Cambridge IGCSE™

FRENCH 0520/43
Paper 4 Writing October/November 2023
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 45

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2023 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International A and AS Level components, and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 12 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the
specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these
marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:
• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions)
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:
Marks must be awarded positively:
• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond
the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the
question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:
Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level
descriptors
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may
be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or
grade descriptors in mind.

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Additional Guidance

• Crossing out:

(a) If a candidate changes his/her mind over an answer and crosses out an attempt, award a mark if the final attempt is correct.

(b) If a candidate crosses out an answer to a whole question but makes no second attempt at it, mark the crossed out work.

• Annotations used in the mark scheme:

(a) tc = ‘tout court’ and means that on its own the material is not sufficient to score the mark.

• No response and ‘0’ marks:

(a) Award NR (no response):

If there is nothing written at all in the answer space or
If there is only a comment which does not in any way relate to the question being asked (e.g. ‘can’t do’ or ‘don’t know’) or
If there is only a mark which isn’t an attempt at the question (e.g. a dash, a question mark).

(b) Award 0:
If there is any attempt that earns no credit. This could, for example, include the candidate copying all or some of the question, or any
working that does not earn any marks, whether crossed out or not.

• Optional questions:
Mark all questions attempted by the candidate. Where the candidate attempts more than one of the alternatives in Question 3, the marking
system will take the best mark.

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• Using mark schemes with grade descriptors:
Start at the bottom of the mark scheme and work upwards through the descriptors when awarding marks.

The marker should look at the work and then make a judgement about which level statement is the ‘best fit’. In practice, work does not always
match one level statement precisely so a judgement may need to be made between two or more level statements.

Once a ‘best-fit’ level statement has been identified, use the following guidance to decide on a specific mark:

• If the candidate’s work convincingly meets the level statement, award the highest mark.
• If the candidate’s work adequately meets the level statement, award the most appropriate mark in the middle of the range (where middle
marks are available).
• If the candidate’s work just meets the level statement, award the lowest mark.

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Detailed Mark Scheme

Question Answer Marks

1 Candidates are required to complete 5 gaps in French. Read all of the items that the candidate has listed and award marks 5
as follows:

• Award 1 mark for each correct item.

• In Question 1, award marks for items wherever the candidate has written them provided the candidate has made clear
which part of the form they refer to.

• Mark for communication. Tolerate inaccuracies, provided that communication is not impeded.

• If spelling is inaccurate, start by referring to the table below. Refer to the questions below if no decision on the spelling
you have encountered is recorded there.

If you read aloud what the candidate has written, does it sound like the correct answer and would a native speaker of
French understand it?

Does what the candidate has written look like the correct answer, e.g. one letter missing but no other word created?
Would a native speaker of French understand it?

• Reject misspelt words which suggest a word with a quite different meaning. Where nouns are usually plural, accept the
singular and vice versa.

• All answers must fulfil the communicative purpose described in the rubric.

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Question Answer Marks

1 Vous vous appelez Alex et vous allez participer à un échange scolaire.

Complétez la fiche en français pour l’école française.

ACCEPT REFUSE

Gaps 1 and 2 Any appropriate hobbies, e.g. football, lecture, Refuse vocabulary which cannot be considered
(1 mark each) patinage, sport, jouer au golf, nager as a hobby.

Refuse places

Gap 3 Any food, e.g. bonbons, burger, gâteau au Refuse vocabulary which cannot be considered
(1 mark) fromage, frites, poulet as food.

Gap 4 Any appropriate dislike, e.g. chats, légumes, Refuse vocabulary which cannot be considered
(1 mark) sport, violon, faire la cuisine, nager as a dislike.

Gap 5 Any appropriate quality, e.g. aimable, confiant, Refuse vocabulary which cannot be considered
(1 mark) gentil, intelligente, sympa as a quality.

Refuse negatives, e.g. énervant, ennuyeux,

paresseux

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Question Answer Marks

2 Vacances en France 12

• Donnez des détails sur la région où vous êtes en France.

• Décrivez le temps qu’il fait.
• Que pensez-vous de la maison de vacances où vous logez ?
• Qu’est-ce que vous aimez faire pendant la journée ?
• Où est-ce que vous aimeriez passer vos prochaines vacances ?

Écrivez 80–90 mots en français.

Read the whole answer and award a mark out of 12 using the table below.

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Marks Descriptor Guidance

10–12 • Completes all tasks in the required level of detail. Examples of linguistic
• Provides consistently relevant information and opinions. inaccuracies: lapses in
• Meaning is clear and communication is achieved, although there may be some linguistic agreements, tenses/time
inaccuracies. frames, spelling.
• Uses straightforward vocabulary and structures. Examples of linking words
• Links words and phrases using a range of simple connectors. and phrases: and, or, but,
because, then

7–9 • Completes most tasks in the required level of detail.

• Provides mostly relevant information and opinions.
• Meaning is mostly clear and communication is generally achieved, despite linguistic inaccuracies.
• Uses limited vocabulary and structures with some repetition.
• Some attempt to link words and phrases using a range of simple connectors.

4–6 • Completes some tasks with some of the required detail.

• Provides some relevant information.
• Meaning is sometimes clear and some communication is achieved, despite linguistic inaccuracies.
• Uses basic vocabulary and structures with frequent repetition.
• Some attempt to link words or phrases using a limited range of simple connectors repetitively (e.g.
and, or).

1–3 • Attempts task(s), with little or none of the required detail.

• May provide information; is almost always irrelevant.
• Meaning is unclear and communication is rarely achieved.
• Uses isolated words/phrases appropriate to the task.
• Little attempt to link words or phrases.

0 • No creditable content.

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Question Answer Marks

Répondez à la question 3(a) ou à la question 3(b).

Écrivez 130–140 mots en français.

3(a) Mon petit job 28

Le week-end, vous travaillez dans le château de votre ville. Écrivez un e-mail à un(e) ami(e) français(e) pour lui en
parler.

• Faites une petite description du château.

• Expliquez pourquoi vous vouliez travailler dans ce château.
• Quelles tâches vous plaisent le plus dans ce travail ?
• Racontez un petit incident qui vous a amusé(e).
• Décrivez le travail que vous aimeriez faire à l’avenir.

Read the whole answer, award a mark from each of the three tables below and add up the total. Marks are available for:
• task completion (maximum 10 marks)
• range (maximum 10 marks)
• accuracy (maximum 8 marks).

3(b) Premier jour dans un nouveau collège 28

Récemment, vous avez déménagé et vous avez dû changer d’école. Écrivez un blog à ce sujet.

• Qu’avez-vous ressenti quand vous êtes arrivé(e) dans votre nouveau collège ?
• Que s’est-il passé quand vous êtes entré(e) dans la salle de classe ?
• Pourquoi avez-vous/n’avez-vous pas aimé l’heure du déjeuner ?
• Quels sont les avantages de votre nouveau collège ?
• Qu’est-ce que vous allez faire pour vous adapter à ce collège ?

Read the whole answer, award a mark from each of the three tables below and add up the total. Marks are available for:
• task completion (maximum 10 marks)
• range (maximum 10 marks)
• accuracy (maximum 8 marks).

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Task completion

Marks Descriptor

9–10 • Completes all tasks.

• Provides detailed information, opinions/reactions and explanations.
• The writing is focused and wholly relevant.

7–8 • Completes most tasks.

• Provides straightforward information, opinions/reactions and explanations.
• The writing is mostly relevant.

5–6 • Completes some tasks.

• Provides some information, opinions and simple explanations.
• The writing is more relevant than irrelevant.

3–4 • Attempts some tasks with some success.

• Provides basic information and opinions.
• The writing is occasionally relevant.

1–2 • Attempts task(s) with little or no success.

• Provides some information and is almost always irrelevant.

0 • No creditable response.

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Range

Marks Descriptor

9–10 • Uses extended, well-linked sentences frequently.

• Uses a wide range of simple and complex structures listed in the syllabus to produce sentences of varying length.
• Uses a wide range of vocabulary appropriate to the task(s).

7–8 • Uses some extended sentences, mostly well linked.

• Uses a range of structures listed in the syllabus, including some complex structures, to produce sentences of varying length.
• Uses a range of vocabulary appropriate to the task(s) with occasional repetition.

5–6 • Uses some extended sentences, with some evidence of linkage.

• Uses simple structures and attempts to use some complex structures listed in the syllabus.
• Uses mostly straightforward vocabulary appropriate to the task(s) with some repetition.

3–4 • Uses simple structures and makes no attempt at using the complex structures listed in the syllabus.
• Relies on repetition of a small range of straightforward vocabulary.

1–2 • Uses isolated phrases and makes some attempt at basic structures.
• Relies on repetition of a small range of basic vocabulary.

0 • No creditable response.

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Accuracy

Marks Descriptor

7–8 • Accurate spelling and grammar; not necessarily faultless.

• Occasional errors in spelling and grammar do not impede communication.

5–6 • Mostly accurate spelling and grammar.

• Errors in spelling and grammar sometimes impede communication.

3–4 • Some accurate spelling and grammar.

• Errors in spelling and grammar frequently impede communication.

1–2 • Rarely accurate spelling and grammar.

• Errors in spelling and grammar persistently impede communication.

0 • No creditable response.

Irrelevance

• Sections of material unrelated to any of the bullet points will be disregarded.

• If the whole answer to Question 3 is irrelevant (e.g. contains no evidence of being related to the bullet points set), award 0 for Task completion,
Range and Accuracy.

• If Question 3 is attempted but communication is not achieved (i.e. the candidate misunderstood the question), award a maximum of 4 for
Range and a best fit for Task completion and Accuracy.

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