Contents
Key Takeaways
• IGCSE French develops practical language skills: You’ll build confidence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing while learning to communicate effectively in everyday situations.
• Studying by topic and practising all four skills routinely helps you stay organised: Grouping vocabulary and grammar around themes like family, school, travel, and hobbies ensures balanced and efficient revision.
• Past papers and regular practice improve exam performance: Working through real exam questions and reviewing your answers helps you understand expectations, refine your skills, and approach exams with confidence.
What is IGCSE French?
IGCSE French is a qualification offered by Cambridge (CIE) (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), and OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab) for students typically aged 14 to 16. The course is designed to help students develop practical skills for understanding and communicating in French.
In addition to developing strong vocabulary knowledge and grammar skills, IGCSE French emphasises real-world communication, cultural awareness, and the ability to use language effectively in everyday situations. Whether you are a beginner or already have some knowledge of French, the course gradually builds your confidence and fluency.
This guide explains what each exam board expects from students taking IGCSE French and offers practical tips to help you plan your study, practise effectively, and stay on track throughout your course.
Why Study IGCSE French?
Studying IGCSE French has many benefits beyond IGCSE exams. You’ll develop the ability to communicate in one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, which is useful for travel, work, and higher education. The course also increases cultural awareness by exploring French-speaking countries, their traditions, and daily life.
Learning French also strengthens your study skills, including memory, problem-solving, and attention to detail. It provides a strong foundation if you plan to continue with A Level French, IB, or further studies in humanities, international studies, or languages.
How is IGCSE French Structured?
IGCSE French is organised around the four main language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Listening: Practice includes understanding announcements, conversations, and short dialogues.
Speaking: Focuses on answering questions, describing experiences, and participating in role-play tasks.
Reading: Develops your ability to interpret articles, messages, advertisements, and longer passages.
Writing: Helps you produce messages, short responses, and longer structured writing pieces.
What Topics are Covered in IGCSE French?
The IGCSE French syllabus includes a wide range of topics to make language learning meaningful and practical. Typical areas of study include:
Family and relationships: Talking about family members, friends, and daily routines.
School and education: Discussing studies, schedules, and school life.
Hobbies and leisure: Describing free-time activities, sports, and personal interests.
Travel and holidays: Expressing plans, experiences, and directions in French-speaking countries.
The world around you: Covering topics like the environment, health, and community life.
Culture and traditions: Exploring French cuisine, celebrations, and customs.
These topics have been chosen to give you the vocabulary and sentence-structures needed to communicate effectively and confidently in French.
How is IGCSE French Assessed?
Assessment varies slightly between exam boards, but all test the four key skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. All boards use a combination of written exams and an oral speaking test.
Listening Assessment: Students answer questions based on audio recordings, including dialogues, announcements, and interviews.
Speaking Assessment: Usually conducted internally by your teacher at school. Tasks include answering questions, describing a topic or picture, and participating in short conversations.
Reading Assessment: Comprehension tasks involve interpreting emails, messages, adverts, articles, and longer passages. Students answer questions to demonstrate understanding.
Writing Assessment: Students produce short and longer responses based on topics studied within the course, using appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
All assessments are compulsory and each component contributes towards your final grade. Checking your exam board’s specification is essential for understanding the exact format, weighting, and timing of each paper.
Make sure to check your exam specification so you’re clear ahead of your exams how you’ll be assessed: Cambridge (CIE) (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), and OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab).
Past papers are one of the best ways of testing your knowledge and improving your exam technique. Save My Exams has a range of IGCSE French past papers you can use to support your learning throughout your course.
Tips to Succeed in IGCSE French
From my experience tutoring IGCSE students, those who succeed in languages are those who make practice a regular part of their routine and approach revision in a structured way.
Here are some strategies I’ve seen work effectively:
Practice all four skills consistently: I always encourage students to rotate between listening, speaking, reading, and writing each week. It’s easy to focus on one skill and neglect the others, but balancing them ensures you can handle all parts of the exam confidently. Find out more about the interleaving study technique to learn how to approach different components.
Revise by topic: Grouping vocabulary and grammar around themes like family, school, hobbies, or travel makes revision more manageable and meaningful. When words and structures are linked to real-life situations, they are easier to remember and use naturally in writing and speaking.
Speak as much as possible: Whether it’s with a classmate, a tutor, or even out loud to yourself, speaking regularly is key to building fluency and confidence. Practising short conversations about daily life or describing a picture to simulate exam-style tasks helps reduce nerves on test day.
Work through past papers: Using past exam questions is one of the best ways to understand what examiners expect. I guide students to not only complete the papers but also review their answers carefully, identify patterns in mistakes, and focus on areas where they need more practice. This approach builds both accuracy and exam technique. Save My Exams has a range of Cambridge and Edexcel past papers you can use to support your regular practice.
Want more IGCSE-specific revision guidance? Check out our guides on How to Prepare for IGCSEs: Revision Strategies That Work and How to Get All A*s in Your IGCSEs for more tips and ideas for structuring your revision clearly and effectively.
Useful Resources for IGCSE French
There are many free and high-quality resources to support your study. These include:
Save My Exams: Past papers and mark schemes for Cambridge and Edexcel.
Online dictionaries and language apps: Tools like WordReference, Duolingo, or Memrise help with vocabulary and grammar practice.
Exam board specifications: Check Cambridge (CIE) (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), and OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab) for detailed course content and assessment guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IGCSE French hard?
How difficult you’ll find IGCSE French will depend on your previous experience learning French or other languages, study habits and dedication to developing the skills assessed by this course.
Students who practise regularly find the course very achievable and rewarding.
What level of French is IGCSE?
IGCSE French is suitable for beginners and intermediate learners. It builds skills progressively so you gain confidence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
IGCSE French as a foreign language isn’t suitable for native or fluent French speakers. For students with advanced levels of French, first language French IGCSE courses (opens in a new tab) are more appropriate.
Do I need to be fluent to take IGCSE French?
No. Many students begin with little to no prior knowledge of this course. The course gradually develops grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills so you’ll feel confident when it’s time for your exams.
How many papers are in IGCSE French?
The number of papers varies by board, but typically there are three or four assessments focusing on the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Check the official exam board specifications for full details on how assessments are formatted: Cambridge (CIE) (opens in a new tab), Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab), and OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab).
Can I study IGCSE French on my own?
Yes, with the right resources and consistent practice it is possible. Online tools, past papers, and structured study plans are essential for success. Check out our article How to Self-Study for IGCSEs for detailed insights, tips and resource suggestions to help you ace your exam prep.
Final Thoughts
IGCSE French is a practical and engaging course that helps you communicate confidently in a real-world context. It develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while building cultural awareness and transferable study skills.
By following a structured approach to revision, practising regularly, and using high-quality resources, students can succeed and gain a strong foundation for further study, university, and career opportunities.
Sources:
Cambridge (CIE) (opens in a new tab)
Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab)
OxfordAQA (opens in a new tab)
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