Preparing for the IA

the visual stimulus — a PHOTO linked to a theme that you describe and interpret in the SL oral (not a literary text)

décrire = say what you literally SEE (on voit…); interpréter = say what it MEANS/suggests (il semble que…). Describe FIRST.

in the foreground — the nearest, front part of the photo («Au premier plan, on voit…»)

in the background — the far, back part of the photo («À l'arrière-plan, on aperçoit…»)

in the centre / in the middle of the image

on the left / on the right of the photo

presenting language: «we see…» / «there is/are…» — use these to introduce what is in the photo (present tense)

it is about… — say what the photo is about overall («Il s'agit d'une scène de marché.»)

this image shows / depicts… — another way to present what the photo is about

interpreting language: «it seems that…» / «it looks like…» — use these to say what the photo SUGGESTS

to be (in the middle of) doing — stresses an action in progress in the photo («une femme est en train de choisir des fruits»)

Overview (on voit / il s'agit de) → foreground (au premier plan, il y a) → background (à l'arrière-plan) → detail → interpret (il semble que) → theme link.

It's a bare list: pure description with no position language and no interpretation — it loses Message marks.

The PRESENT (on voit, il y a, ils sont en train de…), never the past — a photo shows a frozen moment happening now.

the photo is always linked to ONE of the five course themes — you must NAME which one in your presentation

the French-speaking world — France, Belgique, Suisse, Québec, Sénégal, Maroc… — connect the photo to it

«this image illustrates the theme of…» — the phrase that NAMES the theme the photo belongs to

«it makes me think of the theme of…» — another way to name the theme of the stimulus

«in French-speaking countries…» — opens a cultural reference to the wider francophone world

«this makes me think of…» — introduces a concrete francophone reference (a real festival, custom or place)

«this image shows that, in the francophone world, …» — used to GENERALISE to a wider cultural point

a concrete francophone fact — le 14 juillet, le Carnaval de Québec, les marchés de Provence — beats a vague «des fêtes quelque part»

go from what the photo shows to a WIDER cultural point about the francophone world (the photo as an example of something general)

«because…» — justify the theme link instead of just asserting it («cette image illustre le thème de… parce que…»)

Name the theme (and why) → give ONE concrete francophone reference (dans les pays francophones…) → generalise to a wider cultural point → justified opinion.

It names no theme and gives a vague, uncertain reference; a concrete, correct one («le Carnaval de Québec») scores far higher on Message.

Criterion B (Message) — it rewards WHAT and HOW you develop ideas, the theme link and the cultural reference, not just grammar.

Move from what the photo literally shows to a broader cultural point about the francophone world: «cette image montre que, dans le monde francophone, …».