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Using Articles Differently from English

FoundationHigherAQA

Learn Using Articles Differently from English 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). French often uses the definite article where English omits it, as in la santé est importante.

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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

French uses articles in several places where English drops them, and this is one of the most reliable sources of marks — and of errors.

General statements keep the article: j'aime le sport, je déteste les maths. Languages and school subjects keep it: j'apprends l'espagnol, j'étudie la géographie. Countries keep it: la France, le Portugal, les États-Unis.

Days of the week take the article when the event repeats. Le samedi means on Saturdays as a habit, whereas samedi alone means this coming Saturday. Body parts usually take the definite article where English uses a possessive: j'ai mal à la tête means my head hurts, literally I have pain at the head.

Revision notes

General statements, languages and subjects

J'aime le sport. Je déteste les maths. J'apprends l'espagnol. J'étudie la géographie.

English omits the article in every one of these; French requires it. This is the single most common article error at GCSE.

Countries and days

Countries take the article: la France, le Portugal, les États-Unis.

Days take it for repeated events: le samedi means on Saturdays generally. Without the article, samedi means this Saturday specifically — a genuine difference in meaning.

Body parts

French uses the definite article where English uses a possessive.

J'ai mal à la tête — my head hurts. Il se lave les mains — he washes his hands. The ownership is already clear from the verb, so French does not repeat it.

Key points

  • General statements keep the article.
  • Languages and subjects keep the article.
  • Countries take the article.
  • Le samedi means on Saturdays habitually.
  • Samedi alone means this Saturday.
  • Body parts use the definite article.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: I hate maths. [2 marks]

Working

Je déteste les mathsuse the definite article with the school subject
Les is required even though English omits itexplain why the article is needed

Example 2

Explain the difference between samedi and le samedi. [2 marks]

Working

Samedi means this coming Saturday, one specific daystate the meaning without the article
Le samedi means on Saturdays as a repeated habitstate the meaning with the article

Example 3

Translate: my head hurts. [2 marks]

Working

J'ai mal à la têteuse avoir mal à with the definite article
French uses la rather than a possessive, because the ownership is already clearexplain the article choice

Common mistakes

  • Dropping the article with subjects and languages.

    French requires it where English does not.

  • Using a possessive for body parts.

    J'ai mal à ma tête is wrong; use à la tête.

  • Ignoring the day-of-week distinction.

    Le samedi and samedi mean different things.

  • Omitting the article before countries.

    It is la France, not just France, in most contexts.

Exam tips

  • Keep the article in general statements.
  • Use the definite article for body parts.
  • Check whether a day is habitual or specific.
  • Include the article with countries and subjects.

Key terms

General statement
A statement about something in general, requiring the article.
Habitual
Happening repeatedly, marked by le with a day.
Body part
Taking the definite article rather than a possessive.
Avoir mal à
The structure used for saying something hurts.

Related topics

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