French — Syllabus & Chapters

The complete syllabus for French — every chapter you need to study, and how the exam paper is structured.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Composition en français
Chapter 2: Rédaction de courriel
Chapter 3: Documents simples de la vie quotidienne
Chapter 4: Questions de compréhension en français
Chapter 5: Articles définis, indéfinis, partitifs et contractés
Chapter 6: Verbes réguliers, irréguliers, pronominaux, transitifs et intransitifs
Chapter 7: Temps verbaux: présent, passé composé, imparfait, plus-que-parfait, futur proche, futur simple, passé récent et présent progressif
Chapter 8: Modes et formes verbales: impératif, conditionnel, discours rapporté, subjonctif de base, voix active/passive, gérondif et participe présent
Chapter 9: Pronoms personnels, interrogatifs, relatifs, démonstratifs, compléments, possessifs, y et en
Chapter 10: Adjectifs, adverbes, négation, interrogation, indicateurs de temps, nominalisation, prépositions, comparatifs, superlatifs, tournures impersonnelles et connecteurs
Chapter 11: Identité personnelle et relations
Chapter 12: Événements importants
Chapter 13: Temps libre et loisirs
Chapter 14: Culture et traditions
Chapter 15: Voyage et transports
Chapter 16: Tourisme et activités
Chapter 17: Logement et directions
Chapter 18: Shopping
Chapter 19: Cuisine
Chapter 20: Vie à la maison
Chapter 21: Forme physique et bien-être
Chapter 22: Médias et technologies
Chapter 23: Études et projets d’avenir
Chapter 24: Maison et localité
Chapter 25: Environnement
Chapter 26: Divertissement
Chapter 27: Services
Chapter 28: Compréhension orale
Chapter 29: Expression orale
Chapter 30: Écriture créative

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters are there in French?

The French syllabus has 30 chapters, listed in full above. Cover the high-weightage chapters first using the exam pattern as a guide.

How do I know which French chapters carry the most marks?

Compare the chapter list above with the exam pattern and the last few years of question papers — the topics that appear most often and the units with the highest marks are where to focus first. Always confirm weightage against the official syllabus for your exam year.

Has the French syllabus changed this year?

Boards occasionally revise the syllabus or remove topics for a session. Always download the official syllabus for your exact exam year from the official ICSE & ISC portal rather than relying on an older copy or a social-media list.

How can I prepare for French faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for French — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused French study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.