Leaving Cert French Higher/Ordinary: Thierry Henry kicked off yesterday's Leaving Certificate French paper as both ordinary and higher level students were treated to a listening comprehension in a new CD format.

The sound was "crystal clear" and students were generally happy with the mix of sports interviews, weather and teenage gossip.

The higher written paper, however, was considered tough with longer than expected comprehension passages and a writing section that was described by one teacher as "remote".

There was no letter question on the paper for the first time since the new syllabus was introduced in 1997.

This was a source of considerable disappointment to many students.

"Many students spend a lot of time preparing to answer in the letter, email or fax format," said Máire Ní Chiarba, ASTI subject expert and teacher at Coláiste an Phiarsigh in Glanmire, Co Cork.

"For eight years the letter format has appeared in question 2 of the written section. I can't understand why it has changed this year - what is the point in leaving it out?"

Bernard Lynch of the ASTI, and a teacher in Marian College, Landsdowne, Dublin, was also dissatisfied with this year's higher level written section, which he felt discriminated against the majority of students who were aiming for C and D grades. "Students were asked to write about vague topics that would be difficult to handle, even for a very strong student," he said.

"The subjects demanded a large measure of waffle, and it's very difficult to waffle in a foreign language without making many mistakes."

The composition topics varied from an invitation to discuss the merits of laziness to a response on the statement that "faraway hills are green".

Students were also asked to examine the changing role of the mother, a topic far removed from the experience of teenagers, and especially boys, said one teacher.

A statement on the improving appearance of small towns in Ireland was also forwarded for discussion.

The "easiest" option was a diary entry on the high cost of socialising in Ireland, but one teacher commented that it was unrealistic to suggest that young people would write about the cost of living in their diaries.

Students were required to choose three out of six compositions in this section.

"The last question invited students to respond to a poster on the risks of gambling," said Mr Lynch. "The word for games and gambling in French are the same. The illustration depicted a Gameboy.

"I think many students will have interpreted this poster incorrectly. It would have been hard for a third level French student to fathom."

The ordinary level paper was welcomed by both teachers and students, who came out smiling from exam halls in one Dublin school.

"My students were very happy with the familiar format of today's ordinary level paper and found no unpleasant surprises," said Mr Lynch.