Parle-moi d’une journee typique pour toi

20th November

A GCSE French Speaking exam student practises stock answers to certain questions in the hope that the examiner will ask some of them. This approach aims to stop the student drying up or simply waving their hands around in the exam while speaking English in a vaguely French accent.

Tell me what is a typical day for you.

What is your favourite meal and why?

Do you often get into arguments with your parents? Why?

Do you prefer Snapchat or Instagram? Why?

In a similar manner, I like to prepare for conversation at the Nutsford House supper table. But, while there are upwards of ten topics and a hundred different questions that a GCSE examiner might ask, I have a solid fifty percent chance of predicting mine.

It will either be, “Did you see anything interesting whilst collecting leaves today?” or “What have you been thinking about whilst painting today?”

Finally, after a series of very quick suppers over the last month, today I had an answer to the first question.

Today I saw a nuthatch.

I love nuthatches. It’s not exactly uncommon to see one in a wooded area like Nutsford House, but I hadn’t seen one here until today.

They’re very distinctive small birds, about the size of a great tit with blue-grey colouring above and chestnut below. They also have a black stripe on their heads.

Amanda likes nuthatches too, so we were able to enjoy a good supper time conversation about them. Another bird to add to our growing list, Seen at Nutsford House.

I don’t doubt there will be many more first sightings to come so we won’t have to resort to actually answering GCSE French Speaking exam questions at the supper table. But, if we do, I am prepared!

A typical day for me is painting or clearing leaves.

My favourite meal is curry and rhubarb crumble.

I don’t often get into arguments with my parents because they’re nice people.

I don’t know what Snapchat is and Instagram confuses me, but I’m attempting to master it.