Short Composition – Description of a Person MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This quiz is for Class 9 students studying French (Code 018), focusing on the unit of Writing Skills. It covers the topic of writing a short composition (30-35 words) to describe a person using visual inputs and clues. Test your knowledge, submit your answers, and download the PDF answer sheet at the end.
Understanding Short Descriptions in French
Describing a person is a fundamental skill in French writing. For short compositions, you need to be concise and accurate, paying close attention to grammar, especially adjective agreement. This skill is crucial for tasks like describing a friend, a family member, or a character in a story.
Key Verbs for Description
Three main verbs are essential for describing people:
- Être (to be): Used for general characteristics like height, build, and personality.
Example: Il est grand. (He is tall.) Elle est sympathique. (She is kind.) - Avoir (to have): Used for specific features like hair color/style and eye color.
Example: Elle a les cheveux blonds. (She has blond hair.) Il a les yeux bleus. (He has blue eyes.) - Porter (to wear): Used for describing clothing and accessories.
Example: Il porte un pantalon noir. (He is wearing black trousers.) Elle porte des lunettes. (She is wearing glasses.)
Describing Physical Appearance (L’apparence physique)
When describing someone’s appearance, you typically mention their hair, eyes, height, and build. Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.
| Feature | French (Masculine) | French (Feminine) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair color | blond, brun, noir, roux | blonde, brune, noire, rousse | Elle a les cheveux bruns. |
| Hair style | courts, longs, raides, bouclés | courts, longs, raides, bouclés | Il a les cheveux courts et raides. |
| Eye color | bleus, verts, marron, noirs | bleus, verts, marron, noirs | J’ai les yeux verts. |
| Height | grand, petit, de taille moyenne | grande, petite, de taille moyenne | Mon père est grand. |
| Build | mince, gros, musclé, sportif | mince, grosse, musclée, sportive | Elle est très sportive. |
Grammar Focus: Adjective Agreement (L’accord de l’adjectif)
In French, adjectives must “agree” with the noun they modify. This means their spelling changes based on the noun’s gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural).
- Feminine: Usually add an ‘-e’ to the masculine form (e.g., grand → grande).
- Plural: Usually add an ‘-s’ to the singular form (e.g., grand → grands, grande → grandes).
- Note: Nouns like ‘cheveux’ (hair) and ‘yeux’ (eyes) are always plural, so the adjective must also be plural.
Example: Un garçon intelligent. (An intelligent boy) → Une fille intelligente. (An intelligent girl) → Des garçons intelligents. (Intelligent boys)
Example Description
Here is a sample description of a person in about 30-35 words:
Voici mon amie, Léa. Elle est de taille moyenne et mince. Elle a les cheveux longs, bruns et raides. Ses yeux sont verts. Elle est très intelligente et sympathique. Elle porte souvent une jupe bleue.
(This is my friend, Léa. She is of medium height and slim. She has long, brown, and straight hair. Her eyes are green. She is very intelligent and kind. She often wears a blue skirt.)
Quick Revision Points
- Use être for general traits, avoir for hair/eyes, and porter for clothes.
- Always make adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun.
- Remember ‘cheveux’ and ‘yeux’ are plural.
- Structure your description logically: general appearance first, then details.
Practice Questions
1. Describe a young boy with short, blond hair and blue eyes who is wearing a red t-shirt.
2. Write a sentence to say “My mother has curly black hair.”
3. How would you describe a tall and athletic girl?
4. Choose the correct adjective: Mon frère est (généreux / généreuse).
5. Translate: “He has a beard and wears glasses.”
