Why is "Giving school subjects the wrong gender or article (la français, le chimie)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: English has no gender, so beginners pick le/la at random or copy the English pattern. How to avoid it: Always learn a subject WITH its article: *le français*, *la chimie*, *l'histoire*, *les mathématiques* (plural). Remember *les maths* is always plural. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Giving an opinion with no reason (just *J'aime les maths.*)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: Learners think naming a like/dislike is enough, as it often is in casual English. How to avoid it: Always add *parce que* or *car* + *c'est* + an adjective: *J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile.* A reason is what moves you up the mark bands. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4

Why is "Using 'p.m.' times wrongly (*quatre heures* for 4 p.m. in a school context)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: Students apply the English 12-hour clock instead of the French 24-hour system. How to avoid it: Use the 24-hour clock for school/timetable times: 2 p.m. = *quatorze heures*, 4 p.m. = *seize heures*. Keep *midi* for noon and *minuit* for midnight. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 1 (Listening) & Paper 4

Why is "Not changing the verb ending for the subject (*les cours commence*, *nous étudie*)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: English barely changes verbs by person, so learners leave the French ending unchanged. How to avoid it: Match the verb to the subject: *je commence* but *les cours commencent*; *j'étudie* but *nous étudions*. Watch *nous commençons* (cédille) and *nous mangeons* (extra e). Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Using the wrong form after *aimer* (*j'aime étudie* instead of *j'aime étudier*)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: Learners conjugate the second verb instead of leaving it as an infinitive. How to avoid it: After *aimer*, *adorer*, *détester* and *préférer*, the next verb stays in the **infinitive**: *J'aime étudier les langues.* (I like to study languages.) Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Keeping un/une after a negative (*je ne porte pas un uniforme*)" a common mistake in School life?

Why it happens: Learners don't know the article changes after *ne...pas*. How to avoid it: After a negative, *un/une/des* becomes *de* (or *d'* before a vowel): *je ne porte pas **d'**uniforme*; *il n'y a pas **de** cantine*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Topic Area 1 - Everyday ActivitiesCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

School life

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School life in French: subjects, the school day and opinions — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

Everything you need to talk and write about school in French — subjects, the timetable, places at school, key verbs, and the opinions-with-reasons that lift you into the higher bands of Paper 3 Speaking and Paper 4 Writing.

At a glance

School (l'école — school) is one of the most common topics in 0520. You will be asked about your subjects, your timetable, your opinions, and your typical school day.
Learn school subjects as gendered nouns: le français (French), les mathématiques (maths, always plural), l'histoire (history, feminine).
The highest-value skill is giving an opinion with a reason: J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile (I like maths because it's useful).
Connectives (parce que — because, mais — but, et — and) turn short answers into band-raising sentences.
Master a handful of verbs: étudier (to study), apprendre (to learn), commencer (to start), finir (to finish), porter (to wear, for uniform).
Use time expressions to describe the day: à huit heures (at eight o'clock), le matin (in the morning), l'après-midi (in the afternoon).
After aimer / adorer / détester (to like / love / hate), use the infinitive for activities: J'aime étudier (I like to study).
Opinion adjectives must agree: intéressant / intéressante (interesting), facile (easy, no change), ennuyeux / ennuyeuse (boring).

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Name common school subjects in French with the correct gender and article.
Describe your school, the rooms in it, and the people who work there.
Talk about your timetable and daily routine using time expressions and the present tense.
Give opinions about subjects and justify them with reasons using parce que and car.
Use connectives (et, mais, parce que, aussi) to build longer, more natural sentences.
Apply key school-topic verbs (étudier, apprendre, commencer, finir, porter) in the present tense.
Ask and answer common school questions in the form used in Paper 3 Speaking and Paper 4 Writing.

School subjects — les matières

Learn each subject with its gender; some are plural, and many are easy cognates.

The single most useful word for this topic is la matière (the school subject). The good news for English speakers is that many subjects are cognates — they look like their English cousins (la biologie — biology, la géographie — geography), so they are quick to learn. The thing you must nail is the gender (le/la) and the article, because they affect everything else in the sentence.

French	Pronunciation	English
le français	luh fron-SEH	French
l'anglais (m)	lon-GLEH	English
les mathématiques / les maths	lay ma-tay-ma-TEEK / lay mat	maths (always plural)
les sciences	lay see-ONSS	science
la physique	la fee-ZEEK	physics
la chimie	la shee-MEE	chemistry
la biologie	la bee-o-lo-ZHEE	biology
l'histoire (f)	lee-STWAR	history
la géographie / la géo	la zhay-o-gra-FEE	geography
l'informatique (f)	lan-for-ma-TEEK	computing / ICT
l'éducation physique / l'EPS (f)	lay-pay-ESS	PE (physical education)
la musique	la mew-ZEEK	music
le dessin / les arts plastiques	luh deh-SAN	art
l'espagnol (m)	leh-spa-NYOL	Spanish

Notice the patterns:

Languages and many -ique subjects: watch the gender — le français and l'espagnol are masculine; la musique and la physique are feminine.
Les mathématiques is always plural in French. Use les and a plural verb idea: Les maths sont difficiles (Maths is/are difficult).
Before a vowel sound, le/la becomes l' (elision): l'histoire (history), l'anglais (English), l'informatique (ICT).

Worked mini-example. To say "My favourite subject is French", you say Ma matière préférée, c'est le français (mah ma-TYAIR pray-fay-RAY, seh luh fron-SEH). Note préférée has a feminine -e ending to agree with the feminine noun matière.

la matière = school subject; learn each one with its gender (le/la/l').
Many subjects are cognates: la biologie, la géographie, la musique.
les mathématiques is always plural.
Before a vowel sound, le/la → l': l'histoire, l'anglais, l'informatique.

My school — places, people and uniform

Vocabulary to describe the building, who works there, and what you wear.

Once you can name subjects, describe the school itself. Cambridge often asks you to describe your school in a few sentences, so have this vocabulary ready.

Types of school and people:

French	Pronunciation	English
l'école (f)	lay-KOL	school (general / primary)
le collège	luh ko-LEZH	secondary school (ages ~11-15)
le lycée	luh lee-SAY	sixth-form / senior school (~15-18)
un(e) élève	uhn ay-LEV	a pupil/student
un(e) professeur / un prof	uhn pro-fes-SUR / uhn prof	a teacher (informal: prof)
le directeur / la directrice	luh dee-rek-TUR	the head teacher

Rooms and places at school:

French	Pronunciation	English
la salle de classe	la sal duh KLASS	the classroom
la cantine	la kon-TEEN	the canteen
la bibliothèque	la bee-blee-o-TEK	the library
la cour	la koor	the playground / yard
le terrain de sport	luh teh-RAN duh spor	the sports field
les toilettes	lay twa-LET	the toilets

Uniform — l'uniforme scolaire: Use the verb porter (to wear): Je porte (I wear). Clothes take a gender too.

French	Pronunciation	English
un uniforme	uhn ew-nee-FORM	a uniform
une chemise	ewn shuh-MEEZ	a shirt
un pantalon	uhn pon-ta-LON	trousers
une jupe	ewn zhewp	a skirt
une cravate	ewn kra-VAT	a tie

Worked mini-example. "In my school we wear a uniform: a white shirt and a blue tie." → Dans mon école, nous portons un uniforme : une chemise blanche et une cravate bleue. Notice the adjectives agree: blanche (white, feminine) with chemise, and bleue (blue, feminine) with cravate.

le collège = secondary school; le lycée = sixth-form/senior school.
un(e) élève = pupil; un prof = teacher (informal).
Rooms: la salle de classe, la cantine, la bibliothèque, la cour.
Use porter (to wear) for uniform; clothes adjectives must agree.

The school day — timetable and routine

Use time expressions and present-tense verbs to describe a typical day.

A typical school day on a timeline, with the time phrases *le matin* and *l'après-midi*.

To describe a school day you combine time expressions with present-tense verbs. France uses the 24-hour clock, so 2 p.m. is quatorze heures (14h00).

Time expressions:

French	Pronunciation	English
à huit heures	a wee-TUR	at eight o'clock
le matin	luh ma-TAN	in the morning
l'après-midi	la-preh-mee-DEE	in the afternoon
la récréation / la récré	la ray-kray	break time
le déjeuner	luh day-zhuh-NAY	lunch
un cours	uhn koor	a lesson
l'emploi du temps (m)	lon-PLWA dew TON	the timetable

Key verbs for the school day (present tense, je and nous forms):

Verb	je form	nous form	English
commencer	je commence	nous commençons	to start
finir	je finis	nous finissons	to finish
étudier	j'étudie	nous étudions	to study
apprendre	j'apprends	nous apprenons	to learn
manger	je mange	nous mangeons	to eat

Note the cédille in nous commençons and the extra e in nous mangeons — both keep the soft 's'/'zh' sound before the o.

Worked mini-example. "In the morning, lessons start at eight o'clock and we eat in the canteen at noon." → Le matin, les cours commencent à huit heures et nous mangeons à la cantine à midi. (luh ma-TAN, lay koor ko-MONSS a wee-TUR ay noo mon-ZHON a la kon-TEEN a mee-DEE).

France uses the 24-hour clock: 14h00 = quatorze heures (2 p.m.).
Time phrases: le matin (morning), l'après-midi (afternoon), à huit heures (at 8).
Core verbs: commencer, finir, étudier, apprendre, manger.
Spelling care: nous commençons (cédille), nous mangeons (extra e).

Opinions with reasons — the band-raiser

Saying WHY you like or dislike a subject is the single best way to climb the mark bands.

This is the most important section for your marks. Examiners reward you for giving an opinion and a reason. A bare J'aime les maths (I like maths) is fine, but J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile (I like maths because it's useful) is worth far more in both Speaking and Writing.

Opinion phrases (from weakest to strongest):

French	Pronunciation	English
j'aime	zhem	I like
j'adore	zha-DOR	I love
je préfère	zhuh pray-FAIR	I prefer
je n'aime pas	zhuh nem pah	I don't like
je déteste	zhuh day-TEST	I hate
à mon avis	a mon-na-VEE	in my opinion

Reason connectives:

French	Pronunciation	English
parce que	pars-kuh	because
car	kar	because / for
donc	donk	so / therefore

Opinion adjectives (must agree):

Masculine	Feminine	English
intéressant	intéressante	interesting
ennuyeux	ennuyeuse	boring
facile	facile	easy
difficile	difficile	difficult
utile	utile	useful
amusant	amusante	fun

The golden formula: opinion + subject + parce que + c'est + adjective.

J'adore l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant. (I love history because it's interesting.)
Je déteste la physique parce que c'est difficile. (I hate physics because it's difficult.)
Je préfère le sport car c'est amusant. (I prefer sport because it's fun.)

After a subject pronoun like c'est (it is), the adjective is in its basic (masculine) form: c'est intéressant, c'est difficile.

Add a second clause with mais (but) for an even stronger answer:

J'aime les maths mais je déteste la chimie. (I like maths but I hate chemistry.)

Worked mini-example. Turn "I love French because it's useful, but I don't like PE because it's tiring" into French → J'adore le français parce que c'est utile, mais je n'aime pas l'EPS parce que c'est fatigant. One sentence, two opinions, two reasons, one mais — exactly the structure higher bands want.

Always pair an opinion with a reason: J'aime X parce que c'est Y.
Opinion verbs: j'aime, j'adore, je préfère, je n'aime pas, je déteste.
Connectives: parce que / car (because), mais (but), donc (so).
After c'est, use the basic adjective form: c'est intéressant / difficile / utile.

Question and answer frames you can reuse

Ready-made question→answer pairs for Paper 3 Speaking and Paper 4 Writing.

A mind-map of the school topic: subjects, opinions, the day, and your school.

Examiners ask the same handful of questions about school. Learn these question→answer frames and you can adapt them instantly. The blanks are yours to fill.

Question (French)	English	Model answer frame
Quelle est ta matière préférée ?	What's your favourite subject?	Ma matière préférée, c'est ___ parce que c'est ___.
Quelles matières étudies-tu ?	What subjects do you study?	J'étudie ___, ___ et ___.
Tu aimes l'école ?	Do you like school?	Oui, j'aime l'école parce que ___. / Non, je n'aime pas ___.
Comment est ta journée scolaire ?	What's your school day like?	Les cours commencent à ___ et finissent à ___.
Portes-tu un uniforme ?	Do you wear a uniform?	Oui, je porte ___. / Non, je ne porte pas d'uniforme.
Comment est ton collège ?	What's your school like?	Mon collège est ___. Il y a ___.

Two ways to ask a question you should recognise:

Est-ce que + sentence: Est-ce que tu aimes les maths ? (Do you like maths?)
Rising intonation on a statement: Tu aimes les maths ? (You like maths?) — common and fully acceptable in speech.

Worked mini-example — a full spoken turn. Ma matière préférée, c'est l'anglais parce que c'est utile et facile. J'étudie aussi les maths et l'histoire. Les cours commencent à huit heures et finissent à seize heures. Je n'aime pas l'EPS car c'est fatigant. (My favourite subject is English because it's useful and easy. I also study maths and history. Lessons start at 8 and finish at 4. I don't like PE because it's tiring.) That single paragraph answers four exam questions at once.

Learn reusable frames: Ma matière préférée, c'est ___ parce que c'est ___.
Recognise question forms: Quelle est...?, Est-ce que...?, rising intonation.
*Je ne porte pas **d'*uniforme — de replaces the article after a negative.
Chain frames together to answer several questions in one rich turn.

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

la matière = school subject; l'emploi du temps = timetable.
Subjects: le français, l'anglais (m), les mathématiques (always plural), l'histoire (f), la chimie, l'EPS (PE).
School places: le collège, le lycée, la salle de classe, la cantine, la bibliothèque, la cour.
Verbs: étudier (to study), apprendre (to learn), commencer (to start), finir (to finish), porter (to wear).
Opinions: j'aime, j'adore, je préfère, je n'aime pas, je déteste; à mon avis (in my opinion).
Reasons: parce que / car (because); connectives et (and), mais (but), donc (so).
Adjectives: intéressant(e), ennuyeux/ennuyeuse, facile, difficile, utile, amusant(e).
Golden formula: J'aime + subject + parce que c'est + adjectif (J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile).
Time: le matin, l'après-midi, à huit heures, à midi; France uses the 24-hour clock (seize heures = 4 p.m.).
Frame: Ma matière préférée, c'est ___ parce que c'est ___.

How it’s examined

School is a core theme of Topic Area 1 — Everyday Activities and appears across all four 0520 papers.

Paper 1 (Listening): Expect people describing their timetable, subjects and opinions. You must catch the opinion words (j'adore, je déteste), the reason that follows parce que, and times on the 24-hour clock (quatorze heures).
Paper 2 (Reading): Short texts about school routines, with multiple-choice or matching tasks. Many subjects are cognates, but watch for distractors — a text may say someone used to like a subject but no longer does.
Paper 3 (Speaking): School is a very common conversation topic. You will be asked Quelle est ta matière préférée ? and Tu aimes l'école ?. Answering with an opinion + reason + connective is what lifts you out of the lowest bands.
Paper 4 (Writing): A typical task asks you to write about your school day or your studies. Marks reward range of opinions, justified reasons, correct verb endings and adjective agreement, and accurate accents (préférée, matière, récréation).

Examiner reports note that weaker candidates give opinions without reasons and rely on a single connective. Vary parce que / car / mais / donc and justify every opinion to access the higher bands.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

Master this Topic

Worked examples, formulae, definitions and the mistakes examiners flag — everything you need to push from a pass to an A*.

Take this whole topic with you

Download a branded revision sheet — worked examples, formulae, definitions and common mistakes for School life, ready to print or save as PDF.

Step-by-step worked examples — School life

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on school life, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Name your subjects with the correct article
Getting started
Question
Complete the sentence with the correct article (le, la, l' or les): J'étudie ___ français, ___ histoire, ___ chimie et ___ mathématiques. (I study French, history, chemistry and maths.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  français is masculine and starts with a consonant sound, so it takes le: le français.
2. Step 2
  histoire is feminine but starts with a vowel sound, so la becomes l' (elision): l'histoire.
3. Step 3
  chimie is feminine and starts with a consonant, so it takes la: la chimie.
4. Step 4
  mathématiques is always plural, so it takes les: les mathématiques.
Answer
*J'étudie le français, **l'*histoire, la chimie et les mathématiques.
Examiner tip
Storing every subject with its gender (le/la) is the foundation of this topic. Watch the two traps here: l'histoire needs elision (l', not la), and les mathématiques is always plural. Wrong articles are an easy accuracy loss in Paper 4.
2Build an opinion with a reason
Building confidence
Question
Say in French: 'I love biology because it's interesting, but I hate physics because it's difficult.' Use parce que and mais.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Opinion 1: 'I love biology' = J'adore la biologie (biology is feminine: la).
2. Step 2
  Reason 1: add parce que c'est + adjective. 'Interesting' after c'est is the basic form intéressant: parce que c'est intéressant.
3. Step 3
  Connective: join the two halves with mais (but).
4. Step 4
  Opinion 2 + reason: 'I hate physics because it's difficult' = je déteste la physique parce que c'est difficile (difficile is the same for masculine and feminine).
Answer
J'adore la biologie parce que c'est intéressant, mais je déteste la physique parce que c'est difficile.
Examiner tip
This single sentence does everything the higher bands want: two opinions, two justified reasons, and a connective. Examiner reports repeatedly note that bare opinions (J'aime la biologie) without a reason keep candidates in the lower bands.
3Describe your school day with times
Building confidence
Question
Write in French: 'In the morning, lessons start at 8 o'clock. We eat at the canteen at noon and school finishes at 4 p.m.' Use the 24-hour clock.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  'In the morning' = Le matin. Start the sentence with this time phrase.
2. Step 2
  'lessons start at 8' = les cours commencent à huit heures. The subject is plural (les cours), so the verb is commencent.
3. Step 3
  'We eat at the canteen at noon' = nous mangeons à la cantine à midi. Note mangeons keeps an e after the g to hold the soft sound.
4. Step 4
  'school finishes at 4 p.m.' = l'école finit à seize heures. On the 24-hour clock, 4 p.m. = seize heures (16h00).
Answer
Le matin, les cours commencent à huit heures. Nous mangeons à la cantine à midi et l'école finit à seize heures.
Examiner tip
France uses the 24-hour clock, so 4 p.m. is seize heures, not quatre heures. Correct verb endings (commencent, finit) and the spelling of mangeons are exactly the accuracy details Paper 4 rewards.
4Answer a Speaking question in a full turn
Stretch
Question
The examiner asks: Tu aimes ton collège ? Pourquoi ? (Do you like your school? Why?). Give a rich spoken answer with at least two opinions, two reasons and two connectives.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Open with an opinion + reason: Oui, j'aime mon collège parce que les profs sont sympas (Yes, I like my school because the teachers are nice). Sympas (nice) agrees in the plural.
2. Step 2
  Add a contrast with mais: mais la journée est longue (but the day is long). The connective mais shows range.
3. Step 3
  Add a second opinion with a different connective: Ma matière préférée, c'est l'anglais car c'est utile (My favourite subject is English because it's useful) — using car instead of repeating parce que.
4. Step 4
  Finish with a detail: Je n'aime pas l'EPS parce que c'est fatigant (I don't like PE because it's tiring).
Answer
Oui, j'aime mon collège parce que les profs sont sympas, mais la journée est longue. Ma matière préférée, c'est l'anglais car c'est utile. Je n'aime pas l'EPS parce que c'est fatigant.
Examiner tip
Variety is the key to the top band: three opinions, three reasons, and three different connectives (parce que, mais, car). Examiners specifically reward candidates who vary their connectives rather than repeating parce que every time.

Model Answers — School life

High-scoring sample answers for school life on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Quelle est ta matière préférée et pourquoi ? (What is your favourite subject and why?) Give a model answer.
Model answer
Ma matière préférée, c'est l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant et le professeur est génial. (My favourite subject is history because it's interesting and the teacher is great.)

J'aime aussi les langues, surtout l'anglais, car c'est utile pour le futur. Par contre, je n'aime pas les maths parce que c'est trop difficile. (I also like languages, especially English, because it's useful for the future. On the other hand, I don't like maths because it's too difficult.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It gives a clear opinion with two reasons, then extends with a second subject and a contrast (par contre — on the other hand). The connectives are varied (parce que, car, par contre) and the accents are correct (préférée, intéressant, génial). This range of justified opinion is what lifts a Speaking answer into the higher bands.
Question 2
Paper 4 (Writing) style. Describe your school and a typical day in 4-5 sentences. (Décris ton collège et une journée typique.)
Model answer
Je vais au collège dans ma ville. Mon collège est grand et moderne ; il y a une grande bibliothèque et une cantine. (I go to the secondary school in my town. My school is big and modern; there's a big library and a canteen.)

Les cours commencent à huit heures et finissent à quatre heures. Le matin, j'étudie le français et les sciences, et l'après-midi, j'ai du sport. (Lessons start at 8 and finish at 4. In the morning I study French and science, and in the afternoon I have sport.)

J'aime mon collège parce que mes amis sont là, mais la journée est longue. (I like my school because my friends are there, but the day is long.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It covers description (grand et moderne), places (bibliothèque, cantine), the daily routine with times and verbs (commencent, finissent, j'étudie), and an opinion with a reason and a contrast. Adjective agreement (grande bibliothèque) and accents (français, l'après-midi) are accurate — all the AO targets for Writing in one short, controlled paragraph.
Question 3
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Est-ce que tu portes un uniforme ? (Do you wear a uniform?) Give a model answer with an opinion.
Model answer
Oui, je porte un uniforme : une chemise blanche, un pantalon noir et une cravate. (Yes, I wear a uniform: a white shirt, black trousers and a tie.)

À mon avis, c'est pratique parce que c'est simple le matin, mais je trouve que ce n'est pas très joli. (In my opinion, it's practical because it's simple in the morning, but I find it's not very pretty.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It uses porter correctly, lists clothes with the right gender and adjective agreement (chemise blanche, pantalon noir), and adds a balanced opinion with à mon avis and je trouve que. The contrast (mais) and justified view show exactly the communicative range the Speaking test rewards.

Key Definitions and Keywords — School life

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for school life answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

la matière
Examiner keyword
A school subject. Each subject has a gender (le/la), so learn them together: le français, la chimie, les mathématiques (plural).
Example
Ma matière préférée, c'est le français. — My favourite subject is French.
parce que
Examiner keyword
The connective 'because', used to give a reason for an opinion. The single most important phrase for raising your mark band.
Example
J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile. — I like maths because it's useful.
j'aime / j'adore / je déteste
Examiner keyword
Opinion verbs: 'I like / I love / I hate'. Followed by a noun (j'aime l'histoire) or an infinitive (j'aime étudier).
Example
J'adore la musique mais je déteste la physique. — I love music but I hate physics.
étudier
Examiner keyword
The regular -er verb 'to study'. j'étudie (I study), nous étudions (we study). Often used to list your subjects.
Example
J'étudie l'anglais, l'histoire et la biologie. — I study English, history and biology.
commencer / finir
Examiner keyword
'To start / to finish' — the two verbs for describing when the school day begins and ends. Les cours commencent / finissent.
Example
Les cours commencent à huit heures et finissent à seize heures. — Lessons start at 8 and finish at 4 p.m.
porter
'To wear' — the verb used for school uniform. Je porte un uniforme. After a negative the article becomes de: je ne porte pas d'uniforme.
Example
Je porte une chemise blanche et une cravate. — I wear a white shirt and a tie.
l'emploi du temps
The (school) timetable. Masculine: l'emploi du temps. A useful word when talking about your week.
Example
Mon emploi du temps est chargé le lundi. — My timetable is busy on Mondays.
le matin / l'après-midi
Examiner keyword
Time phrases: 'in the morning / in the afternoon'. Used to structure a description of the school day.
Example
Le matin j'étudie les sciences ; l'après-midi j'ai du sport. — In the morning I study science; in the afternoon I have sport.
c'est + adjectif
'It is + adjective', the standard way to give a reason. After c'est the adjective stays in its basic form: c'est intéressant / difficile / utile.
Example
Je préfère le dessin car c'est amusant. — I prefer art because it's fun.
et / mais / car
Connectives: 'and / but / because'. Varying these (rather than repeating one) builds longer, higher-scoring sentences.
Example
J'aime l'EPS mais je déteste les maths car c'est difficile. — I like PE but I hate maths because it's hard.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — School life

The traps other students keep falling into on school life questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Giving school subjects the wrong gender or article (la français, le chimie)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
English has no gender, so beginners pick le/la at random or copy the English pattern.
How to avoid it
Always learn a subject WITH its article: le français, la chimie, l'histoire, les mathématiques (plural). Remember les maths is always plural.
✕Giving an opinion with no reason (just J'aime les maths.)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4
Why it happens
Learners think naming a like/dislike is enough, as it often is in casual English.
How to avoid it
Always add parce que or car + c'est + an adjective: J'aime les maths parce que c'est utile. A reason is what moves you up the mark bands.
✕Using 'p.m.' times wrongly (quatre heures for 4 p.m. in a school context)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 1 (Listening) & Paper 4
Why it happens
Students apply the English 12-hour clock instead of the French 24-hour system.
How to avoid it
Use the 24-hour clock for school/timetable times: 2 p.m. = quatorze heures, 4 p.m. = seize heures. Keep midi for noon and minuit for midnight.
✕Not changing the verb ending for the subject (les cours commence, nous étudie)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
English barely changes verbs by person, so learners leave the French ending unchanged.
How to avoid it
Match the verb to the subject: je commence but les cours commencent; j'étudie but nous étudions. Watch nous commençons (cédille) and nous mangeons (extra e).
✕Using the wrong form after aimer (j'aime étudie instead of j'aime étudier)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Learners conjugate the second verb instead of leaving it as an infinitive.
How to avoid it
After aimer, adorer, détester and préférer, the next verb stays in the infinitive: J'aime étudier les langues. (I like to study languages.)
✕Keeping un/une after a negative (je ne porte pas un uniforme)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Learners don't know the article changes after ne...pas.
How to avoid it
After a negative, un/une/des becomes de (or d' before a vowel): *je ne porte pas **d'*uniforme; il n'y a pas de cantine.

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School life

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Detailed Notes

School life in French: subjects, the school day and opinions — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

What you’ll learn

School subjects — les matières

My school — places, people and uniform

The school day — timetable and routine

Opinions with reasons — the band-raiser

Question and answer frames you can reuse

How it’s examined

Master this Topic

Step-by-step worked examples — School life

1Name your subjects with the correct article

2Build an opinion with a reason

3Describe your school day with times

4Answer a Speaking question in a full turn

Model Answers — School life

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Key Definitions and Keywords — School life

la matière

parce que

j'aime / j'adore / je déteste

étudier

commencer / finir

porter

l'emploi du temps

le matin / l'après-midi

c'est + adjectif

et / mais / car

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — School life

✕Giving school subjects the wrong gender or article (la français, le chimie)

✕Giving an opinion with no reason (just J'aime les maths.)

✕Using 'p.m.' times wrongly (quatre heures for 4 p.m. in a school context)

✕Not changing the verb ending for the subject (les cours commence, nous étudie)

✕Using the wrong form after aimer (j'aime étudie instead of j'aime étudier)

✕Keeping un/une after a negative (je ne porte pas un uniforme)

Past paper style quiz