1. Higher Level Structures
Why bother?
Higher level structures make your work more complex and, if used correctly, will help you achieve more marks and therefore a higher grade in both your speaking and writing exams.
It is best to learn a few higher level structures so you can vary your language. Even if you only learn one higher level structure, it will make your work more complex.
The GCSE mark scheme clearly awards more marks for work which is complex and which has a variety of structures.

2. Higher Level Structures
Après avoir….
After having….

3. Higher Level Structures
‘Après avoir’ is used to say ‘after having’ done something, you then do something else.
‘Après avoir’ can be used in any context.
Let’s take a look at some English sentences to see how it is used:
After having finished my homework, I watched TV.
After having eaten lunch, I went out with my mates.
After having listened to my mp3 player, I read for a while.
After having revised for weeks, I finally sat my exam.

4. Higher Level Structures
So how do you use ‘après avoir’?
Après avoir + Past Participle
Après avoir is always followed by a PAST PARTICIPLE

5. Higher Level Structures
So what is a PAST PARTICIPLE?
A PAST PARTICIPLE is a particular form of the verb in the past.
A PAST PARTICIPLE in English ends in –en or –ed e.g. eaten, played, finished, etc.
A PAST PARTICIPLE in French ends in –é, -i, or –u e.g mangé, fini, vendu, etc.

6. Higher Level Structures
How to form a PAST PARTICIPLE
1. Knock off the infinitive ending (ER, IR, RE)
2. Add the past participle ending (é, i, u)
jouer
finir
vendre
jou
fin
vend + é i u
joué
fini
vendu

7. Higher Level Structures
Some examples of PAST PARTICIPLES
INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE ENGLISH
Visiter Visité Visited
Préparer Préparé Prepared
Changer Changé Changed
Jouer Joué Played
Finir Fini Finished
Perdre Perdu Lost *
Not all verbs follow this pattern – they are IRREGULAR.
These irregular past participles need to be learnt from memory.

8. Higher Level Structures
Some examples of IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES
INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE ENGLISH
Avoir eu had
Boire bu drunk
Lire lu read
Voir vu seen
Faire fait done / made
Prendre pris taken
Dire dit said
Écrire écrit written

9. Higher Level Structures
‘Après avoir’ can be used in any context
Can you translate the following sentences into English?

10. Higher Level Structures
LIFESTYLE Health / Relationships & Choices
Après avoir fini mes devoirs, je suis sortie avec mes amies.
After having finished my homework, I went out with my friends.
Après avoir parlé avec ma mère, j’ai rangé ma chambre
After having spoken with my mum, I tidied my bedroom.
Après avoir mangé, j’ai regardé la télé.
After having eaten, I watched TV.
Après avoir bu mon chocolat chaud, j’ai pris un petit gâteau.
After having drunk my hot chocolate, I had a cupcake.

11. Higher Level Structures
2. LEISURE Free Time & Media / Holidays
Après avoir téléchargé le CD, je l’ai écouté sur mon ipod.
After having downloaded the CD, I listened to it on my ipod.
Après avoir vu le film, je me suis couché.
After having watched the film, I went to to bed.
Après avoir visité le musée, nous avons decidé de visiter le stade.
After having visited the museum, we decided to visit the stadium.
Après avoir fait du shopping, nous avons pris un café.
After having been shopping, we had a coffee.

12. Higher Level Structures
3. HOME & ENVIRONMENT Home & Local Area / Environment
Après avoir fêté mon anniversaire chez moi, nous sommes allées en ville.
After having celebrated my birthday at home, we went to town.
Après avoir reçu mes cadeaux, je les ai ouverts.
After having received my presents, I opened them.
Après avoir vu les informations, j’ai recyclé tous les journaux chez moi.
After having seen the news, I recycled all the newspapers in my house.
Après avoir perdu mon portable, je suis allée au commissariat.
After having lost my mobile, I went to the police station.

13. Higher Level Structures
4. WORK & EDUCATION School & Future Plans / Current & Future Jobs
Après avoir réussi à mes examens,mes parents m’ont donné cent livres.
After having passed my exams, my parents gave me £100.
Après avoir raté mes examens, j’ai décidé d’étudier plus.
After having failed my exams, I decided to study more.
Après avoir quitté le collège, j’ai commencé à chercher un bon travail.
After having left school, I started to look for a good job.
Après avoir fait mon stage dans un collège, j’ai décidé de ne pas devenir professeur.
After having done my work experience in a school, I decided not to become a teacher.

14. Higher Level Structures
Do you think you will be able to use ‘après avoir’ confidently?
To help you, try to learn as many
PAST PARTICIPLES as possible
(both regular and irregular).

15. Higher Level Structures
‘Après avoir’ + …………..
Let’s recap
Préparé le dîner
Visité le musée
Téléphoné à des copains
Dansé à la discothèque
Étudié beaucoup
Fini mes devoirs
Perdu mon portable
After having prepared dinner
After having visited the museum
After having phoned my friends
After having danced at the disco
After having studied hard
After having finished my homework
After having lost my mobile

16. Higher Level Structures
Après avoir……
After having…..
Après avoir is always followed by a
PAST PARTICIPLE
Then a sentence in the PERFECT Tense

17. BONNE CHANCE