AQA GCSE French 8658
Verb conjugations, grammar rules, AQA themes vocabulary and exam technique for all four papers — your complete AQA GCSE French 8658 reference for 2026.
Our reference sheets are free to download — save this one as PDF for offline revision.
Aligned with the latest 2026 syllabus and board specifications. This sheet is prepared to match your exam board’s official specifications for the 2026 exam series.
AQA GCSE French (8658) tests four skills across three broad themes. This reference sheet brings together every essential tense, grammar rule and theme vocabulary you need, plus exam technique for each paper at Foundation and Higher tier.
All AQA tenses: present, perfect, imperfect, near future, future, conditional, pluperfect
Articles, agreement, pronouns, negatives and key grammar rules
Vocabulary structured around the three AQA themes
Exam technique for Papers 1–4 (F & H tiers)
Master the regular endings first; irregular verbs build on this foundation.
What you do/are doing now.
-ER (parler)
je parle · tu parles · il/elle parle · nous parlons · vous parlez · ils/elles parlent -IR (finir)
je finis · tu finis · il/elle finit · nous finissons · vous finissez · ils/elles finissent -RE (vendre)
je vends · tu vends · il/elle vend · nous vendons · vous vendez · ils/elles vendent Completed past actions — most common past tense in writing/speaking.
Formula
Subject + AVOIR/ÊTRE (present) + past participle Past participles
-ER → -é (parlé) · -IR → -i (fini) · -RE → -u (vendu) ÊTRE verbs (MRS VAN DER TRAMP)
Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Retourner, Tomber, Rentrer, Arriver, Mourir, Partir + reflexive verbs (past participle agrees with subject) Was doing / used to do / background description.
Formula
Take 'nous' present stem (drop -ons) + endings: -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient Example: parler
je parlais · tu parlais · il parlait · nous parlions · vous parliez · ils parlaient Trigger words: souvent, toujours, tous les jours, quand j'étais petit(e).
Going to do — easy way to show future tense.
Formula
ALLER (present) + infinitive je vais manger · tu vas étudier · nous allons sortir Will do.
Formula
Infinitive (drop -e on -re verbs) + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont Example: parler
je parlerai · tu parleras · il parlera · nous parlerons · vous parlerez · ils parleront Would do / polite requests.
Formula
Future stem + imperfect endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) je voudrais (I would like) · j'aimerais (I would love) · je devrais (I should) Had done — completed before another past action (Higher tier).
Formula
AVOIR/ÊTRE in the imperfect + past participle j'avais parlé = I had spoken · elle était partie = she had left These appear across every AQA paper — memorise present + past participle.
Present
je suis · tu es · il/elle est · nous sommes · vous êtes · ils/elles sont Past participle
été Present
j'ai · tu as · il/elle a · nous avons · vous avez · ils/elles ont Past participle
eu Present
je vais · tu vas · il/elle va · nous allons · vous allez · ils/elles vont Past participle
allé(e)(s) Present
je fais · tu fais · il/elle fait · nous faisons · vous faites · ils/elles font Past participle
fait VENIR (to come)
je viens · past participle: venu (uses ÊTRE) POUVOIR (can)
je peux · past participle: pu VOULOIR (to want)
je veux · past participle: voulu DEVOIR (must)
je dois · past participle: dû SAVOIR (to know)
je sais · past participle: su le (m. sing) · la (f. sing) · l' (vowel/h) · les (plural) un (m.) · une (f.) · des (pl.) — becomes 'de' after a negative du (m.) · de la (f.) · de l' (vowel) · des (pl.) — used for 'some' food/drink Endings
Add -e (feminine) · -s (plural) · -es (feminine plural) — petit, petite, petits, petites Position
Most adjectives go AFTER the noun. BAGS exception: Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size — beau, jeune/vieux, bon/mauvais, grand/petit, joli, nouveau Comparative
plus + adj + que (more than) · moins + adj + que (less than) · aussi + adj + que (as...as) Superlative
le/la/les plus + adj (the most) · le/la/les moins + adj (the least) Irregular
bon → meilleur(e) → le/la meilleur(e) · mauvais → pire je · tu · il/elle/on · nous · vous · ils/elles me · te · le/la/l' · nous · vous · les Position: BEFORE the verb. 'Je le vois' = I see him/it.
me · te · lui · nous · vous · leur Replace 'à + person'. 'Je lui parle' = I speak to him/her.
Y
Replaces 'à + place/thing' — j'y vais (I'm going there) EN
Replaces 'de + thing' or quantities — j'en mange (I'm eating some) me/te/se/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur → y → en me · te · se · nous · vous · se — 'je me lave' (I wash myself) Reflexive verbs always use ÊTRE in the perfect tense, with agreement.
ne...pas (not) · ne...jamais (never) · ne...rien (nothing) · ne...personne (nobody) · ne...plus (no more) · ne...que (only) · ne...ni...ni (neither...nor) Build vocabulary banks for every sub-topic — examiners reward range and accuracy.
Me, my family and friends; technology in everyday life; free-time activities; customs and festivals.
Sub-themes
la famille, les amis, les relations, la technologie, les réseaux sociaux, le temps libre, le sport, la musique, les fêtes Key verbs
s'entendre avec, se disputer, surfer, télécharger, faire du sport, fêter Home, town, neighbourhood and region; social issues; global issues; travel and tourism.
Sub-themes
la maison, la ville, le quartier, l'environnement, la pauvreté, le sans-abrisme, le réchauffement climatique, les vacances, les transports Key verbs
habiter, recycler, polluer, protéger, voyager, visiter, aider My studies; life at school/college; education post-16; jobs, career choices and ambitions.
Sub-themes
les matières, les profs, les règles, l'uniforme, le bac, l'université, les métiers, le stage, l'argent Key verbs
étudier, apprendre, réussir, échouer, travailler, gagner, devenir, espérer Drop several into every long answer — these signal Higher-tier control.
Je pense que... · Je crois que... · À mon avis... · Selon moi... · D'après moi... Je suis d'accord (avec) · Je ne suis pas d'accord · Je trouve que... · Il me semble que... et · mais · ou · car · parce que · donc · alors · cependant · pourtant · néanmoins · par exemple d'abord · ensuite · puis · après · enfin · finalement · au début · à la fin hier · aujourd'hui · demain · le week-end dernier · l'année prochaine · il y a deux ans · pendant · depuis il est essentiel de... · il faut que (+ subjunctive) · si j'avais le choix... · ce qui m'intéresse, c'est... · non seulement... mais aussi... Same content, different demands per paper. Match strategy to question type.
25% of GCSE. Section A in English, Section B in French.
Read every question BEFORE the audio plays · Predict vocabulary · Listen actively for negatives, time markers, qualifiers You hear each section twice. Use the second listen to confirm — not start over.
25% of GCSE. Role play (15 marks) + Photo card (15 marks) + General conversation (30 marks).
Role play
Foundation 5 bullets / Higher 5 bullets including unprepared question and one in a different tense. Use 'je voudrais', 'pourriez-vous' Photo card
Describe the photo + answer pre-set questions. Plan 1–2 sentences per answer with opinion + justification General conversation
Cover 2 themes. Aim for at least one example each of: opinion, past tense, future tense, justification 25% of GCSE. Section A: questions in English. Section B: questions in French. Section C: translation FR→EN.
Skim for gist → scan for specific information → read carefully for inference Translation FR→EN
Translate the meaning, not word-for-word. Don't leave gaps; make a sensible guess from context. 25% of GCSE. Foundation: structured short writing tasks. Higher: 90-word + 150-word + translation EN→FR.
Plan
Introduction · 2–3 main points (each in a different tense) · conclusion with opinion Range
Different tenses · varied vocabulary · connectives · opinion + justification · attempt subjunctive (Higher) Translation EN→FR
Identify tense → identify subject → check agreements/articles → re-read for accents Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.
Even 10 minutes of speaking in French daily — about your day, opinions, plans — builds the fluency examiners reward in Paper 2.
For each AQA sub-theme, build a list of 30+ words. Add useful verbs and connectives next to each so you can recycle them in writing.
Top-band writing uses present, perfect, imperfect AND future. Plan to include each in every long answer; aim for one conditional too.
Use slow news, AQA-style listening practice or short YouTube videos. Ear training is the most-skipped revision step.
Quick answers about this free PDF and how to use it for exam revision and active recall.
Yes. This Tutopiya formula sheet is free to use and you can download it as a PDF from this page for offline revision. There is no payment or account required for the PDF download.
This page groups key French formulas in one place for revision. Master AQA GCSE French (8658, taught 2024–26) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers verb conjugations across all required tenses, articles, pronouns, agreement rules, the three AQA themes and exam technique for all f… Always cross-check with your official syllabus and past papers for your exam session.
No. In the exam you must follow only what your exam board allows in the hall—usually the official formula booklet or data sheet where provided. This page is a revision and teaching aid, not a replacement for board-issued materials.
It is written for students preparing for assessments at Secondary in French, including classroom revision, homework support, and independent study. Teachers and tutors can also share it as a quick reference.
Work through past paper questions, quote the correct formula before substituting values, and check units and notation every time. Pair this sheet with timed practice and mark schemes so you see how examiners expect working to be set out.
Explore Tutopiya’s study tools, past paper finder, and revision checklists linked from our tools hub, or book a trial lesson with a subject specialist for personalised support alongside this formula reference.
Practice AQA-style role plays, photo cards and 90/150-word writing tasks with a native or near-native French tutor. We focus on tense range, vocabulary breadth and exam technique.
Pair this reference sheet with past papers, revision checklists, and planners — all free on our study tools hub.
This reference sheet aligns with AQA GCSE French (8658) specification content for 2026 examinations (first teaching 2024).
Always include examples of past, present AND future tenses in every long writing answer — range of tenses is heavily rewarded at both tiers.