during your favorite show. Or every day before you begin French class to really get your mind churning.

Insider tip : There are good ways to make a vocab card and there are better ways. Which of these looks better for the word la craie ?

Yup, you guessed it – the one on the right. Why? Because you didn’t need to use English to get to the meaning of the word. This will make you a faster speaker and writer in French. You also included all the relevant information such as the article and the word’s pronunciation.

8. Keep track of unknown words. Successful language learners swear by this technique. Keep a small notepad with you throughout the day. Then, every time you hear or see a word that you don’t know, write it down. Even if you don’t get the spelling right, jotting down these unknown words and looking them up later is one of the best techniques for acquiring new vocabulary items. Why? Because there are so many words that you encounter that you don’t know, even in your AP® class, that you cannot possibly keep track of them all. Write them down. Look them up. Repeat.

9. But don’t forget the important parts. Learning vocabulary is nothing if you don’t know how to use it. This means learning:

1) The pronunciation

How do you say it?

2) If it’s a noun, gender of the word

Is it le or la?

3) If it’s a verb, the conjugation

Is it a regular or irregular verb?

4) Put it in context

How do you use the word in a sentence ?

10. Whip out old practice exams. Reviewing old AP® exams is a technique known to help students prepare for the test. Year after year, AP® teachers say the one thing that sets apart those students who pass from those who don’t, was who completed the practice exams in class. Start getting yourself ready now by reviewing the old exams that your teacher may have available for you.

Insider tip: Know the structure of the exam

There are three main components to the AP® French Language exam: multiple choice, speaking, and writing. In order of appearance on the test they are:

multiple choice

interpersonal writing (e-mail)

presentational writing (persuasive essay)

interpersonal speaking(conversation)

presentational speaking (cultural comparison)

Don’t forget some of the AP® exam basics. Once you complete one section, you can’t go back and change your answers. Instead, simply move on and focus on the section at hand. You also can’t work ahead on the exam. So even if you’re especially nervous for the speaking section, don’t be. There’s nothing you can do during the multiple choice section to ready yourself for it so breathe and focus on the questions in front of you. In a way, it’s relieving. You can’t work ahead anyways, so don’t be anxious about the upcoming sections.

11. Get together to study . Studying can become very tedious. And most AP® French Language students aren’t taking just one AP® test – they’re taking 3, 4, or 5. To get over the boredom of studying alone, form a group that meets once or twice a week. This is a great way to socialize while reviewing but also get fresh ideas and insights on the course material. Split up the culture section and have one person report a new country for every meeting. Already sounds better than reviewing alone, doesn’t it?

12. Look up the guidelines . We’ve talked about a couple other online resources but one you should be especially familiar with is the CollegeBoard itself. The scoring guidelines that AP® French Language exam graders have right in front of them as they grade exams are available on this site. Curious about what graders are looking for? The CollegeBoard is very open with this, so take advantage of it.

13. Incorporate the language into your everyday routine . There are so many ways to incorporate French into your daily life – you’re probably not even thinking of them! Change your social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter to French – even your ads will start to appear in French. Set your browser homepage to Le Monde or Le Journal de Québec and read a news article every morning. Set your cell phone to French to learn new vocabulary. French will be all around you in no time.

14. Utilize your best resource: your teacher . You probably don’t know anyone who is a better resource for you when taking the AP® French Language exam than your AP® French teacher. He/she has seen hundreds of students take the exam and knows what has worked and what hasn’t. This is even more relevant if they are one of the teachers who grades the AP® exam in the summertime. So ask your teacher questions. Be an active learner in class. Learn from previous students’ mistakes. Your teacher will be more than happy to help you in your preparation for the test.

Start your AP® French Language Prep today

Ap® french language multiple choice tips.

1. Ignore instructions. This goes along with practicing for the test like we mentioned earlier. By the time you get to test day, you should be so comfortable with the material and overall structure of the test that you don’t need to read the instructions. While other students waste precious minutes reviewing the directions, you can skip ahead and get cracking on the hefty number of multiple-choice questions you have coming your way.

2. Answer every single question. Remember on the ACT® and SAT® when your teacher constantly stressed not answering questions you didn’t know? You were punished for incorrect answers. Well, not on the AP® French Language exam! In fact, the grading machines just ignore incorrect answers. Can’t figure out a question? Running out of time? Mark an answer anyways – it might be correct.

3. Calculate your time . How many questions do you have on the multiple choice section? 65. How many minutes are you allotted? 95. That means about a minute and half for every question. Don’t go beyond that, even if a question is tripping you up. Mark something down as an answer. Then, circle the question to come back to it later if you have time.

4. Move on from words you don’t know . You will inevitably encounter words that you don’t know in the multiple-choice section. Don’t stress about this or convince yourself that you weren’t sufficiently prepared. Instead, skim past those words and focus on those that you do know. You will be able to figure out the question despite not knowing a word or two. Even looking at the answers can sometimes help. So don’t stress when approached with an unfamiliar word.

5. Read the entire question . AP® tests are notorious for their tough multiple-choice sections. And the College Board thinks they can trip you up by giving a lot of background information and not stating the actual objective until the end of the question. So be one step ahead. Read the entire question, all the way through. Then, select an answer. They anticipate many students not reading the entire question and give wrong answers that correspond appropriately so don’t fall into this trap.

AP® French Language Free Response Tips

1. Sound natural and conversational. This isn’t always so easy for someone who speaks French as a second language. But listening to French radio (try RadioFrance ) or watching television shows ( Fais pas çi, fais pas ça is available on French Netflix and is very popular) can really help you with these elements of your language. What do you hear when you listen to native speakers? Lots of uh , and bon , right? Good. Use this to your advantage. Dot your speech with these native-sounding interjections and give yourself more time to think of the right words.

2. Slow down . For many students, the free response section of the AP® French Language exam is the most anxiety inducing of the test. As a result, too many students speak quickly, stumble over their words, or provide an incoherent argument. Don’t let this be you! Firstly, speak slowly. You have so much time – two whole minutes for the cultural comparison. There is no need to rush through your words. In fact, you’ll make more mistakes and will be less likely to find the words you’re looking if you speak too quickly.

3. Use your transition words . This actually also applies for the written portion. But, French is known to differ a lot stylistically between its written and spoken forms, so we’ll mention it here. There are lots of colloquial words that are used in spoken French to change topic or connect your thoughts. Here are some of them:

Je veux dire…

Comme je disais avant…

Par contre…

D’autre part…

Par exemple…

En même temps…

Insider tip : Sounding native

Par contre and en revanche are often cited in dictionaries as being synonyms in French. And to a certain extent, they are. However, they differ in their context of usage. Whereas you would rarely hear someone say en revanche out loud, you hardly even see par contre written in formal, academic prose. Know when to use which term for your transitions.

4. Use the correct pronouns . You know the difference between vous and tu – or do you? Vous is used for formal contexts, when you’re speaking with a teacher or addressing a grader as you record yourself in the speaking section of the test. Tu , however, is used when speaking with classmates or people you have known for a while. Vous is also used when addressing multiple people. Be very mindful of this distinction when speaking. Register is one thing that AP® graders look for since it’s mentioned explicitly on the scoring guidelines . So you know it’s very important.

5. Try recording yourself and classmates . Still worried about the speaking section of the AP® French Language exam? Not to worry, most students are nervous for this part. An excellent way to prepare is by recording yourself and others. Then, play back what you said. Do you sound rushed? How is your /R/ pronunciation (that guttural sound)? Be sure to get classmates’ help with this. They’d love to exchange tips on this tough section of the test.

AP® French Language Essay Tips & Advice

1. Penmanship matters, so use your best. Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn’t, but penmanship matters. And don’t you want your AP® French Language exam grader to be in a good mood when they’re scoring your exam? Make reading essays simpler for your grader by writing very clearly and unambiguously on the test. Take your time. As we’ll point out below, it isn’t the length of the essay that matters, but the content.

2. No need to fill all the pages! You are given so many pages in the essay booklet on the AP® French Language exam. This is actually an unfortunate part of the test and one that many students fall victim to. Remember: you don’t need to use all the pages! They are there for students who write larger or who made a large mistake and need to start over. Instead, stick to three, maximum four, pages on the presentational writing section. Graders read the essays quickly. And the questions are geared towards shorter essays, not longer. Less is more! (And you have less opportunity to make mistakes.)

Insider tip : French and its punctuation

Did you know that French uses different punctuation than English? Have you ever noticed, for example, that your teacher writes grades not as 92.3% but rather 92,3? Have you ever seen that question marks and exclamation points in French stories always come after a space? Check out the sentence below for some of the common punctuation differences between French and English:

– Le prof t’a donné quelle note sur le partiel ?

– J’ai reçu 13,3 sur 20. Et toi ?

– Moi, j’ai reçu 12,4. Il m’a commenté, « analyse pas suffisante ». Ca veut dire quoi, ça ?

What’s different in the phrases above?

  1) space between question mark and end of sentence: partiel?

  2) « » Arrows for quotes instead of English high quotes “ ”

  3) No accents necessary on uppercase letters, only lowercase: Ca but ça

  4) Comma instead of decimal point and vice versa: 1.000.000 instead of 1,000,000 for one million

Does this matter? Absolutely! Impress AP® French Language readers with the depth of your knowledge and detail in French writing. Get all the points that you can!

3. Have an outline and a thesis – before beginning . Before you ever flip the page from the sources to the actual essay, you should have an outline and thesis written. ‘Why?’ you ask. ‘It’s in my mind.’ Not good enough. Stakes are too high and the essay writing time passes by too fast. You must know what you’re writing about from the beginning or you risk wasting precious writing time. By writing down a thesis and having an idea of your structure, you’ll have something to refer back to you if you get lost in the prose of your essay.

4. Use ink on the essays . Pencil is great for writing notes and that all-important outline that we’ve already talked about. But when it comes to the essay itself, stick to ink. Why? Because pencil smudges easily and could render parts of your essay unreadable to the grader – yikes! Also, it simply isn’t as clear as blue or black ink. So stick to pens for the essay itself. Unsure of an idea while you’re writing? Write in pencil first. Then, go back over it in pen once you’ve finished.

5. Proofread. You must, must, must proofread your essay. Even if you’re on the last paragraph and you only have three minutes left, take the time to proofread. You would be amazed how many errors you can make while you’re writing and thinking quickly. When you first construct your essay, you’re likely to be so involved in the material itself and incorporating your sources (we’ll get to those below) that you forget about all-important accents or a consistent verb tense throughout. Proofreading will catch most of those errors. Keep an eye out for the following while you do one last read-through:

1) No passive voice – when in doubt, use on :

This: On peut voir dans la ligne deux que … Not this: La ligne deux est  vue par le lecteur comme…

2) A consistent verb tense throughout – don’t switch between past and present

3) Watch out for accents.

There’s a big difference between accent aigu ´ and accent grave ` so don’t get sloppy.

4) Don’t forget subjunctive.

Did the subject change within the clause? Are you expressing doubt or uncertainty? You probably need subjunctive.

6. Use the sources. Hopefully you know this one already! The sources provided for the persuasive essay are not just there for your amusement – you must incorporate them into your essay. In fact, graders are looking to make sure that you include not just one or two of the sources – but all of them. So read the sources carefully and think about how you will incorporate them into the outline before you even begin writing – that way you won’t forget to include one.

7. Weave the sources into the essay . Speaking of sources, if graders are looking to see if you included all three sources – don’t you want to make it very obvious to them that you did? So go ahead and use direct citations from the sources (with quotes and a citation marker). This is better than simply summing up information from the sources because 1) the graders will spot that you used a source right away and 2) you’re less likely to get the information from the sources wrong – a very common mistake that test takers make!

Tips by AP® French Language Teachers

Did you know that teachers grade the AP® French Language exams? And not just any teachers – your teachers. That’s right. Every summer, hundreds of AP® French Language teachers and university professors who teach equivalent courses get together to grade the writing and speaking components of the exam. So who do you think knows best what graders are and aren’t looking for? Teachers themselves, of course!

1. Write neatly. This teacher reinforces one of our writing tips mentioned above! “Just write clearly. We can always tell when you don’t know how to spell a word and you try to fudge your way out of it but writing illegibly. You’d be surprised how few points students lose for orthographic errors so write clearly. If you make a couple of minor mistakes, you won’t lose points for it.”

2. Do full practice exams. On the subject of practice exams , which we have also encouraged, this teacher says, “Unfortunately, we do not have enough time in class to do a full exam run-through of multiple choice, speaking, and writing. Great students will take the initiative and do this on their own or in groups. This is a long exam. It takes stamina. The only way to build that up is to do full run-throughs of the exam. All sections in one sitting – just as it will be on the day of the test.”

3. Re-energizing during the exam . It’s a long exam. How can you prepare yourself to make it all the way through until the writing section? This teacher has some tips: “I hate how the writing comes at the end! I think it’s the hardest part of the exam and takes the most energy out of my students. So I tell them, in addition to eating a large breakfast or lunch on the day of the AP® French Language exam, bring a snack or two with you! Every year my students come back saying how happy they were that I recommended this. The exam will take a lot out of you – get some energy back in return!”

4. Must use sources! Didn’t we tell you that incorporating your sources was important? Here it is again: “Please, please, please use all of your sources! Every year when I’m grading the AP® French Language exams, I feel terrible that I have to dock students points because they forgot a source or forgot to incorporate sources altogether!” How can you remember to do this? Write the sources into your outline from the very beginning. That way, you won’t forget to include them.

Insider tip : What if I forget a source?

Every year, so many students forget a source that the CollegeBoard finally decided that students can still receive a score of a 4 or 5 even without mentioning one of the sources. But the essay has to be exceptionally good to still receive such a high score. So rather than take the chance, follow the directions and use your sources.

5. Be a consistent studier. Studying for the AP® exam doesn’t just happen the few weeks before exam day in May. In fact, many AP® French Language teachers say the best study habits are established from the first week of class. “I try to encourage my students to form study groups outside of class and good learning habits such as learning new vocabulary and exposing themselves to different dialects of French. They should be doing this really from the start of their first semester in AP® French. This is the highest level of French taught at our school and offers them the invaluable opportunity to gain college credit. So students should treat the course as they would a college-level class.”

6. Master the present, including the subjunctive, the past and the future tenses! Thanks for the tip from Debbie M.

7. Challenge yourself daily to do more than you could yesterday.  Listen to challenging French news broadcasts.  If you don’t understand the background of the topics being discussed, do some further research online.  You will enhance your knowledge of current events–a key element of success on the exam–very quickly this way. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

8. Practice dictation regularly –It may seem old fashioned, but dictation (la dictée) is a great way to hone spelling and grammar and to increase vocabulary.  Find a 30-second snip-it online and write out everything you hear.  Ask a teacher or native to check it for you. Thanks for the tip from Stephen O. at West Lafayette Jr./Sr. High.

9. Expose yourself to French every day. An easy way to get in 15 minutes is by either listening to the French news (Journal Télévisé) on TF1.fr while getting ready for school in the morning or while getting ready for bed at night. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

10. During my study abroad in college, I would listen to the French radio news every morning with my host family or alone. It helped me get used to the pacing of real French while, at the same time, having a general idea of the topic before the report started. Thanks for the tip from Kerry G. at Greenwich High School.

11. I tell my students to watch a French video clip (news or otherwise) daily to get used to hearing different accents and to get their ears used to hearing spoken French. Thanks for the tip from Linda W. at Haddon Township.

12. DON’T PANIC … Breathe and think, what did we talk about. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

13. Help the Reader: Assume the reader is tired….it is the end of the day…they have been grading since 8:00am….Help the reader find the answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

Label your sections

Underline important terms and key parts of your answer

–i.e. if it asks for the definition of nation, underline the word nation…

14. Do Not Dump: You should try to avoid writing “dump” essays where you “dump” or empty your brain of everything you can think of onto the paper. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

15. Outline : OUTLINING the questions will help you tremendously! As soon as you get the CRQ’s, spend a couple of minutes outlining the main points for your answer right on the question sheet. This way, when you go to write your full response, you will have a baseline of information and important points to send you on your way. Those who have done this in the past have told me it has really helped them be successful on the exam. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

16. Pick On The Weaker Ones First: Answer the question you think is the easiest first; then go onto the next easiest, etc… This way, you leave the hardest one for the end when you have more time to answer. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

17. Take your flashcards to another level: When your writing out your flashcards/vocabulary make sure you are not just writing it in your own words… but be able to connect the term/concept to another term/concept. This way when your writing your FRQ you will be able to show the reader that you not only know the information, but can critically connect the material to other units/topics. Thanks for the submission by Timothy K. from Apex High.

18. AP® French Language is vocabulary driven. Study your list of vocabulary terms listed on the CollegeBoard site labeled Martha Sharma’s vocabulary terms. I have my own version as well. Let me know if you want me to send them. Thanks for the tip from David E.

19. READ as many multiple sources as possible to prepare.  Thanks for the tip from Anne C.

20. If students make a point to Listen to 10 min of French everyday in the form of news or podcasts – they can make great strides in their listening comprehension which is the most difficult part. Thanks for the tip from Harpreet M.

21. Trouvez un roman qui vous intéresse et lisez-le chaque jour hors de la classe.  Thanks for the tip from Rachel D.

22. Try to listen to as much French programming as possible. And talk back to the audio, just to break through the speaking barrier; no one can hear you but you, it will loosen you up! Thanks for the tip from Madame Jean M.

23. To build a good ear for the language, read a script first. Use the CD to listen to what you just read; multiple times. Try to understand it. Then check the script again. Thanks for the tip from Angela W.

24. Listen to AS MUCH FRENCH as possible from authentic sources : videos, vimeos, movies, film trailers, especially clips of films or shows you are already familiar with. Use material which is updated and meaningful to students to keep their interest! Thanks for the tip from Jennifer B.

25. Know real world examples of Vocabulary . Example: What does gerrymandering look like? Thanks for the tip from Sharon R.

26. Read every day about lots of different topics from sources all over the world.  News articles, blogs, anything! Thanks for the tip from Danelle C.

Are you a teacher or student? Do you have an awesome tip? Let us know!

Just how tough is the AP® French Language exam? Well we said before that more than 75% of students score a 3 or higher – so this exam is definitely beatable! And this list of the Ultimate Tips will get you started in your preparation for the exam. Here are some of the key points summed up again:

– Start reviewing now – old tests, new vocabulary words, study groups

– Find a language exchange to buff up speaking skills

– On test day, establish an outline and thesis before even approaching your essay

– You can’t work ahead – focus on what’s at hand during the test

– Proofread all written material

But remember that our list of the Ultimate Tips is by no means the last stop on your journey to a great score on this AP® test. Go ahead and check out other sources such as (insert other articles on AP® French prep here) to get even more insider tips and advice from previous test takers and AP® French Language teachers. With these resources in hand, there’s no way you can’t succeed!

– These stats concern “typical” French language learners – those who have not spent considerable time in a country of the target language or do not speak French in the home.

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AP French Practice Tests & Study Tips

Score high on the ap french exam with these free practice tests and study tips.

You may feel like you’re killing it in your French class, but the AP French exam is a totally different matter altogether. Even though you’ve been studying hard and practicing your French each day, you will need to prep with test-specific materials to pass the AP French test with flying colors. Here are some study tips, exam resources, and practice tests to help you prepare.

What Topics Are Covered On The AP French Exam?

The AP French exam isn’t just about knowing plenty of French vocabulary and verb conjugations. This test measures how fluently you can speak French , as well as how well you understand the language itself, and its relation to French culture and history.

Thus, there are several areas of the test that a student needs to be proficient in. First, there are two multiple-choice sections . These each account for about 25% of the score and have 30 or 35 questions. These questions cover:

• Identifying the main idea and supporting details
• Defining vocabulary words in context
• Identifying an author’s point of view
• Showing cultural or interdisciplinary knowledge
• Interpretive communication from print and audio sources, requiring responses about main ideas and details and including knowledge about interdisciplinary topics

Then, there are two free-response questions , each of which is 25% of your score. There are two questions in each section. In the first free-response section, one section requires the student to read and reply to an email message and the second requires an argumentative essay.

In the second section, the student needs to engage in five conversational exchanges and give a two-minute presentation in response to a prompt comparing French culture to their own.

For this section, students may want to think about using a French language app such as Babbel or Duolingo to help them prepare. Lessons included within language courses often include mock conversations with fluent speakers , which is a great way to improve your verbal skills (the French course from Rocket is a good option).

How Is The AP French Exam Scored?

The AP French test has a particular method of scoring to determine who passes as qualified (3), well-qualified (4), or extremely well-qualified (5).

If you want to know how you’d score based on your current skills, this is a practice tool that you’ll want to explore. The test averages together the student’s score in each of the following areas, and then puts it together on a curve for each particular year.

• Multiple Choice Part A
• Multiple Choice Part B
• Free Response – Interpersonal Writing
• Free Response – Presentational Writing
• Free Response – Interpersonal Speaking
• Free Response – Presentational Speaking

Once the interactive widget puts your projected score together, it will tell you whether that will be a score of 1−5 for that year , based on the projected curve.

Free AP French Practice Tests

There are heaps of AP French practice tests and other helpful study tips on the internet. However, you want to make sure that the practice tests you’re taking and tips you’re using are going to be actually beneficial to you.

Here are some tried-and-true AP French practice tests that truly emulate what the test is going to be like and that will help you prepare.

AP Central : French Language and Culture – This resource gives you plenty of past exam questions as well as information about how the test is scored. It has a list of free-response questions from the past ten years. If you’re able to answer all of these with confidence, then you can trust that your French skills are on par with what the AP test moderators are looking for.

Practice Quiz : AP French Exam Prep – On this site, you can choose from the study mode that fits your learning style best. Whether you want to study through an entire practice test at your leisure or take an actual time-crunched mock exam, Practice Quiz helps you strengthen your skills. They will also email you a free daily question to remind you to study your French.

Albert : AP French Language – With Albert, you can get rid of all the stress surrounding the AP French test. They have free-response questions that mimic the actual AP test as well as assessments to help you gauge your skills and proficiency. Each assessment is themed for a certain section of the test, such as literature, music, visual arts, or architecture.

College Board : AP French Language and Culture – This resource gives you a host of background information on the entire test so that you understand how it’s structured, what the scorekeepers are looking for, and how the test itself was developed. It tells you how the test will be presented and gives practice tests, too.

Tips For Studying French

Even though you’ve been studying and speaking French for years, some real-life helpful tips go a long way. Here are some of the best tips and tricks for solidifying your French proficiency before the exam.

👉 Watch movies . No, this isn’t just a leisure activity. Foreign-language films show you how people speak the language in real life.

👉 Listen to music . Music helps our brains learn many types of things, and hearing phrases, vocabulary, and verb conjugation helps the brain solidify knowledge. Listen to real French music and look up songs that help you memorize vocabulary with catchy jingles.

👉 Read books . Pick out books that you love in English that have been translated into French. This will relax your brain with texts you enjoy while giving you practice.

👉 Talk with friends . Engage your classmates in conversation outside the classroom. Even better, find someone who is a native speaker and ask them to practice with you.

👉 Don’t be afraid to make mistakes . Fluent doesn’t mean perfect. Plus, mistakes are one of the best ways to learn. Don’t be afraid to take risks and ask for guidance.

Of course, another way to expand your vocabulary and improve your speaking skills is by purchasing a French language course from companies like Busuu or Rosetta Stone .

Courses make the language learning process fun and really speed up your progress. A few of our team’s favorite apps or courses are Babbel French and Pimsleur French .

You’ve been studying French for years and now you’re hoping that all your hard work will pay off. You want to pass that AP French test (hopefully with a 4 or 5) so that you can earn some college credit and move forward with your French skills. These free practice tests will give you confidence so that you can finish the test calmly and confidently and the tips will help you show your knowledge as best as possible.

What is the hardest part of the AP French exam?

Most test takers agree that the hardest part of the test is the free response section. Having to draft a lengthy response in French is difficult.

How difficult is the AP French exam?

The AP French exam is extremely challenging. On average, only around 50% of students score a 4 or 5 on the exam.