10 Tips To Ace Your VCE French Oral Exam

How to Stand Out and Master Your VCE French Oral in Just 10 Lessons 

Preparing for the VCE French oral exam can feel overwhelming. But with the right preparation and mindset, you can walk into that room feeling confident and ready. After helping hundreds of students prepare, here are the 10 tips that I share year after year. 

First, What Questions Can You Expect During The VCE French Oral Exam?

Before we dive into the tips, here’s a quick reminder of the structure of the oral exam. The first part is the General Conversation. This lasts for about 7 minutes and includes questions about your life: your family, friends, school, hobbies, goals, and more. You can grab a list of the French oral exam questions here. The second part is the Discussion and lasts about 8 minutes. It will include questions relevant to a topic you would have picked prior to the exam.

The questions in the first part of the exam might seem simple, but your answers need to show fluency, confidence, and vocabulary range. So how can you stand out and impress the examiners?

My 10 Golden Rules for VCE French Oral Exam Success

1. Memorize... Smartly!

While I don’t necessarily recommend memorizing full paragraphs word for word* (it can sound quite robotic), you should memorize key vocabulary, set phrases, and grammatical structures. These can help you speak with confidence, especially when nerves kick in.

In Action: For example, one of my students wanted to use the subjunctive at least once during the exam. She learned the phrase: “Bien que je sois…” (“Although I am…”). A sentence that she found easy to use in many different contexts and allowed her to showcase advanced grammar naturally in her responses. 

*: On a side note, I do want to mention I’ve had few students learn everything by heart and they did very well in the exam. It requires few skills though, which I will expand on in another blog post.

2. Use Positive Body Language 

Your body language matters more than you think. Smile, make eye contact, stand confidently, and look like you want to be there. The way you present yourself can influence how the examiner experiences your performance. On this topic, I highly recommend students watch Amy Cuddy’s famous TED Talk on body language. It’s not just helpful for French but for job interviews and presentations too. It will help you understand why your body language is so important.

3. Articulate Clearly and Slow Down 

It’s natural to speak faster when you're nervous. But too often, I see students rush through their sentences or speak too softly. They look down and mumble. The result? The examiners struggle to understand them, even if the answer itself is great.

So speak slowly, clearly, and with good volume. The only way to practice this skill is to record yourself and to then listen to yourself. Yes, it might make you cringe but trust me, it can be eye opening. It's hard to realize how quickly/slowly you speak if you never heard yourself.

4. Practice Makes Perfect 

Practice out loud with as many people as possible. Practice with your teacher, tutor, classmates, or even in front of a mirror. Even better? Practice in higher-pressure situations. The more you simulate the nerves of the actual exam, the more comfortable you’ll be on the day. And don’t just rehearse the same questions, ask friends or teachers to surprise you with new ones. You’ll train your brain to think on the spot, which is key in a real conversation.

5. Show Genuine Interest in French Culture 

Examiners love hearing students talk about their genuine interest in the French language and culture. Truly, it doesn't take much and it makes a huge difference. You don’t need to be an expert, just show curiosity. Mention a French TV show you liked, a city you'd love to visit, or an author you've read about. It could be as simple as:

“Pendant mon temp libre, j’aime aussi regarder des séries. D’ailleurs, j’adore la série ‘Lupin’ sur Netflix. Je trouve que l'acteur principal Omar Sy est super. C’est captivant et j’apprends plein de nouveaux mots.” (During my free time, I also like watching series. I love the tv show “Lupin” on Netflix. I find the main actor, Omar Sy, great. It is captivating and I am learning new words.)

6. Be Original - Especially When Talking About French Culture

Examiners will ask you at least one question about French culture and/or language. Here are some typical questions:

• Pourquoi avez-vous choisi d'apprendre le français? (Why did you choose to learn French?)

• Qu'est-ce que vous aimez dans la culture française? (What do you like about French culture?)

• Est-que vous voudriez visiter un pays francophone? (Would you like to visit a francophone country?)

  
  

As a language assistant, I have heard way too many students give me exactly the same answers. Something along those lines...

• J'ai choisi le francais parce que c'est une belle langue. (I chose French because it is a beautiful language)

• J'aimerais visiter Paris et voir la Tour Eiffel. (I would like to visit Paris and see the Eiffel Tower).

  
  

These answers are fine, but they’re also what everyone says. And when you see tens of students in a day, it's nice to hear something different. Try something more personal or creative to stand out. Share something true that reflects your experiences or interests. If you’re into sports, then find a French sportsman you admire. If you enjoy eating crepes, then mention Brittany (a region famous for its crepes). Again, it doesn’t have to be complicated, just different.  Originality = memorability.

7. Be Honest 

Yes, you might be tempted to invent something exciting (for example, that you visited New Caledonia). Or something that sounds impressive (for example, that you loooove movies from la nouvelle vague). Yes, these are all examples I've heard from students. The problem isn't that examiners are going to check if you tell the truth... The problem is that they often follow up with more questions. And then, students feel stuck. Stick to your real experiences and opinions. You’ll sound more authentic and won’t get cornered in an awkward spot.

8. Keep It Simple 

This is a conversation, not an essay. Short, clear sentences with correct grammar and good pronunciation are far better than long, complex sentences full of mistakes. I can’t stress that enough! In your speaking exam, the most important part for the examiners is to first and foremost understand what you’re saying. So don’t get lost in a never-ending sentence.

You’re not being marked like in a written exam, you’re being marked for speaking. So focus on fluency, flow, and being understood.

9. Lead the Conversation

Want to avoid being caught off guard? Try to gently guide the conversation towards topics you’re confident about.

Here’s how: suppose you’re asked about hobbies. So you give an answer about hobbies, but then you want to change topic and talk about school. End your answer with a sentence like: “… mais cette année, je n’ai pas beaucoup de temps pour mes loisirs parce que je suis très occupé(e) avec l’école" (But this year I don’t have much time for hobbies because I am very busy with school).

This creates a natural bridge that the examiner might follow. Basically you want to give a hint at the next topic you want to expand on, without saying too much. It won’t always work, but it’s a smart technique that helps you stay in control.

10. Warm Up Before the Exam 

This one I have used myself for my own speaking exams in the past.  

Just like an athlete warms up their muscles before a competition, you need to warm up your mouth before speaking French. French pronunciation uses different mouth shapes and muscle patterns than English. And your brain needs to switch to "French mode". So before entering the exam room, speak French out loud. Practice with a friend or just re-read your paragraphs out loud. Your mouth (and brain!) will thank you for it.

True story: This was the advice my English teacher gave me before my English-speaking exam. It was a great tip that I ended up using times and times again for all my language exams (Spanish, German... you name it!).

Final Advice 

The VCE French oral exam doesn’t have to be terrifying. The vast majority of students are truly appreciative of the experience when leaving the exam room. They say the fifteen minutes go fast and the examiners made them feel comfortable.

And remember: this is not just about French. These are life skills—public speaking, confidence under pressure, and clear communication—that will help you long after the exam is over.

So breathe, smile, and trust in your preparation. Bon courage !

Want help preparing for your VCE French exam? [Get in touch here].