GCSE French₈₆₅₂

GCSE students will be expected to develop and use their knowledge of grammar throughout their course.

The grammar requirements for GCSE are set out in two tiers: Foundation and Higher. Students are required to use their knowledge of grammar from the specified lists, appropriate to the relevant tier of entry. Students entering Higher tier assessments will be required to apply all grammar listed for Foundation tier in addition to the grammar listed for Higher tier.

Students will be expected to use the prescribed grammar across a range of contexts and assessment tasks.

The lists describe grammatical features of the most widely used standard varieties.

The lists are written from the point of view of English-speaking students of the language, and so include some reference to certain cross-linguistically complex relations with English.

Students are required to demonstrate both receptive and productive knowledge of the grammar from the list (although the derivational morphology laid out in the grammar annex can only be included for Paper 3 Reading).

‘Grammar’ is defined as including the morphology (inflectional and derivational) and syntax (rules of word order, relations between words and obligatory use of specific features). The vocabulary lists contain the lexicon that is needed to apply the grammar.

Some grammatical features can be perceived as ‘grammar’ or ‘lexicon’ – these items are listed in the vocabulary list, as stipulated in the DfE Subject Content. The vocabulary list also specifies highly irregular forms within a grammatical subsystem (ie, subparts of paradigms where only some forms are irregular), as laid out in the Grammar requirements. This is because forms, such as irregular stems, are likely to be learnt and retrieved as individual items rather than as part of a broader grammatical system. Listing them in the vocabulary list, therefore, reflects the pedagogical attention required for these highly irregular forms.

Items given in brackets in the grammar list which are prefaced with 'eg' are illustrative, ie serve only to clarify the description of the grammar features, and such items are not included in the vocabulary list. In contrast, items that are not prefaced by 'eg' are comprehensive, providing all the examples of the grammar that are included in the DfE Subject Content, and all such items are contained in the vocabulary list.

Note that the English equivalents of some of the grammar are provided. This is relevant when testing students’ ability to work from English to French (eg, in translation tasks).

3.2.1 Foundation tier

3.2.1.1 Noun phrases

Formation of feminine person nouns

Highly frequent irregulars are listed in the vocabulary list as separate items (eg, chef/cheffe, héros/héroïne, Juif/Juive ).

• Add -e
• No change (article changes only)
• -eur ➜ -rice and/or - euse depending on which relevant base words (masculine forms) are included in the vocabulary list
• -en ➜ - nne

Formation of plural nouns

Highly frequent irregulars are listed in the vocabulary list as separate items (eg, madame/mesdames, monsieur/messieurs, œil/yeux ).

• Add -s to most nouns
• Add -x to masculine nouns ending in -(e)au and -eu
• No change for nouns ending in -s , -x

Infinitive used as a noun

Ie, equivalent of -ing (gerund) in English.

Determiners: Articles

Agreement of articles with noun for gender and number ( le , la , les and un , une , des ).

Contraction of definite article ( le / la ➜ l’ ) before singular nouns that start with a vowel or h muet .

Functions of definite and indefinite articles, including where their use or omission differs from English (eg, La santé est importante , le mercredi ).

Use of definite article before an adjective to form a noun, including uninflected adjectives for languages and addition of a capital letter where the resulting noun is a nationality (eg, seul ➜ le seul , anglais ➜ l’anglais , anglaise ➜ l'Anglaise ).

Partitive articles when distinguishing between parts and wholes. Eg, after jouer with musical instruments, after faire with sports.

Use of de (and omission of article) before nouns following a verb in negative and after expressions of quantity.

Contraction of de to d’ before a word beginning with a vowel.

Other determiners

Demonstrative adjectives ( ce , cet , cette, ces ).

Possessive adjectives ( mon , ma , mes , ton , ta , tes , son , sa , ses , notre , nos , votre , vos , leur , leurs ).

Interrogative adjectives ( quel , quelle , quels , quelles ).

Agreement patterns for indefinite adjectives ( chaque , plusieurs , même(s) , autre(s) , tout(e)(s) , tous , quelque(s) ).

Pronouns

Subject pronouns ( je , tu , il , elle , on , nous , vous – as singular and plural formal ‘you’ – ils and elles are listed in the vocabulary list. Their grammar (agreement, position) is laid out in this grammar list.

Preverbal position of singular direct object pronouns ( me , te , vous , le , la ) (not juxtaposed with indirect object pronouns).

Preverbal position of singular indirect object pronouns ( me , te , vous , lui ) (not juxtaposed with direct object pronouns).

Preverbal position of singular reflexive pronouns ( me , te , se ).

Contraction of pronouns ( me ➜ m’ , te ➜ t’ , le/la ➜ l’ , se ➜ s’ ) before a vowel or h muet .

Use of emphatic pronouns moi and toi after prepositions (the pronouns and relevant individual prepositions are listed separately in the vocabulary list).

Use of relative pronoun qui in subject relative clauses.

3.2.1.2 Verb phrases

Verbs and verb forms that do not fit into the grammar detailed here can still be listed in the vocabulary list.

Negation

Syntax of verbal negation with ne…pas , ne…jamais , ne…rien (as equivalent of ‘not verb anything’ and ‘verb nothing’), and ne…personne (as equivalent of ‘not verb anyone/body’ and ‘verb nobody’).

Interrogatives

Interrogatives expressed through:

• intonation with subject verb (SV) word order, including when followed by a wh-word ( qui, quand, quoi, pourquoi, comment, combien, où )
• wh-word ( qu’, quand, pourquoi, comment, combien, où ) followed by est-ce que followed by SV word order
• wh-word ( que/qu’, quand, pourquoi, comment, combien, où ) followed by verb subject (VS) word order.

Inflectional morphology

Specific irregular inflected forms (eg, faites , vont ), as a minimum those specified below, are listed in the vocabulary list.

Some verbs change the spelling in their stems. Eg, accents change ( mener , je mène ), consonants are doubled ( jeter , je jette ), softened ( manger , nous mangeons and commencer , nous commençons ) or dropped ( mettre , je mets ). Such spelling changes will not be credit-bearing.

Other irregular inflected forms

Present indicative forms for 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons, in singular only, of nine high frequency verbs ( boire , connaître , courir , croire , écrire , recevoir , rire , suivre , voir ).

Their present indicative, past participle, imperative forms, and the infinitives are listed in the vocabulary list.

Any other irregular present indicative forms, their past participles, imperative forms, and the infinitives are listed in the vocabulary list.

Impersonal verbs

Il y a to mean ‘there is/are’, il y avait to mean ‘there was/were/used to be’ and il y aura to mean ‘there is going to be/are going to be/will be’ are listed in the vocabulary list as multi-word phrases.

Il fait + adjective (eg, il fait beau , il fait froid ). Any adjectives that would be used in this construction are listed in the vocabulary list.

Il + weather-related expressions (eg, il neige , il y a du soleil ) are listed in the vocabulary list, as multi-word phrases where necessary.

Il faut + infinitive

Il est for telling the time

Modal verbs

Present indicative forms for 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons, in singular and plural of modals devoir , pouvoir , savoir , vouloir followed by infinitive. All inflected forms of the modals are listed in the vocabulary list.

Conditional forms in 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons, in singular only (excluding ‘you’ formal), of vouloir ( voudrais , voudrait ), as equivalent of English ‘would like (to) + verb’, are listed in the vocabulary list.

Reflexive use of verbs

1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons in singular only.

Reflexive verb forms (eg, se laver ) with the same meaning as a listed base verb (eg, laver) are not listed. Reflexive verb forms with different meanings from a listed base verb (eg, passer, se passer ) will be listed on the same line. When reflexive verb forms with different meanings from a listed base verb are not listed, they will not be tested.

3.2.1.3 Adjectival phrases

Agreement for gender and number with nouns following regular patterns (of adjectives listed in the vocabulary list).

Gender

Highly frequent irregulars are listed in the vocabulary list as separate items (eg, net / te , bon / ne , nouveau / nouvelle , pareil / le , travailleur / travailleuse ).

• Add -e
• No change with adjectives ending in mute -e
• -x ➜ -se
• -el ➜ - lle
• -en ➜ -nne
• -f ➜ - ve
• -er ➜ -ère

Number

Irregulars beau/x and nouveau / x are listed in the vocabulary list as separate items.

• Add -s
• No change for masculine forms already ending in -s and -x
• -al ➜ -aux for masculine

Position of adjectives in relation to the nouns they refer to: mostly after nouns, before nouns only for the defined set in the vocabulary list.

Use of regular ( plus…que/de , moins …que/de , aussi …que ) and irregular comparative structures, with the irregular adjectival forms ( meilleur ( e )( s ) and pire ( s )) listed in the vocabulary list.

3.2.1.4 Adverbial phrases

Adverbs and adverbial phrases are listed in the vocabulary list.

Position of adverbs of time, manner, frequency, place.

Use of regular ( plus…que , moins…que , aussi…que ) and irregular comparative structures, with the irregular adverbial form ( mieux ) listed in the vocabulary list.

3.2.1.5 Prepositions

À/de can be needed before a noun or a second verb following some verbs. These verb + preposition combinations are listed in the vocabulary list alongside the verb entry (eg, finir ‘to finish’, finir de + infinitive ‘to finish + verb’ and dépendre ‘to depend’, dépendre de ‘to depend on + noun’). Where the preposition changes or adds to the meaning of the verb, English translations are listed (eg arriver ‘to arrive’, arriver à ‘to manage to’).

Appropriate use of en/à with proper nouns for places (eg countries, regions/states, cities).

Contraction of definite article when used with à and de to agree with the gender and number (ie, à, à la, au, aux; de, de la, du, des are listed in the vocabulary list).

De to indicate possession (eg, le sac de Léa ).

Prepositions ( pour , sans ) + infinitive.

3.2.1.6 Derivational morphology (Reading only)

Derivational morphology listed here indicates that even if only the base form (eg, rapide ) is listed in the vocabulary list, a derived form that follows one of the patterns listed here (eg, rapidement ) may be included in reading texts – or if only the specific affixed form is listed, the base form may be included in reading texts. Note, if derived forms are included in listening material or required for production, they are listed separately in the vocabulary list.

Uniformly applicable derivational morphology that changes meaning

Ordinal numbers created by adding -ième (or by dropping -e and adding -ième ) to cardinal numbers eg, deux – deuxième , quatre – quatrième . Irregular forms premier and première are listed in the vocabulary list.

Other highly frequent patterns

3.2.2 Higher tier

3.2.2.1 Noun phrases

Determiners: Articles

Partitive articles with uncountable nouns

Use of article with dans , omission of article with en

Other determiners

Use of negative adjective determiner aucun(e)

Pronouns

Preverbal use of pronouns y and en (not juxtaposed with other object pronouns, except in the phrase ‘ il y en a ', ‘ il y en avait ’ and ‘ il y en aura ’).

Preverbal position of plural direct object pronouns ( nous , vous , les ) (not juxtaposed with indirect object pronouns).

Preverbal position of plural indirect object pronouns ( nous , vous , leur ) (not juxtaposed with direct object pronouns).

Use of emphatic pronouns ( lui , elle , nous , vous , eux , elles ) after prepositions.

Preverbal position of plural reflexive pronouns ( nous , vous , se ).

Negative subject pronouns personne ne + verb and rien ne + verb (as equivalent of English ‘nobody + verb’ and ‘nothing + verb’).

Relative clauses using wh- pronouns ( où , quand , and que ).

3.2.2.2 Verb phrases

Syntax of negation with ne…plus, ne…ni… (ni …), ne… pas encore, ne…que.

Passive voice in the present (full form only, ie with par ).

Impersonal verbs with adjectives + de (eg, il est difficile/facile/interdit de  + infinitive). Any adjectives used in impersonal phrases are listed in the vocabulary list.

Impersonal verbs in phrases il manque  + noun, il vaut mieux + infinitive, il vaut la peine de + infinitive.

Periphrastic time expressions être en train de (as equivalent of ‘BE [in the process of] + verb-ing’) and venir de (as equivalent of ‘HAVE just done + verb’).

Verbs used with plural reflexive pronouns, with reflexive and reciprocal meanings (eg, nous nous écrivons , vous vous parlez , ils se regardent ).

Inflectional morphology

• Two additional clusters of high frequency verbs that all pattern following the ‘anchor’ verbs connaître and écrire , in the forms as specified at Foundation: Present indicative (in 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons, singular and plural), perfect tense, periphrastic future, imperative (2nd person singular and plural, not reflexive), imperfect (in 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons, singular), plus the additional forms laid out below for the anchor verbs.
• Present tense with depuis (as equivalent of ‘have been + ing’ for ‘x time’).
• Perfect tense of modals ( devoir, pouvoir , savoir, vouloir ) (with past participles listed in the vocabulary list).
• Inflectional future for regular - er verbs (in 1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons in singular and plural) as equivalent of both ‘will + verb’ and ‘BE + going to + verb’.
  • Singular forms of four high frequency irregular verbs ( aurai/auras/aura , ferai/feras/fera , irai/iras/ira , serai/seras/sera ) are listed in the vocabulary list.
• Conditional of regular - er forms only (1^st , 2^nd , 3^rd persons) in singular and plural.
  • Singular forms of four high frequency irregular verbs ( aurais/aurait , ferais/ferait , irais/irait , serais/serait ) are listed in the vocabulary list.
• Imperfect for regular (- er and the nine ‘anchor’ verb patterns) verbs 1^st , 2^nd and 3^rd person plural forms for equivalent of English habitual (‘used to + verb’) and ongoing (‘BE -ing’). This includes the 1^st , 2^nd and 3^rd person plural forms of the three very high frequency irregular verbs ( avoir to mean ‘had’, être to mean ‘were + adjectival complement’, faire ).
• Imperative of 2^nd person singular and plural of être ( sois and soyez , each listed in vocabulary list), and of regular (- er and the nine ‘anchor’ verb patterns) verbs 1^st person plural (not reflexive), with the function ‘Let’s + verb!’
• Present participle of regular (- er and the nine ‘anchor’ verb patterns) verbs after en , including adjectival use where relevant.
  • Irregular present participles of three very high frequency irregular verbs ( étant, ayant, faisant ) are listed in the vocabulary list.

3.2.2.3 Adjectival phrases

Use of regular superlative adjective structures (irregulars le meilleur/la meilleure/les meilleurs/les meilleures , and le pire/la pire/les pires are listed in the vocabulary list).

3.2.2.4 Adverbial phrases

Use of regular superlative adverb structures (irregular le mieux is listed in the vocabulary list).

3.2.2.5 Prepositions

Preposition ( avant de ) + infinitive

Preposition ( après avoir ) + past participle

3.2.2.6 Derivational morphology (Reading only)

Derivational morphology listed here indicates that even if only the base form (eg, porter ) is listed in the vocabulary list, a derived form that follows one of the patterns listed here (eg, porteur ) may be included in reading texts. Or, if only the specific affixed form is listed, the base form may be included in reading texts. Note, if derived forms are included in listening material or required for production, they are listed separately in the vocabulary list.

Morphology that changes the part of speech

Suffixes: agent nouns created by adding -eur or -ateur to a verb stem, eg, porter ➜ porteur , consommer ➜ consommateur

French sound-symbol correspondences

This list specifies key differences in sound-spelling correspondences between French and English which students will need to learn at GCSE to be able to read out loud and transcribe with sufficient accuracy at this level. It is not an exhaustive list of all the sound-spelling correspondences in the French language. Where a letter or combination of letters is pronounced (or a sound spelt) in approximately the same way in French as in English, it is not listed.

Students will be expected to pronounce words with stress patterns that allow their speech to be clear and comprehensible.

The use of hyphens indicates the position of the letters in a word, when position is relevant to the sound. Eg: xx- (at the beginning of a word), -xx- (in the middle of a word), -xx (at the end of a word).

• silent final consonant
• a
• i/y
• eu
• e
• au/eau/closed o/ô
• ou
• u
• silent final e
• é (-er, -ez)
• en/an/em/am
• on/om
• ain/in/aim/im
• è/ê/ai
• oi/oy
• ch
• ç (and soft 'c')
• qu
• j
• -tion
• -ien
• s-liaison
• t-liaison
• n-liaison
• x-liaison
• h
• un
• -gn-
• r
• open eu/œu
• open o
• -s-
• th
• -ill-/-ille
• -aill-/ail

Please see Appendix 1 for examples of French words demonstrating the sound-symbol correspondences.