Describing Life, Past & Future
General Objective
In Part 3, you move from:
handling situations ➜ telling stories, describing life, and talking about the future
This part develops the ability to:
- describe how things were (imparfait)
- explain what happened (passé composé)
- talk about what is going to happen (futur proche)
- talk about what will happen (futur simple)
This is exactly what TEF A2 expects in:
- speaking narration
- listening comprehension
- short descriptive writing
Communication Skills
1. Describe Past Experiences & Daily Habits
You can now say:
- what you used to do
- how life was before
- describe childhood, routines, memories
Quand j’étais petit, je jouais dans le jardin.
Il faisait beau.
2. Talk about Housing & Decoration
You describe:
- your house, rooms, furniture
- where things are placed
- how a place looks
Ma chambre était grande.
Il y avait une table près de la fenêtre.
3. Describe Animals, Places, Monuments
You can describe:
- physical appearance
- location
- atmosphere
Le monument est très ancien.
Le chien était noir et gentil.
4. Write Short Descriptions & Messages
You write:
- short descriptive paragraphs
- small messages about events
- simple travel descriptions
5. Make Inquiries at a Travel Agency
You ask:
- about destinations
- about weather
- about travel plans
Je voudrais visiter Paris.
Quel temps fait-il en été ?
Grammar Focus
This is the most important grammar stage of A2.
1. Imparfait — Description in the Past
Used for:
- habits in the past
- descriptions (people, places, weather)
- background information
La maison était grande.
Je jouais souvent dehors.
2. Passé Composé vs Imparfait (Contrast)
You understand:
- Imparfait → description / habit
- Passé composé → action / event
Il faisait beau et nous avons fait un pique-nique.
3. Futur Proche — Near Future
Je vais visiter Lyon.
Nous allons voyager demain.
Used for plans.
4. Futur Simple — Prediction
Je visiterai la France un jour.
Il fera beau demain.
Used for future prediction.
5. Prepositions of Time
- quand
- pendant
Quand j’étais jeune…
Pendant les vacances…
Very common in TEF narration.
Vocabulary Themes
Housing & Rooms
la chambre, le salon, la cuisine, le balcon, les meubles
Weather
il fait beau, il pleut, il faisait froid
Countries & Cities
la France, l’Inde, Paris, Delhi
Events
fête de famille, sortie, vacances, anniversaire
Learning Outcome
You can now:
- describe your house and environment
- narrate past life and memories
- clearly distinguish imparfait and passé composé
- speak about future plans and predictions
- write short descriptive texts
Outcome
Describe life, past events, and future plans — the narrative skill required for TEF A2 speaking and writing.