Unit 4 · Lesson 2
Describing Images
The language you need to describe an image clearly, move from observation to analysis, and connect what you see to a global issue: all in French.
Key idea
Description → Analysis → Theme. Always move in this order. Describe what you see, then analyse what it means, then name the IB theme and global issue.
Description structure
1. What is in the foreground?
2. What is in the background?
3. What is striking / significant?
4. What global issue does it illustrate?
5. Which IB theme does it belong to?
Description phrases
Click a card to flip it. These are the phrases examiners hear from high-scoring students.
Image description language
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French
Au premier plan…
tap to flip
English
In the foreground…
Describes what is closest in the image. Start here.
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Model description walkthrough
See how to structure a full image description — from first sentence to theme identification.
1: Foreground
Au premier plan, on peut voir une femme debout dans un champ de plastique.
In the foreground, we can see a woman standing in a field of plastic.
2: Background
À l'arrière-plan, on distingue une plage et la mer.
In the background, one can make out a beach and the sea.
3: Striking detail
Ce qui est frappant, c'est la quantité de déchets qui couvre le sol.
What is striking is the quantity of waste covering the ground.
4: Analysis
Cette image illustre le problème de la pollution plastique et de la dégradation de l'environnement.
This image illustrates the problem of plastic pollution and environmental degradation.
5: Theme
D'après moi, elle appartient au thème de Partager la planète.
In my view, it belongs to the theme of Sharing the Planet.
Match the pairs
Match each description phrase to its English meaning.
Description phrases
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Click a French word, then click its English match.
Quick quiz
Choose the right phrase or strategy for each oral description scenario.
Image description quiz
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You receive an image of a plastic-covered beach with a small child standing in the foreground. What should your first sentence describe?
Image description language locked in.
Last lesson: the language for discussing global issues with the examiner.