IB French B Standard Level

French B SL Exam Skills & Techniques

Master the IB French B Standard Level exam. Learn paper structures, task command terms, marking criteria, and where to find easy marks.

150 teaching hours • 2 external papers • 1 internal oral

Start Practicing French B

French B SL Assessment at a Glance

25%

Paper 1

Writing • 1h15 • 250–400 words

50%

Paper 2

Listening + Reading

25%

Individual Oral

Internal • ~12–15 min

French B SL Paper Structure

Know exactly what to expect in each paper and how to maximize your marks.

Paper 1

Productive — Writing

1 hour 15 minutes•30 marks•25% of final grade

One written task of 250–400 words, chosen from three options that span the five prescribed themes. Each option specifies a text type (e.g. blog, email, speech, article, set of instructions).

What to expect:

You choose ONE task from three — pick the theme and text type you handle best

You must write 250–400 words in French; under-length answers are penalised

Marked on three criteria: A Language /12, B Message /12, C Conceptual /6 (= 30)

Key Tips

Decide your audience and register (tu vs vous) BEFORE you start writing
Plan the text-type conventions: a formal letter, blog, and speech each open and close differently
Use a range of tenses and connectors — and keep agreement and accents correct (this is what lifts Criterion A)

Easy Marks

Correct text-type layout: heading/greeting, body, sign-off (Criterion C)
Opinion phrases backed by a reason: "Je pense que… parce que…" (Criterion B)
Correct verb tenses, gender and adjective agreement, and accents (Criterion A)

Watch Out

Wrong register (mixing tu and vous) costs Conceptual marks
Listing ideas without developing them caps your Message score

Paper 2

Receptive — Listening & Reading

Listening ~45 min + Reading 1 hour•Objective answer key•50% of final grade

ListeningThree audio passages, each played twice — answer as you listen~45 minutes

ReadingSeveral authentic texts of increasing difficulty — answer all1 hour

What to expect:

Listening: three recordings, each played twice, drawn from across the themes

Reading: a set of authentic texts (articles, blogs, adverts, interviews)

Question types: multiple choice, true/false + justification, gap-fill, matching, short answer

Marked objectively against an answer key — there is one right answer per item

Key Tips

Read the questions BEFORE the audio starts so you know what to listen for
In Reading the text stays visible — locate and underline the evidence for each answer
For true/false, always copy the exact words that justify your choice

Easy Marks

Matching and multiple-choice items — eliminate the clearly wrong options first
Gap-fill: copy the word exactly, with correct spelling, accents and agreement
Short answers: lift the precise phrase from the text rather than paraphrasing

Watch Out

A true/false answer with NO justification scores zero
Distractors in the audio mention the wrong number/date on purpose — listen to the end

French B Command Terms

Command terms tell you exactly what the examiner expects. Filter by Assessment Objective (AO).

Décris / DécrivezBuilds Message

Describe — give a detailed account. Set the scene, name what you see, and add specific detail (people, places, actions). Common in the oral when presenting a visual stimulus.

Explique / ExpliquezBuilds Message

Explain — give reasons and causes, not just facts. Use connectors such as "parce que", "car", "donc" and link your ideas clearly.

Compare / ComparezBuilds Message

Compare — bring out similarities and differences between two situations, viewpoints, or images, referring to both throughout ("tandis que", "contrairement à", "de même que").

Justifie / JustifiezBuilds Message

Justify — support your opinion with valid reasons or evidence. Show why your view holds, do not just assert it.

Donne ton avisBuilds Message

Give your opinion — state and develop a personal view using opinion phrases ("à mon avis", "je pense que", "je trouve que") followed by a reason.

Identifie / IdentifiezReceptive

Identify — pick out specific information from a listening or reading text. The answer is in the text; you are locating it, not inventing it.

Complète / ComplétezReceptive

Complete — fill the gap in Paper 2 with the exact word or short phrase from the text. Spelling, accents and agreement must be correct.

Vrai / FauxReceptive

True / False with justification — decide if the statement is true or false AND quote the words from the text that prove your choice. No justification = no mark.

Résume / RésumezReceptive

Summarise — give the main idea of a paragraph or audio in your own words, leaving out minor detail.

What Examiners Expect

Match your answer depth to the marks available.

Criterion A — Language /12Range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar

Example questions:

"A variety of tenses (present, perfect, imperfect, future, conditional)"
"Connectors and complex sentences that link ideas clearly"
"Accurate gender, adjective agreement, verb endings, and accents"

Show range AND control — a few ambitious structures with correct agreement beat lots of errors.

Criterion B — Message /12Ideas developed clearly and relevantly to the task

Example questions:

"Each idea supported with an example or reason"
"A clear line of argument or opinion, not a list"
"All parts of the task or stimulus addressed"

Develop, don’t list — take one idea and explain it rather than naming five in passing.

Criterion C — Conceptual /6Register, tone and text-type conventions

Example questions:

"Correct register (tu vs vous) for the audience"
"Text-type conventions: a blog, email, and speech each look different"
"Tone matched to purpose (persuade, inform, narrate)"

Decide audience and text type first — Conceptual marks are the easiest to lose by accident.

Oral Criterion C — Interactive /6Understanding and responding in the conversation

Example questions:

"Answering the question that was actually asked"
"Asking for clarification in French when needed"
"Keeping the exchange going with developed responses"

In the oral, never give one-word answers — always add a reason, opinion or example.

French B SL-Specific Skills

These concepts appear throughout French B SL exams. Master them to score higher.

Audience & register first

Before writing or speaking, decide WHO you are addressing and pick tu or vous. The whole task — greetings, verb forms, sign-off — flows from that one choice.

Tenses & agreement for Criterion A

Bank the core tenses (present, passé composé, imparfait, futur, conditionnel), and keep gender and adjective agreement correct. Range plus accuracy is what scores Language marks.

Develop, don’t list

For Message marks, take one idea and grow it with a reason and an example, rather than naming several ideas you never explain.

Listening: read first

Read every question before the audio begins so you know what to listen for. Each recording plays twice — use the first listen for gist, the second to confirm details.

Oral: extend every answer

In the individual oral, never stop at one word. Add an opinion, a reason, or a link to the French-speaking world — this lifts both Message and Interactive marks.

Common French B Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others' mistakes. These cost students marks every exam session.

Wrong register — mixing tu and vous

Choose one register for the audience and keep it consistent through greetings, verbs, and sign-off.

Gender and agreement slips

Learn each noun with its gender, and make adjectives and past participles agree in gender and number.

Listing ideas instead of developing them

Develop one idea fully with a reason and example — depth scores higher than a long list.

True/False answers with no justification

Always copy the exact words from the text that prove your true/false choice, or you score zero.

One-word answers in the individual oral

Extend every response with an opinion, reason, or example to gain Message and Interactive marks.

Forgetting accents and the right auxiliary

Keep é/è/ê/à/ç and choose avoir or être correctly in the passé composé — these are easy Criterion A marks.

Individual Oral (Internal Assessment)

25% of final grade • Approx. 12–15 minutes

A recorded conversation with your teacher. You present and interpret a visual stimulus (an image, advert, or infographic) linked to one of the five prescribed themes, then have a follow-up conversation about it and a wider discussion.

Marking Criteria

Criterion A: Language12 marks

Criterion B: Message12 marks

Criterion C: Interactive & receptive skills6 marks

Tips for Top Marks

Spend ~2 minutes describing the image, then interpret it — what is its message and theme?
Link the stimulus to the prescribed theme and to the French-speaking world
Never answer in one word — extend every response with a reason or example
Prepare connectors and opinion phrases so the conversation flows naturally
Listen to each question fully and answer what is actually asked (Criterion C)

Ready to Practice?

Apply these exam skills with our French B practice questions. Get instant AI feedback that shows exactly what scored marks and how to improve.

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IB French B Standard Level

French B SL Exam Skills & Techniques

Master the IB French B Standard Level exam. Learn paper structures, task command terms, marking criteria, and where to find easy marks.

150 teaching hours • 2 external papers • 1 internal oral

Start Practicing French B

French B SL Assessment at a Glance

25%

Paper 1

Writing • 1h15 • 250–400 words

50%

Paper 2

Listening + Reading

25%

Individual Oral

Internal • ~12–15 min

French B SL Paper Structure

Know exactly what to expect in each paper and how to maximize your marks.

Paper 1

Productive — Writing

1 hour 15 minutes•30 marks•25% of final grade

One written task of 250–400 words, chosen from three options that span the five prescribed themes. Each option specifies a text type (e.g. blog, email, speech, article, set of instructions).

What to expect:

You choose ONE task from three — pick the theme and text type you handle best

You must write 250–400 words in French; under-length answers are penalised

Marked on three criteria: A Language /12, B Message /12, C Conceptual /6 (= 30)

Key Tips

Decide your audience and register (tu vs vous) BEFORE you start writing
Plan the text-type conventions: a formal letter, blog, and speech each open and close differently
Use a range of tenses and connectors — and keep agreement and accents correct (this is what lifts Criterion A)

Easy Marks

Correct text-type layout: heading/greeting, body, sign-off (Criterion C)
Opinion phrases backed by a reason: "Je pense que… parce que…" (Criterion B)
Correct verb tenses, gender and adjective agreement, and accents (Criterion A)

Watch Out

Wrong register (mixing tu and vous) costs Conceptual marks
Listing ideas without developing them caps your Message score

Paper 2

Receptive — Listening & Reading

Listening ~45 min + Reading 1 hour•Objective answer key•50% of final grade

ListeningThree audio passages, each played twice — answer as you listen~45 minutes

ReadingSeveral authentic texts of increasing difficulty — answer all1 hour

What to expect:

Listening: three recordings, each played twice, drawn from across the themes

Reading: a set of authentic texts (articles, blogs, adverts, interviews)

Question types: multiple choice, true/false + justification, gap-fill, matching, short answer

Marked objectively against an answer key — there is one right answer per item

Key Tips

Read the questions BEFORE the audio starts so you know what to listen for
In Reading the text stays visible — locate and underline the evidence for each answer
For true/false, always copy the exact words that justify your choice

Easy Marks

Matching and multiple-choice items — eliminate the clearly wrong options first
Gap-fill: copy the word exactly, with correct spelling, accents and agreement
Short answers: lift the precise phrase from the text rather than paraphrasing

Watch Out

A true/false answer with NO justification scores zero
Distractors in the audio mention the wrong number/date on purpose — listen to the end

French B Command Terms

Command terms tell you exactly what the examiner expects. Filter by Assessment Objective (AO).

Décris / DécrivezBuilds Message

Describe — give a detailed account. Set the scene, name what you see, and add specific detail (people, places, actions). Common in the oral when presenting a visual stimulus.

Explique / ExpliquezBuilds Message

Explain — give reasons and causes, not just facts. Use connectors such as "parce que", "car", "donc" and link your ideas clearly.

Compare / ComparezBuilds Message

Compare — bring out similarities and differences between two situations, viewpoints, or images, referring to both throughout ("tandis que", "contrairement à", "de même que").

Justifie / JustifiezBuilds Message

Justify — support your opinion with valid reasons or evidence. Show why your view holds, do not just assert it.

Donne ton avisBuilds Message

Give your opinion — state and develop a personal view using opinion phrases ("à mon avis", "je pense que", "je trouve que") followed by a reason.

Identifie / IdentifiezReceptive

Identify — pick out specific information from a listening or reading text. The answer is in the text; you are locating it, not inventing it.

Complète / ComplétezReceptive

Complete — fill the gap in Paper 2 with the exact word or short phrase from the text. Spelling, accents and agreement must be correct.

Vrai / FauxReceptive

True / False with justification — decide if the statement is true or false AND quote the words from the text that prove your choice. No justification = no mark.

Résume / RésumezReceptive

Summarise — give the main idea of a paragraph or audio in your own words, leaving out minor detail.

What Examiners Expect

Match your answer depth to the marks available.

Criterion A — Language /12Range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar

Example questions:

"A variety of tenses (present, perfect, imperfect, future, conditional)"
"Connectors and complex sentences that link ideas clearly"
"Accurate gender, adjective agreement, verb endings, and accents"

Show range AND control — a few ambitious structures with correct agreement beat lots of errors.

Criterion B — Message /12Ideas developed clearly and relevantly to the task

Example questions:

"Each idea supported with an example or reason"
"A clear line of argument or opinion, not a list"
"All parts of the task or stimulus addressed"

Develop, don’t list — take one idea and explain it rather than naming five in passing.

Criterion C — Conceptual /6Register, tone and text-type conventions

Example questions:

"Correct register (tu vs vous) for the audience"
"Text-type conventions: a blog, email, and speech each look different"
"Tone matched to purpose (persuade, inform, narrate)"

Decide audience and text type first — Conceptual marks are the easiest to lose by accident.

Oral Criterion C — Interactive /6Understanding and responding in the conversation

Example questions:

"Answering the question that was actually asked"
"Asking for clarification in French when needed"
"Keeping the exchange going with developed responses"

In the oral, never give one-word answers — always add a reason, opinion or example.

French B SL-Specific Skills

These concepts appear throughout French B SL exams. Master them to score higher.

Audience & register first

Before writing or speaking, decide WHO you are addressing and pick tu or vous. The whole task — greetings, verb forms, sign-off — flows from that one choice.

Tenses & agreement for Criterion A

Bank the core tenses (present, passé composé, imparfait, futur, conditionnel), and keep gender and adjective agreement correct. Range plus accuracy is what scores Language marks.

Develop, don’t list

For Message marks, take one idea and grow it with a reason and an example, rather than naming several ideas you never explain.

Listening: read first

Read every question before the audio begins so you know what to listen for. Each recording plays twice — use the first listen for gist, the second to confirm details.

Oral: extend every answer

In the individual oral, never stop at one word. Add an opinion, a reason, or a link to the French-speaking world — this lifts both Message and Interactive marks.

Common French B Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others' mistakes. These cost students marks every exam session.

Wrong register — mixing tu and vous

Choose one register for the audience and keep it consistent through greetings, verbs, and sign-off.

Gender and agreement slips

Learn each noun with its gender, and make adjectives and past participles agree in gender and number.

Listing ideas instead of developing them

Develop one idea fully with a reason and example — depth scores higher than a long list.

True/False answers with no justification

Always copy the exact words from the text that prove your true/false choice, or you score zero.

One-word answers in the individual oral

Extend every response with an opinion, reason, or example to gain Message and Interactive marks.

Forgetting accents and the right auxiliary

Keep é/è/ê/à/ç and choose avoir or être correctly in the passé composé — these are easy Criterion A marks.

Individual Oral (Internal Assessment)

25% of final grade • Approx. 12–15 minutes

Marking Criteria

Criterion A: Language12 marks

Criterion B: Message12 marks

Criterion C: Interactive & receptive skills6 marks

Tips for Top Marks

Spend ~2 minutes describing the image, then interpret it — what is its message and theme?
Link the stimulus to the prescribed theme and to the French-speaking world
Never answer in one word — extend every response with a reason or example
Prepare connectors and opinion phrases so the conversation flows naturally
Listen to each question fully and answer what is actually asked (Criterion C)

Ready to Practice?

Apply these exam skills with our French B practice questions. Get instant AI feedback that shows exactly what scored marks and how to improve.

Start French B Practice Ask AI Tutor