Skip to content
VirtusAcademy

Asking Questions with est-ce que

FoundationHigherAQA

Learn Asking Questions with est-ce que for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Est-ce que turns a statement into a question without changing the word order.

Free downloads

These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

WorksheetFoundation · PDFMark SchemeFoundation · PDF

Higher

WorksheetHigher · PDFMark SchemeHigher · PDF

Topic overview

Est-ce que turns any statement into a question by being placed in front of it, with no other change.

Tu aimes le sport becomes est-ce que tu aimes le sport? The word order after est-ce que stays exactly as in the statement, which makes this the safest question form to use.

It shortens to est-ce qu' before a vowel: est-ce qu'il est là? It also combines with question words: qu'est-ce que tu fais? où est-ce que tu habites? pourquoi est-ce que tu pars? Because nothing needs reordering, est-ce que is usually the best choice when writing under pressure.

Revision notes

How it works

Place est-ce que in front of a statement and change nothing else.

Tu aimes le sport becomes est-ce que tu aimes le sport? Vous parlez français becomes est-ce que vous parlez français?

With question words

Question words go in front of est-ce que.

Où est-ce que tu habites? Pourquoi est-ce que tu pars? Quand est-ce qu'il arrive? Qu'est-ce que tu fais? — where qu' is the shortened que.

Why it is the safest form

No reordering is needed, so no inversion errors are possible.

Inversion requires moving the subject and sometimes adding a hyphen or an extra letter. Est-ce que avoids all of that, which matters under time pressure.

Key points

  • Est-ce que goes in front of a statement.
  • The word order does not change.
  • It shortens to est-ce qu' before a vowel.
  • Question words go before est-ce que.
  • Qu'est-ce que means what.
  • It avoids inversion errors.

Worked examples

Example 1

Turn this into a question using est-ce que: Tu aimes le sport. [2 marks]

Working

Est-ce que tu aimes le sport?place est-ce que in front of the statement
The word order after est-ce que is unchangedexplain the method

Example 2

Translate: where do you live, using est-ce que. [2 marks]

Working

Où est-ce que tu habites?place the question word before est-ce que
The statement order tu habites follows unchangedexplain the structure

Example 3

Explain why est-ce que is a safe choice in written work. [2 marks]

Working

No reordering of the subject and verb is requiredstate the reason
so the inversion errors that come with the alternative form cannot occurexplain the benefit

Common mistakes

  • Changing the word order after est-ce que.

    It stays as in the statement.

  • Forgetting the elision.

    Est-ce qu'il, not est-ce que il.

  • Putting the question word after est-ce que.

    It goes before.

  • Combining it with inversion.

    Use one form or the other, never both.

Exam tips

  • Place est-ce que in front and change nothing else.
  • Put question words before est-ce que.
  • Apply elision before a vowel.
  • Use it when unsure of inversion.

Key terms

Est-ce que
A phrase turning a statement into a question.
Elision
Shortening to est-ce qu' before a vowel.
Question word
A word such as où, placed before est-ce que.
Qu'est-ce que
The form meaning what.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.