Quick facts — IB French
Two routes in the IB Diploma Programme: Language B (for learners with prior study, at HL and SL) and Language ab initio (for beginners, SL only). Both are assessed through Paper 1 (writing), Paper 2 (reading & listening), and an Individual Oral. Five prescribed themes structure the content. The current subject guide was first assessed in 2020.
Language B vs Ab Initio
The IB offers two French pathways. Language B is for students who have already studied French — typically 2–5 years of prior learning. It is offered at both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Language ab initio is for genuine beginners with little or no prior French, and is offered at SL only. Both are Group 2 subjects in the Diploma Programme.
The exit levels above are approximate IB guidance, not guarantees — actual outcomes depend on the student. HL adds two literary works studied in depth and expects more sophisticated text analysis and production. Choose the route that matches your real starting level; ab initio students who already speak some French should not enrol in it.
Assessment Structure
Both routes use the same three assessment components, but the weightings and task complexity differ. Language B weights productive and receptive skills with an internal oral assessment. Ab initio follows the same shape at a beginner level.
External vs internal
Paper 1 and Paper 2 are externally assessed. The Individual Oral is internally assessed by your teacher and externally moderated by the IB — your school conducts it, and the IB checks a sample to ensure marking is consistent worldwide.
The Five Prescribed Themes
All IB Language B and ab initio courses are organised around the same five themes. Every text, recording, writing prompt, and oral topic draws from them. Your vocabulary preparation should be mapped to these themes, not random wordlists.
Identities (Identités)
- l'identité
- la famille
- la santé
- les émotions
- le mode de vie
Personal identity, relationships, well-being.
Experiences (Expériences)
- le voyage
- le loisir
- les vacances
- l'aventure
- les souvenirs
Travel, leisure, stories, defining moments.
Human ingenuity (Ingéniosité humaine)
- la technologie
- l'art
- les inventions
- la science
- la création
Innovation, art, science, design.
Social organization (Organisation sociale)
- la société
- la loi
- l'éducation
- le travail
- les médias
Society, law, institutions, community.
Sharing the planet (Partage de la planète)
- l'environnement
- le climat
- la pollution
- la biodiversité
- les ressources
Environment, sustainability, global issues.
Paper 1 — Writing
Paper 1 is a single productive writing task. You choose one prompt from three and write a text type — such as an email, blog post, formal letter, article, or speech — for a specified audience and purpose. SL writes 250–400 words; HL writes 450–600 words. The mark scheme rewards communicative purpose, organisation, and language range and accuracy.
Text types you should master
Each text type has conventions. A formal letter needs a salutation, structured paragraphs, and a formal closing; a blog is more personal and uses direct address. Knowing the register and layout of each text type is a fast way to gain marks — examiners reward text-type accuracy separately from language.
Top-band writing in French B
To reach the top band, use at least three tenses (present, passé composé / imparfait, futur or conditionnel), varied connectors (cependant, en outre, par conséquent, tandis que), opinions with justification, and at least one complex structure — typically a subjunctive trigger (il faut que, bien que) or a relative clause (qui, que, dont). See our French subjunctive guide for the structures examiners reward.
Paper 2 — Reading & Listening
Paper 2 tests receptive skills through comprehension exercises on written texts and audio recordings drawn from the five themes. Reading passages include articles, adverts, blogs, and messages; listening includes conversations, announcements, interviews, and short extracts. Questions are a mix of multiple choice, matching, short answer, and gap-fill.
French audio is demanding: liaison (linked sounds between words), silent letters, and a faster natural pace than learner materials. The single most effective preparation is wide receptive vocabulary — hearing words you can recognise even if you have never produced them. Build this through French podcasts, YouTube, and music alongside past papers.
Reading & listening: vocabulary is the bottleneck
Comprehension speed is a function of vocabulary recognition speed. A candidate who recognises a word after half a second understands the sentence; one who pauses to recall it loses the thread. This is why the Lingaso app front-loads thematic vocabulary — it directly improves your Paper 2 score before you touch a single past paper.
The Individual Oral (IA)
The oral assessment has three parts. You select a visual stimulus (an image linked to a theme), prepare a short presentation, then discuss it with your teacher. This leads into a general conversation, and at HL a deeper discussion of the literary works. Preparation time is provided before the recorded conversation.
The most common scoring limit is minimal responses. A one-sentence answer, even if grammatically correct, caps your mark. Always extend: add an opinion, a reason, or a connection to a wider theme. Examiners reward interactive depth, not rehearsed monologues.
Extend every answer
Opinion: À mon avis, Je pense que, Pour moi, Il me semble que
Reason: parce que, grâce à, à cause de, c'est pourquoi
Extend: Non seulement... mais aussi, D'une part... d'autre part, En revanche
HL: The Literary Works
French B HL students study two literary works (a novel, play, or collection of short texts) in full. These appear in the oral assessment as an additional discussion section. The goal is not literary criticism in the literature-student sense — it is the ability to discuss characters, themes, and ideas in French.
The most efficient approach is to build a vocabulary bank for each work: characters, key events, themes, and a set of opinion-and-evaluation phrases. HL candidates who try to memorise essays underperform; those who can discuss the works flexibly with prepared vocabulary score consistently higher.
Scoring a 7
A grade 7 in IB French requires consistent top-band performance across all three components. The candidates who reach it share three habits: they organise vocabulary by theme, they write with range (not just accuracy), and they extend every oral answer.
The gap between a 6 and a 7 is rarely a knowledge gap — it is a range and depth gap. A 6 candidate knows the language; a 7 candidate uses it flexibly across contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take IB French B without prior study?
No. Language B assumes 2–5 years of prior French. Genuine beginners should take ab initio. Enrolling in B without the background is the most common reason students underperform — the course moves past basics quickly.
How does IB French compare to DELF?
They assess overlapping skills but for different purposes. IB French is a school qualification graded 1–7 within the Diploma Programme. DELF is a standalone French government proficiency diploma at a fixed CEFR level. A strong IB French B HL candidate is broadly comparable to DELF B2, but the formats differ. See our DELF & DALF guide.
Do I need to read literature for ab initio?
No. The two literary works are an HL-only requirement for Language B. Ab initio focuses on everyday and themed communicative language; it does not include set literary texts.
How many words do I need for IB French?
There is no published word count. As a guide, ab initio targets roughly A2 (~1,000–2,000 words), Language B SL roughly B1 (~2,000–3,500), and Language B HL roughly B2 (~3,500–5,000). Receptive vocabulary for reading and listening should be wider than your productive vocabulary for writing and speaking.