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 être….
After having….

3. Higher Level Structures
‘Après être’ is used to say ‘after having’ done something, you then do something else.
‘Après être’ can be used in any context.
Let’s take a look at some English sentences to see how it is used:
After having gone to town, I caught the bus home.
After having arrived late to my lesson, I apologised to my teacher.
After having returned home late, I went straight to bed.

4. Higher Level Structures
So how do you use ‘après être’?
Après être + 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 of the 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
Monter Monté Went up
Arriver Arrivé Arrived
Mourir Mort Died
Descendre Descendu Descended
Naître Né Born
Sortir Sorti Went out
As can be seen, not all verbs follow the pattern described on the previous slide – they are IRREGULAR.
These irregular past participles need to be learnt from memory.

8. Higher Level Structures
Dr & Mrs. Van der Tramp
It is important to know which verbs (or past participles) come after ‘après être’.
As a general rule, it is verbs which involve movement (come, go, go out, return, arrive, etc.)
A really useful way of remembering which verbs come after ‘après être’ is to learn the Mnemonic
DR. & MRS.VAN DER TRAMP

9. Higher Level Structures
INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE ENGLISH
Devenir devenu become
Revenir revenu come back
Monter monté gone up
Rester resté stayed
Sortir sorti went out
Venir venu come
Aller allé gone
Naître né born
Descendre descendu gone down
Entrer entré entered
Rentrer rentré returned
Tomber tombé fallen
Retourner retourné returned
Arriver arrivé arrived
Mourir mort dead
Partir parti left

10. Higher Level Structures
‘Après être’ as we know, is followed by a past participle. However, there is one more thing we need to do when using this structure, and that is, to make the past participle agree with the person doing the action.
If the person doing the action is feminine, add an extra ‘e’
eg. Après être allée au cinéma, j’ai fait du shopping
After having gone to the cinema, I went shopping
If the person doing the action is masculine plural, add ‘s’
eg. Après être allés au cinéma, nous avons fait du shopping
After having gone to the cinema, we went shopping
If the person doing the action is feminine plural, add ‘e’ & ‘s’
eg. Après être allées au cinéma, nous avons fait du shopping

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

12. Higher Level Structures
LIFESTYLE Health / Relationships & Choices
Après être allés au gymnase, nous sommes allés au café.
After having gone to the gym, we went to the café.
Après être arrivés au restaurant, nous avons regardé la carte.
After having arrived at the restaurant, we looked at the menu.
Après être rentré chez moi, je me suis rendu compte que j’avais oublié ma clé.
After having returned home, I realised I had forgotten my key .
Après être entrés dans la chambre de ma soeur, on s’est beaucoup disputés .
After having entered my sister’s bedroom, we argued a lot.

13. Higher Level Structures
2. LEISURE Free Time & Media / Holidays
Après être resté à la maison, j’ai regardé beaucoup de DVD
After having stayed at home, I watched lots of DVDs.
Après être rentrés du musée, nous avons parlé pendant des heures.
After having returned from the museum, we talked for hours.
Après être tombée en jouant au tennis, je suis allée directement à l’hôpital.
After having fallen while playing tennis, I went straight to hospital.

14. Higher Level Structures
3. HOME & ENVIRONMENT Home & Local Area / Environment
Après être entré dans ma chambre, j’ai commencé à la ranger.
After having entered my bedroom, I started to tidy it.
Après être venue à ma fête, elle s’est bien amusée.
After having come to my party, she had a good time.
Après être allés chez ma copine, nous avons passé l’après-midi au jardin.
After having gone to my friend’s house, we spent the afternoon in the garden.

15. Higher Level Structures
4. WORK & EDUCATION School & Future Plans / Current & Future Jobs
Après être arrivée à l’école, elle a commencé à étudier immédiatement.
After having arrived at school, she started studying immediately.
Après être arrivé chez moi, j’ai dû faire mes devoirs.
After having arrived home, I had to do my homework.
Après être allée à l’université, elle a commencé à étudier beaucoup.
After having gone to university, she began to study hard.
Après être allé au travail, il a trouvé qu’il y avait beaucoup de problèmes.
After having gone to work, he found there were lots of problems.

16. Higher Level Structures
Do you think you will be able to use ‘après être’ confidently?
To help you, try to learn as many
PAST PARTICIPLES as possible
Remember! Dr & Mrs. Van der Tramp

17. Higher Level Structures
‘Après être’ + …………..
Let’s recap
Allé au travail
Arrivé chez moi
Entré dans ma chambre
Venu à ma fête
Sorti de la gare
Rentré du musée
Arrivé au restaurant
After having gone to work
After having arrived home
After having entered my bedroom
After having come to my party
After having left the station
After having returned from the museum
After having arrived at the restaurant

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

19. BONNE CHANCE