Present tense

Overview

Mastery of the present indicative tense is absolutely critical for success in the AQA GCSE French examination. It forms the bedrock of your ability to communicate in both the speaking (AO2) and writing (AO4) papers. Examiners expect candidates to demonstrate not just a theoretical knowledge of the rules, but the ability to apply them accurately and consistently under exam conditions. This guide will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the key conjugation patterns for regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs, a deep dive into the essential high-frequency irregular verbs (avoir, être, aller, faire), and a clear explanation of how to handle reflexive verbs and negative structures. By working through the examples and applying the exam techniques outlined here, you will build the confidence to manipulate the present tense effectively, securing the marks you deserve and laying the foundation for expressing more complex ideas.

Key Concepts: Conjugation

Regular -er, -ir, and -re Verbs

The majority of French verbs follow a predictable pattern. Once you learn the rules for these three groups, you can conjugate thousands of verbs.

**-er Verbs (e.g., parler - to speak)**This is the largest and most common group. To conjugate, remove the -er from the infinitive to find the stem (e.g., parl-) and add the correct ending: -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent. Note that the -e, -es, and -ent endings are all pronounced the same way, and the final consonant is silent.

**-ir Verbs (e.g., finir - to finish)**For regular -ir verbs, remove the -ir to find the stem (e.g., fin-) and add the appropriate ending: -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent. The 'nous' and 'vous' forms include the distinctive '-iss-' element, which is a key identifier of this group.

**-re Verbs (e.g., vendre - to sell)**For regular -re verbs, remove the -re to find the stem (e.g., vend-) and add the endings: -s, -s, nothing for il/elle/on, -ons, -ez, -ent. The absence of an ending for the third person singular is a critical point that candidates often miss.

High-Frequency Irregular Verbs

These verbs are the backbone of the French language and are used constantly. Their conjugations do not follow a regular pattern and must be memorized. Credit is heavily awarded for their correct use, and conversely, errors are heavily penalized. The four most important are:

Être (to be): je suis, tu es, il/elle est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont

Avoir (to have): j'ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont

Aller (to go): je vais, tu vas, il/elle va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont

Faire (to do/make): je fais, tu fais, il/elle fait, nous faisons, vous faites, ils/elles font

Examiners particularly note errors with the 'vous' form of 'faire' (faites, not faisez) and confusion between 'avoir' and 'être' in idiomatic expressions.

Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs describe an action the subject performs on itself (e.g., washing oneself, getting up). They are identified by the reflexive pronoun 'se' before the infinitive (e.g., se laver). When conjugating, the reflexive pronoun must agree with the subject and is placed before the verb. The pronouns are: me, te, se, nous, vous, se.

For example, 'se laver' (to wash oneself) conjugates as: je me lave, tu te laves, il/elle se lave, nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez, ils/elles se lavent. Omission of the reflexive pronoun is one of the most common errors and costs candidates easy marks.

Negative Formations

The most common negative structure is ne... pas. The ne is placed before the conjugated verb and the pas is placed after it. For example, Je parle (I speak) becomes Je ne parle pas (I do not speak). In the case of reflexive verbs, the ne comes before the reflexive pronoun: Je ne me lave pas (I do not wash myself). Other negative forms include ne... jamais (never), ne... plus (no longer), and ne... rien (nothing).

Exam Technique

Time Management

For speaking and writing tasks, candidates should allocate approximately 1 minute per mark for planning and execution. In the writing paper, the present tense will be required for at least one bullet point in both Foundation and Higher tiers. Identify the time frame immediately from the task rubric.

Decoding Command Words

In French GCSE, the command words in the task will guide you to the correct tense. If the bullet point asks 'what you do', 'what you usually do', 'your daily routine', or 'your hobbies', the present tense is required. Do not be tempted to switch to the past or future unless explicitly prompted.

Answer Structure for Writing

For a 90-word or 150-word writing task, structure your response with an introduction, development of each bullet point, and a brief conclusion. Ensure that each verb is correctly conjugated and that subject-verb agreement is maintained throughout. Examiners reward accuracy over ambition, so prioritize correct conjugation of simple verbs over attempting complex structures you are unsure of.

Common Pitfalls

Mixing up 'avoir' and 'être': English speakers often translate directly, leading to errors such as 'je suis 15 ans' instead of 'j'ai 15 ans'. Remember that age, hunger, thirst, and many other states use 'avoir' in French.

Omitting the reflexive pronoun: Writing 'je lave' instead of 'je me lave' is a frequent error. The reflexive pronoun is not optional.

Leaving the verb in the infinitive: After a subject pronoun, the verb must be conjugated. 'Je jouer au foot' is incorrect; it must be 'je joue au foot'.

Incorrect 'vous' form of 'faire': The correct form is 'vous faites', not 'vous faisez'. This is a classic error that examiners see repeatedly.

Failure to distinguish 'ils' and 'elles': While both translate as 'they', 'ils' is used for masculine or mixed groups, and 'elles' is used for exclusively feminine groups. The verb conjugation is the same, but the distinction matters for agreement of adjectives and past participles in other tenses.

Advanced Techniques for Higher Marks

Using 'depuis' + present tense: This structure is used to express an action that started in the past and is still continuing. For example, 'J'habite ici depuis dix ans' (I have lived here for ten years). This is a key discriminator for higher marks and demonstrates sophisticated manipulation of the tense.

Incorporating opinion verbs: Using verbs like 'je pense que' (I think that), 'je crois que' (I believe that), and 'je trouve que' (I find that) in the present tense allows you to introduce complex opinions and justifications, which are rewarded in the mark scheme.

Varying your vocabulary: Instead of always using 'je joue', try 'je pratique' (I practice) or 'je fais' (I do). This demonstrates a wider range of vocabulary and avoids repetition.

Named Example Bank

1. Age expression: 'J'ai quinze ans' (I am 15 years old) - uses 'avoir', not 'être'.
2. Daily routine: 'Je me lève à sept heures' (I get up at 7 o'clock) - reflexive verb with time expression.
3. Hobbies: 'Je joue au football le samedi' (I play football on Saturdays) - regular -er verb with definite article.
4. Family description: 'Mes parents travaillent à Londres' (My parents work in London) - third person plural agreement.
5. Opinion: 'Je pense que le français est intéressant' (I think that French is interesting) - opinion verb + subordinate clause.
6. Frequency: 'Je vais au cinéma une fois par mois' (I go to the cinema once a month) - irregular verb 'aller' with frequency expression.
7. Negative: 'Je ne mange jamais de viande' (I never eat meat) - negative structure with partitive article.

Quick Summary

• Regular -er verbs: Remove -er, add -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent (e.g., parler → je parle)
• Regular -ir verbs: Remove -ir, add -is, -is, -it, -issons, -issez, -issent (e.g., finir → je finis)
• Regular -re verbs: Remove -re, add -s, -s, nothing, -ons, -ez, -ent (e.g., vendre → je vends)
• Essential irregulars: être (je suis), avoir (j'ai), aller (je vais), faire (je fais)
• Reflexive verbs: Add reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) before the verb (e.g., je me lave)
• Negatives: Place 'ne' before the verb and 'pas' after (e.g., je ne parle pas)
• Advanced technique: Use 'depuis' + present tense to express duration (e.g., j'habite ici depuis dix ans)