French grammar · AQA GCSE 8652

Every grammar point AQA GCSE French asks for

AQA's GCSE French specification (8652) prescribes 136 grammar structures. This is the full list, with the tier each one is examined at and the lesson on this site that teaches it. Where we only partly teach a structure, or do not teach it yet, the list says so rather than leaving it out.

Foundation candidates are assessed on the 92 Foundation structures. Higher candidates need those and the 44 marked Higher.

Practise this in the GCSE course See the journey map

126

Taught

Partly taught

Not taught yet

Nouns (8)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Feminine person nouns: add -e	Foundation	Taught	French Noun Gender: Le or La? The Endings That Tell You
Feminine person nouns: no change (article changes only)	Foundation	Taught	French Feminine Person Nouns: acteur to actrice, italien to italienne
Feminine person nouns: -eur → -rice or -euse	Foundation	Taught	French Feminine Person Nouns: acteur to actrice, italien to italienne
Feminine person nouns: -en → -nne	Foundation	Taught	French Feminine Person Nouns: acteur to actrice, italien to italienne
Plural: add -s to most nouns	Foundation	Taught	French Noun Plurals: la chose, les choses and the Exceptions
Plural: -x for masculine nouns in -(e)au and -eu	Foundation	Taught	French Noun Plurals: la chose, les choses and the Exceptions
Plural: no change for nouns ending in -s, -x	Foundation	Taught	French Noun Plurals: la chose, les choses and the Exceptions
Infinitive used as noun	Foundation	Taught	French Nominalisation: le déjeuner, le vieux, le français

Articles (9)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Article-noun gender/number agreement	Foundation	Taught	French Articles: Definite, Indefinite and Partitive Chart
Definite article contraction before vowel/h muet (l')	Foundation	Taught	French Articles: Definite, Indefinite and Partitive Chart
Definite vs indefinite article functions (incl. omission differences vs English)	Foundation	Taught	French Articles: Definite, Indefinite and Partitive Chart
Definite article + adjective forming noun (incl. uninflected for languages)	Foundation	Taught	French Nominalisation: le déjeuner, le vieux, le français
Partitive articles (parts vs wholes)	Foundation	Taught	French Partitive Articles: du, de la, des and When to Use de
De (article omitted) after negative verb and quantity expressions	Foundation	Taught	French Partitive Articles: du, de la, des and When to Use de
De → d' before vowel	Foundation	Taught	French Partitive Articles: du, de la, des and When to Use de
Partitive articles with uncountable nouns	Higher	Taught	French Partitive Articles: du, de la, des and When to Use de
Article with dans, omission with en	Higher	Taught	French Prepositions: à, de, en, dans, chez List and Rules

Determiners (5)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Demonstrative adjectives ce, cet, cette, ces	Foundation	Taught	French Demonstrative Adjectives: ce, cet, cette, ces
Possessive adjectives mon/ma/mes, ton/ta/tes, son/sa/ses, notre/nos, votre/vos, leur/leurs	Foundation	Taught	French Possessive Adjectives: mon, ma, mes Chart and Rules
Interrogative adjectives quel, quelle, quels, quelles	Foundation	Taught	French quel vs lequel: Which and Which One, with Charts
Indefinite adjectives chaque, plusieurs, même(s), autre(s), tout(e)(s), tous, quelque(s)	Foundation	Taught	French Indefinite Adjectives: chaque, plusieurs, tout, autre
Negative adjective determiner aucun(e)	Higher	Taught	Advanced French Negation: ne... que, ni... ni, aucun

Pronouns (15)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Subject pronouns je, tu, il, elle, on, nous, vous, ils, elles	Foundation	Taught	French Subject Pronouns Chart: je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils
Singular direct object pronouns me, te, vous, le, la (preverbal)	Foundation	Taught	French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns: Chart and Rules
Singular indirect object pronouns me, te, vous, lui (preverbal)	Foundation	Taught	French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns: Chart and Rules
Singular reflexive pronouns me, te, se (preverbal)	Foundation	Taught	French Reflexive Verbs: List, Pronouns and Conjugation
Pronoun contraction m', t', l', s' before vowel/h muet	Foundation	Taught	French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns: Chart and Rules
Emphatic pronouns moi, toi after prepositions	Foundation	Taught	French Stressed Pronouns: moi, toi, lui, eux, with Examples
Relative pronoun qui in subject relative clauses	Foundation	Taught	French Relative Pronouns: qui, que, dont, où with Examples
Preverbal pronouns y and en (not juxtaposed except il y en a/avait/aura)	Higher	Taught	Y and En in French: When to Use Each Pronoun, with Examples
Plural direct object pronouns nous, vous, les (preverbal)	Higher	Taught	French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns: Chart and Rules
Plural indirect object pronouns nous, vous, leur (preverbal)	Higher	Taught	French Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns: Chart and Rules
Emphatic pronouns lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles after prepositions	Higher	Taught	French Stressed Pronouns: moi, toi, lui, eux, with Examples
Plural reflexive pronouns nous, vous, se (preverbal)	Higher	Taught	French Conjugation: Tables for Every Tense and Group
Negative subject pronouns personne ne + verb	Higher	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Negative subject pronouns rien ne + verb	Higher	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Relative clauses with où, quand, que	Higher	Taught	French Relative Pronouns: qui, que, dont, où with Examples

Negation (8)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Ne…pas	Foundation	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Ne…jamais	Foundation	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Ne…rien	Foundation	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Ne…personne	Foundation	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Ne…plus	Higher	Taught	Advanced French Negation: ne... que, ni... ni, aucun
Ne…ni… (ni …)	Higher	Taught	Advanced French Negation: ne... que, ni... ni, aucun
Ne…pas encore	Higher	Taught	French Negation: ne... pas, jamais, rien, personne Rules
Ne…que	Higher	Taught	Advanced French Negation: ne... que, ni... ni, aucun

Interrogatives (3)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Questions via intonation, SV word order (incl. with wh-words)	Foundation	Taught	French Question Words and the 3 Ways to Ask a Question
Questions via wh-word + est-ce que + SV	Foundation	Taught	French Question Words and the 3 Ways to Ask a Question
Questions via wh-word + VS (inversion)	Foundation	Taught	French Question Words and the 3 Ways to Ask a Question

Tenses (34)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Present indicative regular -er verbs	Foundation	Taught	French -er Verbs Conjugation: Present Tense Chart and Rules
Present indicative -ir clusters (choisir, partir, venir, ouvrir)	Foundation	Taught	Regular -ir Verbs in French: Present Tense Conjugation
Present indicative -re clusters (entendre, prendre, traduire)	Foundation	Partly taught	French -re Verbs: Present Tense Conjugation Chart
Irregular present: aller, avoir, être, faire	Foundation	Taught	French Irregular Verbs: List, Chart and the Patterns
Present indicative = English simple + ongoing functions	Foundation	Taught	French Gérondif and Present Participle: en + -ant Rules
Present + time adverb for future expression	Foundation	Partly taught	French Conjugation: Tables for Every Tense and Group
Avoir + noun where English is BE + adjective (froid, chaud, faim, etc.)	Foundation	Partly taught	French Articles: Definite, Indefinite and Partitive Chart
Perfect tense = English simple past + present perfect	Foundation	Taught	French Passé Composé: Formation and Conjugation Tables
Past participle -er verbs	Foundation	Taught	French Passé Composé: Formation and Conjugation Tables
Past participle -ir cluster verbs	Foundation	Taught	French Passé Composé: Formation and Conjugation Tables
Past participle -re cluster verbs	Foundation	Taught	French Passé Composé: Formation and Conjugation Tables
Irregular past participles été, eu, fait	Foundation	Taught	French Passé Composé: Formation and Conjugation Tables
Periphrastic future aller + infinitive (will / BE going to)	Foundation	Taught	French Future Tense: Futur Simple vs Futur Proche
Imperative 2nd singular and plural (incl. aller, faire; excl. avoir, être, reflexive)	Foundation	Taught	French Imperative: tu, nous, vous Commands with Examples
Imperfect for habitual (used to + verb)	Foundation	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Imperfect for ongoing (BE + ing) (singular)	Foundation	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Irregular imperfect avais, avait, étais, était, faisais, faisait	Foundation	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Étais/était + adjectival complement = was/were	Foundation	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Avais/avait = had	Foundation	Taught	Passé Composé vs Imparfait: Choosing the French Past Tense
Present (singular) of boire, connaître, courir, croire, écrire, recevoir, rire, suivre, voir	Foundation	Partly taught	French -re Verbs: Present Tense Conjugation Chart
Additional present clusters following connaître and écrire	Higher	Partly taught	French -re Verbs: Present Tense Conjugation Chart
Present + depuis (have been -ing for time)	Higher	Taught	French Time Expressions: depuis, pendant, il y a and pour
Perfect tense of modals devoir, pouvoir, savoir, vouloir	Higher	Taught	Passé Composé vs Imparfait: Choosing the French Past Tense
Inflectional future regular -er verbs	Higher	Taught	French Future Tense: Futur Simple vs Futur Proche
Inflectional future irregular avoir, faire, aller, être	Higher	Taught	French Future Tense: Futur Simple vs Futur Proche
Conditional regular -er forms	Higher	Taught	French Conditional Tense (Conditionnel): Endings and Uses
Conditional irregular avoir, faire, aller, être	Higher	Taught	French Conditional Tense (Conditionnel): Endings and Uses
Imperfect plural (1st, 2nd, 3rd person plural)	Higher	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Imperfect plural of avoir, être, faire	Higher	Taught	French Imparfait Tense: Endings, Conjugation and Uses
Imperative of être (sois, soyez)	Higher	Taught	French Imperative: tu, nous, vous Commands with Examples
Imperative 1st person plural (Let's + verb)	Higher	Taught	French Imperative: tu, nous, vous Commands with Examples
Present participle of regular -er and anchor patterns after en	Higher	Taught	French Gérondif and Present Participle: en + -ant Rules
Present participle adjectival use	Higher	Taught	French Gérondif and Present Participle: en + -ant Rules
Irregular present participles étant, ayant, faisant	Higher	Taught	French Gérondif and Present Participle: en + -ant Rules

Verb constructions (14)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Il y a (there is/are)	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il y avait (there was/were/used to be)	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il y aura (there is/are going to be / will be)	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il fait + adjective (il fait beau, il fait froid)	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il + weather (il neige, il y a du soleil)	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il faut + infinitive	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il est for telling time	Foundation	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Passive voice (present, full form, with par)	Higher	Taught	French Passive Voice: How to Form It, with Examples
Il est difficile/facile/interdit de + infinitive	Higher	Taught	French Adjectives and Nouns with à or de: Rules and List
Il manque + noun	Higher	Partly taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Il vaut mieux + infinitive	Higher	Taught	French Infinitive or Subjunctive? The Same-Subject Rule
Il vaut la peine de + infinitive	Higher	Taught	French Impersonal Verbs: il y a, il faut, il fait, il est
Être en train de (BE in the process of)	Higher	Taught	French Gérondif and Present Participle: en + -ant Rules
Venir de (HAVE just done)	Higher	Taught	Venir de + Infinitive: The French Recent Past, with Examples

Modals (2)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Present of devoir, pouvoir, savoir, vouloir + infinitive (sing. + pl.)	Foundation	Taught	French Irregular Verbs: List, Chart and the Patterns
Conditional vouloir voudrais/voudrait (would like to)	Foundation	Taught	French Conditional Tense (Conditionnel): Endings and Uses

Reflexive verbs (2)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Reflexive verbs (singular 1st, 2nd, 3rd persons)	Foundation	Taught	French Reflexive Verbs: List, Pronouns and Conjugation
Plural reflexive verbs with reflexive + reciprocal meanings	Higher	Taught	French Reflexive Verbs: List, Pronouns and Conjugation

Adjectives (16)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Gender/number agreement with nouns	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: add -e	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: no change for mute -e	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: -x → -se	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: -el → -lle	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: -en → -nne	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: -f → -ve	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Feminine: -er → -ère	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Plural: add -s	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Plural: no change for -s, -x masculine	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Plural: -al → -aux masculine	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Position relative to noun (mostly after; defined set before)	Foundation	Taught	French Adjective Agreement: Rules, Chart and bel, nouvel
Comparatives plus/moins/aussi … que/de	Foundation	Taught	French Comparatives: plus, moins, aussi, meilleur, mieux
Irregular comparatives meilleur(e)(s), pire(s)	Foundation	Taught	French Comparatives: plus, moins, aussi, meilleur, mieux
Regular superlatives	Higher	Taught	French Superlatives: le plus, le moins, le meilleur, le pire
Irregular superlatives le meilleur / la meilleure / le pire	Higher	Taught	French Superlatives: le plus, le moins, le meilleur, le pire

Adverbs (5)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Position of adverbs of time, manner, frequency, place	Foundation	Partly taught	French Adverbs of Manner: Forming -ment Adverbs
Comparative plus/moins/aussi … que	Foundation	Taught	French Adverb Comparison: plus vite, le plus vite, le mieux
Irregular comparative mieux	Foundation	Taught	French Adverb Comparison: plus vite, le plus vite, le mieux
Regular superlative adverbs	Higher	Taught	French Adverb Comparison: plus vite, le plus vite, le mieux
Irregular superlative le mieux	Higher	Taught	French Adverb Comparison: plus vite, le plus vite, le mieux

Prepositions (7)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
À/de before noun or second verb after some verbs (verb + preposition combos)	Foundation	Partly taught	French Verbs Followed by à or de: The Infinitive Lists
En/à with proper nouns for places (countries, regions, cities)	Foundation	Taught	French Prepositions: à, de, en, dans, chez List and Rules
Contraction à/de with definite article (au, aux, du, des)	Foundation	Taught	French Prepositions: à, de, en, dans, chez List and Rules
De for possession	Foundation	Partly taught	French Demonstrative Pronouns: celui, celle, ceux, celles
Pour, sans + infinitive	Foundation	Taught	French Infinitive or Subjunctive? The Same-Subject Rule
Avant de + infinitive	Higher	Taught	French Infinitive or Subjunctive? The Same-Subject Rule
Après avoir + past participle	Higher	Taught	French Infinitive or Subjunctive? The Same-Subject Rule

Morphology (reading only) (8)

Structure	Tier	Status	Taught in
Ordinals from cardinals via -ième	Foundation	Taught	French Word-Building: Ordinals, Prefixes and Agent Nouns
Irregular ordinals premier, première	Foundation	Taught	French Word-Building: Ordinals, Prefixes and Agent Nouns
Prefix in-/im- for opposite meaning	Foundation	Taught	French Word-Building: Ordinals, Prefixes and Agent Nouns
-able / -eable adjectives from verb stems	Foundation	Taught	French Word-Building: Ordinals, Prefixes and Agent Nouns
-ion / -ation nouns from verb stems	Foundation	Partly taught	French Cognate Patterns: English Endings and False Friends
-ment adverbs from feminine adjectives	Foundation	Taught	French Adverbs of Manner: Forming -ment Adverbs
-amment / -emment adverbs	Foundation	Taught	French Adverbs of Manner: Forming -ment Adverbs
Agent nouns via -eur / -ateur	Higher	Taught	French Word-Building: Ordinals, Prefixes and Agent Nouns

Learn it in the order the specification sets it

The GCSE French course teaches the specification's words and this grammar, Foundation before Higher, with short drills that remember what you already know.

Practise this in the GCSE course Journey map

Prescribed structures taken from the AQA GCSE French (8652) specification. Coverage checked against each lesson by hand, last on 2026-09-21. "Partly taught" means a structure appears in a lesson but is not taught there as a rule of its own. Kilo Lingo is not affiliated with or endorsed by AQA.