IGCSE · French · reading
For Years 9–11 · Learn, try, checkScan for evidence, separate intentions from outcomes and try an original passage with explained answers.
Read the questions before the passage. Circle the kind of information each needs: a person, a place, a reason, a date or an attitude. Skim for the topic, then scan for the evidence for one question at a time.
A familiar keyword is a signpost, not automatically the answer. The sentence may reject that option or describe another person.
Ne…pas rejects an idea; ne…plus means no longer; ne…jamais means never. D’habitude indicates a routine, hier a past event and demain a future context.
The pool was the intention; staying home was the outcome. Inference must fit the text: you can infer the plan changed, but not why unless a reason is given.
Cognates such as important can help, but actuellement means currently, not actually. Une librairie is a bookshop, not a library.
Original practice · not an exam paper
Try the questions before opening the answers. Underline evidence in the passage rather than guessing from your own experience.
First decide its job. Is it a thing, an action or a description? Use articles, endings and the surrounding sentence. A contrast may tell you whether a description is positive or negative even if you cannot translate it exactly.
Original practice · not an exam paper
Does the unknown description of the journey suggest comfort or difficulty? Which two details support your choice?
Difficulty: the bus was full and it was very hot. French pénible means difficult / unpleasant; Spanish agotador means exhausting. The context supports a negative meaning, not an exact guessed translation of every word.
Both of the IGCSE courses discussed here include some reading responses in the target language. Follow each question’s instructions. Find the shortest phrase that answers it accurately; copying a whole paragraph can introduce contradictions.
Translation can be a useful learning exercise, but do not assume a UK GCSE-style translation section is part of your IGCSE reading assessment. See the board guidance below.
Common traps: answering in the wrong language, giving an intention instead of an outcome, confusing a wish with an event and adding your own explanation without textual evidence.
Confirm your board with your teacher. These are original learning resources, not official papers or a grade prediction.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE reading sits in the combined Reading and Writing paper. Tasks include multiple-choice, note-taking, gap-fill and short answers, with some answers in the target language. Do not assume the UK GCSE translation section applies.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French speaking guide
Official Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French specification (PDF)For Cambridge IGCSE in 2025–2027, reading includes multiple-choice, matching and short responses in the target language. Practise locating evidence and giving only the requested detail. It is a separate paper, unlike Pearson International GCSE.
Cambridge IGCSE French speaking guide
Official Cambridge IGCSE French 2025–2027 syllabus (PDF)Cambridge exam year matters: 2025–2027 and 2028–2030 are different syllabuses. The PDF above is for 2025–2027; for a later exam, choose your year on the official Cambridge French qualification page. Pearson guidance here concerns the linear 2017 International GCSE specifications (4FR1 / 4SP1); check the precise qualification your school enters.
Move between understanding language and using it. Pick a related resource rather than starting another long checklist.
The website supports broad revision. The ScoreMySpeech app stays specialist: French and Spanish speaking practice with feedback, not full reading, listening or writing assessment.
