What grammar do I need for IB French?

Bonjour!

One of the most common questions from IB French students is: "What grammar do I actually need for IB French B SL?" The short answer is a solid command of intermediate to upper-intermediate structures — roughly CEFR B1–B2 — used accurately and flexibly in both speech and writing.

This guide covers every grammar point tested in IB French B SL and HL, explains how grammar is assessed across the four skills, and offers practical tips to help you prepare effectively. For personalised support, discover our IB French tutoring courses.

What Is IB French B SL and What Level Does It Require?

IB French B SL (Standard Level) is the intermediate–upper-intermediate language option of the IB Diploma. It is designed for learners who have studied French for several years and want to move beyond everyday conversations toward confident, independent communication.

By the end of the course, successful candidates generally operate between CEFR B1 and low B2. This means being able to hold extended conversations on familiar topics, explain opinions clearly, understand most TV news with standard language, and write coherent, structured texts.

Grammar is never tested in isolation — it is woven into all four skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Every lesson and every exam component reinforces grammar as a practical communication tool.

Complete IB French Grammar Checklist — B SL & HL

1. Key Verb Tenses

2. Pronouns

  • Direct and indirect object pronouns (le, la, les / lui, leur)
  • Y and en
  • Reflexive pronouns
  • Relative pronouns including complex forms: qui, que, dont, où, lequel, auquel, duquel, ce qui, ce que, ce dont

3. Articles and Determiners

  • Definite, indefinite, and partitive articles
  • Demonstratives: ce, cet, cette, ces
  • Possessive adjectives and pronouns

4. Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Agreement in gender and number
  • Comparative and superlative forms: plus… que, le meilleur, le mieux
  • Placement of adverbs in sentences

5. Sentence Structure, Negation, and Connectors

  • Common negations: ne…pas, ne…jamais, ne…plus, ne…rien, ne…personne
  • Question formation: est-ce que, inversion, question words
  • Complex connectors: parce que, bien que, lorsque, tandis que, alors que, puisque, malgré que
  • Conditional clauses with si:
    • Real condition: si + présent → futur
    • Unreal present: si + imparfait → conditionnel
    • Past unreal: si + plus-que-parfait → conditionnel passé

6. Prepositions

  • Place: à, en, chez, dans, sur, sous, devant, derrière
  • Time: depuis, pendant, il y a, dans
  • Before infinitives: avant de, pour, sans, afin de

7. Additional Advanced Grammar

  • Passive voice: être + past participle
  • Causative constructions: faire + infinitive
  • Indirect speech: il a dit que…, elle a demandé si…
  • Past participle agreement with être and with preceding direct objects
  • Nominalisation and subordination for more sophisticated sentences
  • The gerund: en + present participle — particularly important at HL

How Is Grammar Tested in the IB French Exam?

Grammar is never assessed on its own — it is always evaluated through the four skills. Here is what that means in practice:

Paper 1 — Writing

You produce a text in an appropriate format — email, article, blog post, or essay. Correct use of tenses, agreement, and connectors is essential. Examiners reward a range of structures and penalise systematic errors.

Paper 2 — Listening and Reading Comprehension

Recognising verb forms and grammatical structures helps you understand the meaning of complex sentences. Misreading a tense can lead to a wrong answer.

Individual Oral

You must speak spontaneously and accurately, demonstrating a range of tenses and structures. Fluency without grammar is not enough — examiners look for both. Read our full guide on IB French oral exam preparation.

Internal Assessment (IA)

The IA is your opportunity to demonstrate sustained, accurate grammar in a prepared context. Careful planning and revision of your language significantly improve your mark.

What Score Do You Need to Get a 7 in IB French?

IB French is graded on a scale of 1 to 7. To achieve a grade 7 — the highest possible — you typically need to score above 86% of the total available marks, around 108 out of 125. Grade boundaries shift slightly from year to year, so it is worth checking the most recent mark schemes when practising with past papers.

A grade 5 or above generally demonstrates strong language competency to universities. A grade 4 is considered satisfactory. Many of our students have achieved grade 7 with consistent, targeted preparation.

One important distinction: SL students complete approximately 150 hours of teaching, while HL students complete around 240 hours. This difference in depth is reflected in the complexity expected in written tasks and oral performance.

Grammar Is Not Enough — Register and Audience Matter Too

A common mistake IB French students make is focusing exclusively on grammar rules while neglecting the communicative dimension of the exam. IB examiners assess not only the what of language — vocabulary and grammar — but also the why and how: audience, context, purpose, register, and meaning.

In practice, this means:

  • Using an informal register for personal emails, diary entries, and blog posts
  • Using a formal register for letters of complaint, reports, and proposals
  • Adapting your vocabulary and tone to your intended audience
  • Demonstrating intercultural awareness — a key IB criterion across all tasks

A grammatically perfect text that ignores register or audience will not achieve a high mark. The two go hand in hand.

Free Resources to Practise IB French Grammar

Alongside targeted tutoring, these free resources are particularly useful for IB French grammar and comprehension practice:

  • RFI Français Facile — topic-based podcasts with interactive exercises, ideal for listening and vocabulary
  • France.tv — French TV programmes and documentaries to improve listening comprehension and cultural awareness
  • Linguee — find words and expressions used in authentic French contexts
  • Le Monde / Le Figaro — read real opinion articles to see grammar and connectors used naturally
  • Français Authentique (YouTube) — natural conversation and cultural content at B1–B2 level
  • IB past papers and mark schemes — essential for understanding exactly what examiners reward

Consistency matters more than intensity. Even 20 to 30 minutes of daily practice — reading, listening, or reviewing vocabulary — adds up significantly over two years.

IB French B vs A-Level French — What Is the Grammar Difference?

For students in Australia, the UK, or international schools, a common question is how IB French B compares to A-Level French in terms of grammar requirements.

IB French B focuses on authentic communication — speaking, writing, and listening in real-world contexts. Grammar is assessed through use, not through translation or textual analysis. The emphasis is on fluency, register, and intercultural understanding.

A-Level French is more academically focused, with a greater emphasis on grammar precision, essay writing, literary analysis, and translation. The grammar requirements are similar in scope, but A-Level tests them more explicitly through translation exercises and linguistic analysis. If you are also preparing for A-Level, visit our GCSE and A-Level French tuition page.

Both courses develop advanced language skills, but IB French B is generally considered more communicative and practical, while A-Level French builds greater grammatical precision and literary depth. If your goal is to use French globally — for study, work, or travel — IB French B provides the most versatile foundation.

Practical Tips to Master IB French Grammar

  • Make a verb-tense review sheet — a single page with all tense formations for quick daily reference
  • Write regularly — short opinion pieces, past-event narratives, or responses to IB-style prompts to reinforce tenses in context
  • Practise with past IB papers — working under timed conditions builds both accuracy and confidence
  • Focus on your weak points — most students struggle with the subjunctive, past participle agreement, or complex relative pronouns. Targeted practice on these areas delivers the fastest improvement. Building a bank of key expressions for giving your opinion also makes a significant difference in the oral exam
  • Learn grammar in context — never study rules in isolation. Use examples from IB themes: identities, experiences, social organisation, and sharing the planet

What Our Students Say

"I have studied French for an overall of 11 years but only started classes with Laure 3 years ago, and can say as someone who's had multiple French teachers prior, that she has been the most key to the improvement of both my academic and conversational French. I first looked into Laure to guide me through French in the IB as it is quite rigorous and academic which I had not encountered before. Since then, we have done a range of activities, from practising speaking about topics which could come up in my speaking exams, to exercising my academic French by writing debates, letters and dissertations. As someone who is an introvert, I was very shy when first starting my classes with Laure especially as I had never had a native French teacher before. I still remember my first class with Laure where, instead, she was incredibly patient, warm and supportive. Since then, my writing, speaking, reading and listening skills have majorly advanced. Even though I have graduated, I continue my classes with Laure to allow me to ease back into conversational French which is always the highlight of my week."

Audrey Stewart — Medical student, Sydney

"I had the privilege of working with Laure to prepare for my IB SL exams during year 11 and 12, she helped me a lot, without her I would not have been able to achieve this result. She showed great patience and pushed and encouraged me in each of her classes. Laure is perfectly familiar with the IB program and the expectations of the final exams. She took the time to have me regularly repeat the vocabulary of the themes covered in class, she explained the grammar in a clear and structured way so that I could integrate it into my written tasks. She brought me many resources and in particular many previous papers with which I practised, in particular oral production for which I had a lot of apprehension. In the end, I'm really happy with my overall mark! Thank you Laure!"

Patrick Tan — IB French student, Melbourne

"I took Laure's classes for my French IB during my last two years at school. She has in-depth knowledge of the specific requirements of the IB French program, and her ability to clarify complex concepts greatly facilitated my understanding of the language but also of the different themes covered in class. She took the time to understand my specific needs which were mainly in grammar to adapt her teaching methods. Thanks to her continued support during our sessions, I was able to gain confidence in my abilities to speak French and I was able to pass the end-of-year exams with flying colours, particularly the oral exam that I dreaded so much. I highly recommend Laure as an IB French tutor."

Inga — IB French student, Melbourne

"I started having lessons with Laure in January 2016 as I was having some difficulties at school with my IB French. Our lessons considerably improved my marks and my comprehension of the language. Each lesson, we worked on vocabulary, grammar and we did a lot of exercises too — dictation, writing and comprehension — all of that helped me to achieve some really good marks and I successfully passed my French IB exams at the end of the year!"

Lea Kroot — IB French student, Brussels

"Laure has been an exceptional support for my daughter's IB French. She has been thorough, attentive with quality of learning at the core of her work. My daughter looked forward to every class and enjoyed working with Laure. We were delighted to receive higher results than what we were expecting and now my daughter feels confident with her French for the next part of her life!"

Saba Bebawi for her daughter Sia — IB French student, Melbourne

IB French Grammar Tutoring — How It Works

Our certified native French tutor has over 20 years of experience preparing IB students at all levels — Ab Initio, Standard Level (SL), and Higher Level (HL). Every lesson is personalised, fully aligned with the IB curriculum, and delivered one-to-one online.

Grammar work is always taught in context — through IB-style writing tasks, oral practice, and past paper exercises — so that every point is immediately applicable in your exams. To view our modules and book your first session, visit our IB French tuition page.

À bientôt !

IB French Grammar — Frequently Asked Questions

What score do I need to get a 7 in IB French?

To achieve a grade 7, you typically need to score above 86% of the total available marks — around 108 out of 125. Grade boundaries shift slightly each year. A grade 5 or above generally demonstrates strong language competency to universities, while a grade 4 is considered satisfactory.

How many teaching hours are required for IB French SL vs HL?

SL students complete approximately 150 hours of teaching, while HL students complete around 240 hours. This difference is reflected in the complexity of tasks and the depth of grammar expected at each level.

What grammar do I need for IB French B SL?

You need a solid command of intermediate to upper-intermediate French grammar — roughly CEFR B1–B2. This includes all key verb tenses (present, passé composé, imparfait, futur, conditionnel, subjonctif), object and relative pronouns, negation, connectors, and conditional clauses with si. You must be able to use these structures accurately in both spoken and written French.

Is the subjunctive required for IB French?

Yes — the subjunctive is tested at both SL and HL. You need to recognise and use it after common triggers such as il faut que, bien que, pour que, à condition que, and verbs of wishing or emotion. Read our full guide on the French subjunctive.

What is the difference in grammar requirements between IB French SL and HL?

Both levels require the same core grammar structures, but Higher Level (HL) expects greater accuracy, range, and complexity. At HL, students are also expected to handle more sophisticated structures such as the gerund, the passive voice, past participle agreement in complex sentences, and nominalisations. The written tasks are longer and the oral more demanding.

How is grammar marked in the IB French oral exam?

In the Individual Oral, grammar is assessed as part of the "language" criterion. Examiners look for a range of tenses and structures used accurately and spontaneously. Systematic errors — especially with basic tenses or agreement — will lower your mark, even if your content is strong. Read our guide on IB French oral exam preparation.

What are the most common grammar mistakes in IB French?

The most frequent errors are: incorrect use of passé composé vs imparfait, missing past participle agreement, errors with indirect object pronouns (lui/leur), incorrect subjunctive after bien que, and misuse of prepositions before infinitives. Targeted practice on these specific points makes a significant difference.

What level of French does IB French B SL equal?

By the end of the course, successful candidates generally operate between CEFR B1 and low B2. This places them well beyond tourist French and gives a strong foundation for university study or work in a francophone environment.

What connectors should I use in IB French writing?

At IB level, you should move beyond basic connectors like et, mais, donc and use more complex ones: cependant, en revanche, par conséquent, bien que, tandis que, alors que, de ce fait, néanmoins. Using varied connectors is one of the key markers of a B2-level text. See our full guide on French connectors for IB.

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