Pearson Edexcel · IGCSE · 4FR1
French — Keywords & Key Terms — Definitions Glossary (2026)
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French (4FR1)
Topic-by-topic keywords, key terms and definitions for precise exam language—separate from our revision checklists (topic coverage) and formula sheets (equations).
Keywords & Key Terms — definitions
Examiner-style keywords and definitions organised by syllabus topic. Terms are tagged Essential (start here), Core (typical exam standard), and Advanced for harder distinctions — tick each row when you can recall it. Your progress is saved in this browser for this list.
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE French (4FR1)
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE French (4FR1)
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French (4FR1)
Aligned to Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French (4FR1) for 2026 across Pearson's five themes — Identity & Culture, Local Area/Holiday/Travel, School, Future Aspirations/Study/Work, International & Global Dimension — assessed via four papers: Paper 1 Listening, Paper 2 Reading + Translation into English, Paper 3 Speaking (role play, picture-based discussion, general conversation), Paper 4 Writing + Translation into French.
Mark schemes: Pearson rewards linked reasoning (give an opinion plus a justification, ideally a contrast) and accurate spelling, gender, and adjective agreement. Translations: render meaning faithfully — partial-mark scheme penalises tense errors and missing negatives. Speaking: develop answers with connectives (parce que, cependant, par contre) and at least one tense beyond the present.
Active recall: 0 / 20 terms ticked
| Recalled | Topic | Level | Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Essential | Articles & gender | Le/la/les, un/une/des, du/de la/des — must agree with noun gender and number. | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Adjective agreement & position | Most adjectives follow the noun and add -e/-s/-es; BAGS adjectives (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size) precede. | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Reflexive verbs | Se laver, s'amuser — pronoun (me/te/se/nous/vous/se) agrees with subject; in passé composé takes être. | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Core | Passé composé with avoir vs être | MRS VAN DER TRAMP verbs (Monter, Rester, Sortir, Venir, Aller, Naître, Descendre, Entrer, Rentrer, Tomber, Retourner, Arriver, Mourir, Partir) take être and the past participle agrees with the subject. | |
| Theme 1 — Identity & Culture / Theme 2 — Local Area, Holiday & Travel | Advanced | Imperfect for description / habit | J'allais, c'était — used for repeated actions, descriptions, and background in narrative; pairs with passé composé for completed events. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Essential | School vocabulary core | Les matières, l'emploi du temps, la rentrée, le proviseur, la cantine — anchor terms for Paper 3 general conversation. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Comparatives & superlatives | Plus/moins/aussi … que; le/la/les plus … de — used to compare subjects or schools. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Direct & indirect object pronouns | Le/la/les vs lui/leur — placed before the verb (Je le vois; Je lui parle). | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Core | Negatives beyond ne…pas | Ne…jamais, ne…rien, ne…personne, ne…plus, ne…que — both parts surround the conjugated verb. | |
| Theme 3 — School (subjects, routine, opinions, pressures) | Advanced | Si clauses (type 1 & 2) | Si + present → future (Si j'ai le temps, j'irai); Si + imperfect → conditional (Si j'avais le choix, je changerais d'école). | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Essential | Future tenses overview | Near future (aller + infinitive) for plans; simple future (j'irai, je ferai) for predictions and resolutions. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Conditional mood | Je voudrais, j'aimerais, je ferais — polite requests and hypotheticals; built on future stem + imperfect endings. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Modal verbs | Devoir, pouvoir, vouloir, savoir + infinitive — express obligation, ability, wish, knowledge. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Core | Depuis + present tense | J'apprends le français depuis cinq ans — ongoing actions, unlike English present perfect. | |
| Theme 4 — Future Aspirations, Study & Work | Advanced | Subjunctive (recognition) | After il faut que, bien que, pour que — recognise je sois, j'aie, je fasse in reading and listening. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Essential | Environment & society lexis | Le réchauffement climatique, le recyclage, les transports en commun, la pauvreté — high-frequency global-issue vocabulary. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Impersonal expressions | Il faut, il est important de, il vaut mieux + infinitive — strong opener for written tasks on global issues. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Relative pronouns qui / que / dont / où | Link clauses (le pays où je suis né, le problème dont on parle) to lift sentence complexity for Paper 4 marks. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Core | Connectives for argument | Cependant, néanmoins, en revanche, par conséquent, d'une part… d'autre part — signal contrast and consequence. | |
| Theme 5 — International & Global Dimension (environment, festivals, global issues) | Advanced | Passive voice (recognition) | Être + past participle (la planète est menacée) — recognise in reading; transform to active for translation accuracy. |
Pair this with our revision checklists, formula sheets hub and past paper finder.
French (4FR1) — Keywords & Key Terms FAQ
- What is on this Pearson Edexcel IGCSE French keywords and key terms list?
- It is a topic-organised glossary of important french terms with short, exam-style definitions aligned to Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French (4FR1) (4FR1). It is designed for “define”, “state”, “outline” and “explain” questions where precise vocabulary earns marks.
- How should I use this French glossary alongside past papers?
- Tick terms when you can recall them without reading the answer, then check your wording against mark schemes. Pair vocabulary practice with past papers for IGCSE French (4FR1) so you apply terms in context.
- Is this the same as a revision checklist or a formula sheet?
- No. Revision checklists help you track which syllabus topics you have covered and your confidence—separate pages on Tutopiya. Formula sheets summarise equations and quantitative relationships. This page is only a definitions and key-terms glossary for French.
- Can I download this French keywords and key terms list for free?
- Yes. After a quick free sign-up you can download a UTF-8 CSV (opens in Excel or Google Sheets) or open a print-friendly page and save as PDF. Browsing the list on the page is free.
- Is this French list aligned to the 4FR1 specification?
- Topic groupings and wording follow Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French (4FR1) for Pearson Edexcel IGCSE. Always confirm final learning objectives and any regional options in your official specification and recent examiner reports for your exam session.
- Why focus on definitions instead of full notes?
- Mark schemes reward correct technical terms and clear links between ideas. A compact glossary lets you drill the exact language examiners expect for French at IGCSE, separate from longer notes or topic trackers.