Cambridge International A Level French 9716
All seven tenses, the full subjunctive system, advanced pronouns, sequence of tenses, the Cambridge themes and exam technique — your complete Cambridge A Level French 9716 reference for 2026.
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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.
Cambridge A Level French (9716) extends IGCSE-level French into mastery of the subjunctive, advanced pronouns, sequence of tenses and sophisticated essay writing on cultural topics. This reference sheet brings together every grammar rule, theme and exam-paper technique you need for confident performance in 2026.
All seven tenses + subjunctive (4 forms) + passive voice
Advanced pronouns and relative constructions
Cambridge themes for Papers 2 and 3
Exam technique for Papers 1–4 including set works
Cambridge A Level rewards full tense range. Master forms first, then deploy strategically.
Present (parler)
je parle, tu parles, il parle, nous parlons, vous parlez, ils parlent Imperfect
Stem from 'nous' present − ons + -ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient Future
Infinitive (drop final -e on -re) + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont Conditional
Future stem + imperfect endings (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) Perfect (passé composé)
AVOIR/ÊTRE present + past participle Pluperfect
AVOIR/ÊTRE imperfect + past participle ('I had spoken' = j'avais parlé) Future Perfect
AVOIR/ÊTRE future + past participle ('I will have spoken' = j'aurai parlé) Conditional Perfect
AVOIR/ÊTRE conditional + past participle ('I would have spoken' = j'aurais parlé) ÊTRE verbs: MRS VANDERTRAMP + reflexives. Past participles agree with subject (être) or preceding direct object (avoir).
Literary tense — recognise in reading texts and set works; rarely used in writing.
-ER endings
-ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent -IR/-RE endings
-is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent Replaces perfect tense in formal/literary narratives.
A Level demands accurate use of the present, imperfect, perfect and pluperfect subjunctive.
Most common — used after expressions of doubt, emotion, necessity, will.
Formation
Take 'ils' present stem + -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent Triggers
il faut que · je veux que · bien que · pour que · avant que · à condition que · le seul/premier...qui · je doute que · je ne pense pas que Irregulars
être (sois, sois, soit, soyons, soyez, soient) · avoir (aie, aies, ait, ayons, ayez, aient) · faire (fasse...) · pouvoir (puisse...) · savoir (sache...) · aller (aille...) Used for completed actions in subjunctive contexts.
AVOIR/ÊTRE in the present subjunctive + past participle Bien qu'il ait fini = Although he has finished Mostly literary — recognise rather than produce.
Imperfect
From past historic stem + -sse, -sses, -^t, -ssions, -ssiez, -ssent (e.g. qu'il parlât) Pluperfect
Imperfect subjunctive of avoir/être + past participle Main verb in present/future → present or perfect subjunctive Main verb in past/conditional → imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive (literary) — modern speech uses present/perfect subj. Range of structures lifts your writing into the top band.
Formula
ÊTRE (in any tense) + past participle (agreeing with subject) + par + agent Le livre a été écrit par Voltaire = The book was written by Voltaire Avoid passive overuse: prefer 'on' or a reflexive (Le livre se vend bien).
si + present → future/imperative (likely) si + imperfect → conditional (hypothetical present) si + pluperfect → conditional perfect (hypothetical past) Direct → Indirect: present → imperfect · perfect → pluperfect · future → conditional · imperative → de + infinitive 'Je viendrai' → Il a dit qu'il viendrait faire + infinitive = to have something done — Je fais réparer ma voiture (I'm having my car repaired) Subtle agreement and position rules count at A Level.
Definite: le/la/l'/les · Indefinite: un/une/des → de after negative · Partitive: du/de la/de l'/des After expressions of quantity: beaucoup de, trop de, assez de, un kilo de — no article Add -e (f), -s (pl), -es (f.pl) — irregular endings: -eux/-euse, -if/-ive, -er/-ère, -el/-elle Position
Most adjectives AFTER noun · BAGS adjectives BEFORE (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size) ancien (ancient/former) · cher (dear/expensive) · pauvre (poor as wretched/poor as without money) · propre (own/clean) · seul (only/alone) · grand (great/tall) · brave (good-hearted/brave) Add -ment to feminine adjective: doux → doucement; vrai → vraiment Adjectives ending in -ent → -emment (récent → récemment); -ant → -amment (constant → constamment) Relative, demonstrative and disjunctive pronouns dominate A Level reading and writing.
qui
Subject of relative clause — l'homme qui parle que
Direct object — le livre que je lis dont
Replaces 'de + noun' — la fille dont je parle (the girl I'm talking about) où
Place or time — la ville où je suis né · le jour où... lequel/laquelle
After prepositions — la chaise sur laquelle je suis assis · à laquelle, duquel celui (m) · celle (f) · ceux (m.pl) · celles (f.pl) — usually + qui/que/de/-ci/-là ce / cela / ça (this/that) ceci vs cela — ceci refers forward, cela refers back le mien, la mienne, les miens, les miennes (mine) · le tien... · le sien... · le nôtre, la nôtre, les nôtres · le vôtre... · le leur, la leur, les leurs Y
Replaces à + thing/place EN
Replaces de + thing or quantity Order
me/te/se/nous/vous → le/la/les → lui/leur → y → en — all BEFORE the verb (after in affirmative imperative) A Level rewards subtle negation including ne...que and ne explétif.
ne...pas · ne...jamais · ne...rien · ne...personne · ne...plus · ne...nulle part · ne...aucun(e) · ne...ni...ni ne...que = only (not really negative; doesn't change article) A 'pleonastic' ne with no negative meaning — used in formal writing.
After verbs of fear, prevention; after avant que, à moins que, de peur que J'ai peur qu'il ne soit en retard = I'm afraid he might be late néanmoins · cependant · toutefois · or · en revanche · par contre · d'autre part · en outre · de plus · par ailleurs · ainsi · donc · par conséquent Build vocabulary banks and arguments around the themes — examiners reward depth and currency.
Education pressure, mental health, social media addiction, drugs, vaping, identity, generational conflict Evolving family models, PACS, gender equality, ageing population, intergenerational solidarity le baccalauréat reform, university reform Parcoursup, apprenticeships, gig economy, unemployment, gender pay gap AI, fake news, surveillance, GAFAM regulation, digital divide, online journalism Climate change, COP commitments, renewable energy, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, urban transport Fifth Republic, presidential vs parliamentary, populism, EU, abstention, women in politics Resistance & Vichy, decolonisation, May 1968, francophonie, immigration & laïcité, francophone literature & cinema Different papers reward different skills — match your preparation to the assessment.
Two sub-themes from prepared topic list; conversation in French.
Prepare 2-minute presentations on each chosen sub-theme; anticipate follow-up questions Use a range of tenses, the subjunctive, varied connectives, opinions with justification Comprehension tasks + 2 essays + translation into French.
Reading: scan for gist → reread for inference → answer in your own words where possible Translation: prioritise accuracy of tense, agreement, idiom — avoid literal calques Essays: clear plan, intro with thesis, 2–3 developed arguments, counterargument, conclusion with judgement Extended discursive essay in French on a Cambridge theme.
Plan 5–8 minutes; aim for ~ 250–400 words; demonstrate full tense range and the subjunctive at least twice Include current data/examples from francophone world to show theme awareness.
Literary/film analysis on prescribed set works (rotating list).
Know plot, characters, themes, narrative voice/cinematography, historical context Quote in French; analyse rather than summarise; address the question directly Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.
Le Monde, Le Figaro and France Info build vocabulary around the Cambridge themes. Note 5 new expressions per article.
Even 10 minutes of self-recording on a theme — with at least one subjunctive — builds the fluency examiners reward in Paper 1.
Make a list of 15 trigger phrases (il faut que, bien que, avant que…) and write a sentence per day until it's automatic.
Once for plot, once with the script. Build a quote bank organised by character and theme — these are gold for Paper 4.
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 Cambridge A Level French (9716) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers all seven tenses, the full subjunctive system, advanced pronouns, sequence of tenses, the Cambridge themes, and exam technique for Papers 1–4. 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 Post-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 essay writing, set works analysis and oral exam technique with a native or near-native Cambridge A Level French tutor. We focus on subjunctive accuracy, vocabulary range, and top-band exam strategy.
Pair this reference sheet with past papers, revision checklists, and planners — all free on our study tools hub.
This reference sheet aligns with Cambridge Assessment International Education International A Level French (9716) syllabus content for 2026 examinations.
Always include the subjunctive at least twice in extended writing — accurate use is a top-band marker.