French

This is a complete, free study companion for French — built around what the exam actually asks. The topics examiners repeat most are Compréhension d’un passage inédit, Vocabulaire de la vie quotidienne, and Pronoms COD, COI, y, en et place des pronoms. The syllabus runs to 18 chapters. Below you'll find the full topic-frequency ranking, the exam paper pattern, every chapter, a step-by-step study plan, and the official downloads — everything in one place.

Everything here is free. We're an independent student resource, not the official ICSE & ISC body, so always confirm the current syllabus and exam dates on the official ICSE & ISC website before you rely on them.

Key information

Level: Class 10
Exam: Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
Conducted by: Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

Most frequently examined topics

#	Topic	Times asked
1	Compréhension d’un passage inédit	2
2	Vocabulaire de la vie quotidienne	2
3	Pronoms COD, COI, y, en et place des pronoms	2
4	Dialogue en situation quotidienne	2
5	Rédaction de composition courte	—
6	Lettre formelle ou informelle	—
7	Conjugaison au présent, passé composé, imparfait, futur proche et futur simple	—
8	Articles définis, indéfinis, contractés et partitifs	—
9	Adjectifs démonstratifs, possessifs, qualificatifs et interrogatifs	—
10	Interrogation avec est-ce que, inversion et pronoms interrogatifs	—
11	Négation: ne pas, ne rien, ne personne, ne plus, ne jamais	—
12	Pronoms relatifs simples: qui, que, où, dont	—

Counted across the official previous-year question papers we have analysed for this subject. It shows what has been asked before — it does not predict what will appear in your exam. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Rédaction de composition courte
Chapter 2: Lettre formelle et informelle
Chapter 3: Compréhension d’un passage inédit
Chapter 4: Vocabulaire, syntaxe et idiomes
Chapter 5: Structures grammaticales et transformation de phrases
Chapter 6: Correction et réorganisation de phrases
Chapter 7: Traduction du français vers l’anglais
Chapter 8: Traduction de l’anglais vers le français
Chapter 9: Rédaction de dialogue en situation quotidienne
Chapter 10: Moi-même, famille et amis
Chapter 11: Événements importants, fêtes et célébrations
Chapter 12: Intérêts, loisirs, maison, quartier et école
Chapter 13: Vacances, voyages, transport et tourisme
Chapter 14: Hébergement, restaurant, directions, activités de vacances et services
Chapter 15: Vie à la maison, santé, travail, loisirs, achats et environnement
Chapter 16: Compréhension orale
Chapter 17: Expression orale
Chapter 18: Écriture créative

How to study French and score well

Start with the highest-frequency topics — In French, Compréhension d’un passage inédit, Vocabulaire de la vie quotidienne, Pronoms COD, COI, y, en et place des pronoms, and Dialogue en situation quotidienne appear again and again in past papers. Master these first — they return the most marks for the time you put in.
Practise with previous-year papers — Solve the last 5–10 years of ICSE & ISC French papers under timed, exam-like conditions. Past papers show exactly which topics repeat and how questions are worded.
Revise actively, not passively — Write a one-page summary for each of the 18 chapters — key definitions, formulas and the points examiners reward — then re-test yourself instead of re-reading.
Mark your answers with the official scheme — After each practice paper, score yourself against the official marking scheme. It shows how marks are awarded step-by-step, so you learn to present answers the way examiners expect.

Exam tips: how to score higher in French

Where students lose marks: rushing the high-weightage questions, skipping the steps the marking scheme rewards, and saving easy sections for last. Read the whole paper first, attempt your strongest section early to bank marks, and always show your working.

Manage your time: split your time in proportion to the marks each section carries, keep a few minutes at the end to check, and never leave a question blank — a partial, structured answer still earns partial marks.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most important topics in French?

Based on past papers, the most frequently asked topics include Compréhension d’un passage inédit, Vocabulaire de la vie quotidienne, Pronoms COD, COI, y, en et place des pronoms. The full ranked list with how often each appears is in the "Most important topics" section above.

Where can I download French previous-year question papers?

Official ICSE & ISC previous-year question papers are available on the official ICSE & ISC website. Open the Question Papers section for the direct link, plus the exam pattern and the topics that repeat most.

How can I prepare for French faster?

Start with the highest-frequency topics, learn the exam pattern so you know how each section is marked, and practise with past papers. A subject-aware study tutor can quiz you on exactly these topics.

A Gyani AI tutor trained on the French syllabus and past papers can quiz you on the most-asked topics and show you exactly what to revise.