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How to Revise iGCSE French

Practise iGCSE French with questions covering listening, reading, writing, and speaking across international exam themes.

Revision Strategy

Revising French effectively means practising all four skills — listening, reading, writing, and speaking — not just the ones you find easiest. Many students focus on reading and writing because they are easier to do alone, but listening and speaking skills deteriorate quickly without regular practice. Build all four into your weekly revision schedule.

Vocabulary acquisition is the foundation of everything in French. Use spaced repetition — either with physical flashcards or a digital tool — to learn and retain vocabulary systematically. Aim to learn vocabulary in context rather than as isolated words, and always learn the gender of nouns and any irregular verb forms at the same time.

For the writing and speaking components, learn a set of high-quality phrases and structures that you can adapt to any topic. Examiners reward accuracy and complexity, so having a repertoire of subordinate clauses, opinion phrases, and connectives that you can use confidently is more valuable than trying to be creative with language you have not fully mastered. Practise writing and speaking responses under timed conditions to build fluency.

Study Tips for iGCSE French

  • Listen to French podcasts, radio and videos daily to build comprehension speed. iGCSE listening papers are played only twice, so you need to process French at natural speed.
  • Learn vocabulary in themed groups (e.g. all words related to health, then all words related to travel) and test yourself using flashcards with spaced repetition.
  • Practice writing in different formats - letters, articles, blog posts - as the iGCSE writing paper requires you to adapt your style and register to the task.
  • Record yourself speaking French and listen back to identify pronunciation and fluency issues before your speaking exam.

Exam Tips for iGCSE French

  • In the listening paper, read the questions carefully before the audio plays. Knowing what information you need helps you focus on the relevant parts of each recording.
  • For writing tasks, always check your tenses, agreements (adjective-noun, subject-verb) and accents. Accuracy is specifically marked in iGCSE French writing.
  • In the speaking exam, expand your answers beyond the minimum. Using a range of tenses, opinions and complex sentences demonstrates higher-level ability and earns better marks.

Topics to Cover

8 topics in iGCSE French

Everyday Activities
Personal & Social Life
The World Around Us
The World of Work
Grammar
Vocabulary
Reading & Writing
Listening & Speaking

Available Exam Boards

iGCSE French specification guides for each exam board

Frequently Asked Questions

Is iGCSE French the same as GCSE French? +
The overall language skills tested are similar, but iGCSE French is set by Cambridge International or Edexcel International, uses different assessment formats and does not include UK-focused cultural content. The exam is taken in international examination sessions rather than the UK summer series.
What level of French does iGCSE represent? +
iGCSE French broadly corresponds to B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), meaning an independent user who can deal with everyday situations and express opinions on familiar topics.
Do I need to visit a French-speaking country for iGCSE French? +
No. The qualification can be achieved entirely through classroom study and self-directed practice. However, immersion experiences are beneficial for developing listening and speaking confidence.

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