5 Mistakes Students Make in IB & IGCSE French and How to Avoid Them

Preparing for an IB or IGCSE French exam is about much more than memorising vocabulary lists and grammar rules. To achieve a strong result, students need to be able to use French confidently, accurately and appropriately, especially when working under exam conditions.

As a native French teacher with over 20 years of experience and an IB French Examiner since 2009, I see the same habits holding students back again and again.

Here are five common mistakes and, more importantly, what you should do instead.´

1. Learning vocabulary without using it

Learning long lists of vocabulary can feel productive, but simply recognising a word does not mean you will be able to use it naturally in an exam.

This becomes particularly obvious in speaking and writing. Students often know plenty of vocabulary when they see it on a page but struggle to retrieve it when they actually need it.

What to do instead

Use every new word in a sentence the same day you learn it.

Even better, personalise it.

Instead of simply learning:

le gaspillage alimentaire / food waste

create a sentence:

À mon avis, il est essentiel de lutter contre le gaspillage alimentaire.

You are no longer just learning a word, you are learning how to use it.

2. Translating every sentence word for word

One of the biggest traps for English-speaking students is trying to construct an English sentence first and then translate each word into French.

Unfortunately, languages don’t work like that.

French often requires different sentence structures, expressions and prepositions. A perfectly natural sentence in English can sound awkward , or simply be incorrect , when translated literally.

What to do instead

Think in French first and keep your sentences manageable.

Rather than trying to reproduce a complicated English sentence, ask yourself:

How would I naturally express this idea with the French I already know?

Simple and accurate French is much more effective than an ambitious sentence that doesn’t quite work.

3. Ignoring verb endings and tenses when speaking

Students often focus heavily on vocabulary when preparing for speaking exams, but verbs matter just as much.

Using the correct tense and verb form helps demonstrate grammatical control. Missing endings, switching tenses unnecessarily or repeatedly relying on the present tense can weaken an otherwise strong response.

What to do instead

Don’t just look at verbs on the page.

Say them out loud.

Practise a few essential tense patterns until they become automatic. For example, practise talking about:

• what you normally do

• what you did

• what you are going to do

• what you would do

• what you think should be done

This helps you move naturally between time frames during an oral exam instead of trying to construct every verb form under pressure.

4. Memorising model answers without adapting them.

Model answers can be extremely useful, but memorising entire paragraphs is risky.

Exam questions change.

If you have memorised one perfect answer and the question is slightly different, you may struggle to adapt it. Worse, you can end up answering the question you wanted to receive rather than the one you were actually asked.

What to do instead

Learn patterns, not paragraphs.

Build a bank of adaptable structures such as:

À mon avis…

Il est essentiel de…

Bien que…

Si j’avais la possibilité de…, je…

D’une part… d’autre part…

Then practise inserting different topics, examples and opinions.

This gives you something much more valuable than a memorised answer: flexibility.

5. Practising reading but not producing French under time pressure

Reading and reviewing notes are useful, but they can also create a false sense of confidence.

You recognise the vocabulary. You understand the grammar.Everything feels familiar.

Then the exam begins — and suddenly you have to produce French yourself.

IB and IGCSE French require active language skills. You need to be able to retrieve vocabulary, structure ideas and communicate accurately within a limited amount of time.

What to do instead

Include short timed speaking and writing activities in your regular revision.

For example:

Give yourself 60 seconds to answer an oral question without notes.

Or set a timer and write a short response to an unfamiliar prompt.

These activities don’t need to be long. Frequent, focused practice is often more effective than spending an hour simply rereading vocabulary.

The key: move from knowing French to using French

Strong French exam performance isn’t about knowing the largest number of sophisticated words.

It’s about being able to use the French you know effectively.

Learn vocabulary — then use it.

Learn grammar — then say it.

Study model answers — then adapt them.

And above all, practise producing French before you are sitting in the real exam.

Need help preparing for IB or IGCSE French?

At French Horizon Academy, I provide personalised online French tuition for students preparing for IB French B, IB French Ab Initio and IGCSE French.

✓ Native French teacher✓ 20+ years’ teaching experience✓ IB French Examiner since 2009✓ Certified DELF Examiner

Whether you want to improve your speaking, strengthen your writing or develop a more effective exam strategy, lessons are tailored to your individual needs and goals.

Tiffany @French Horizon Academy Expert French tuition with examiner insight.