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100+ Free Higher French Practice Questions

Pass your Scottish Higher French (C830 76) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Question 1
Score: 0/0

La ___ est le principe de séparation entre l'État et les religions en France.

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Higher French Exam

130 marks

Total course marks (50+20+30+30)

Qualifications Scotland Course Specification C830 76

Grade C

Minimum pass grade

Qualifications Scotland grading

CEFR B1/B2

Target language level

SQA Higher modern languages alignment

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

Higher French is a linear qualification of three externally assessed question papers (Reading and Translation 50, Writing 20, Listening 30) plus an internally assessed Performance-talking (30). Candidates work at CEFR B1/B2 across the contexts Society, Learning, Employability and Culture.

Sample Higher French Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Higher French exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Choose the correct passé composé: Hier, j'___ au cinéma avec mes amis.
A.suis allé
B.ai allé
C.ai été allé
D.vais
Explanation: 'Aller' is a verb of motion conjugated with être in compound tenses. The past participle 'allé' agrees with the subject — masculine singular here gives 'je suis allé'.
2Quand j'étais jeune, je ___ tous les étés chez ma grand-mère.
A.passais
B.ai passé
C.passerai
D.passe
Explanation: The imparfait 'passais' describes a habitual or repeated action in the past ('every summer'). 'Quand j'étais jeune' signals a habitual past frame, so imparfait is required.
3Quand je suis arrivé à la gare, le train ___ déjà parti.
A.était
B.a
C.est
D.avait
Explanation: Plus-que-parfait expresses an action completed before another past action. 'Partir' takes être, so it is 'était parti' (3rd singular masc). The arrival is past; the leaving is further past.
4L'année prochaine, si tout va bien, je ___ mes études à Édimbourg.
A.commencerai
B.commencerais
C.commençais
D.ai commencé
Explanation: 'L'année prochaine' triggers futur simple. The 'si' clause uses présent ('si tout va bien'), so the main clause uses futur simple: 'commencerai' (1st singular, -er stem + ai).
5Quand tu arriveras chez moi, j'___ déjà ___ la cuisine.
A.aurai / fini
B.aurais / fini
C.avais / fini
D.ai / fini
Explanation: Futur antérieur ('aurai fini') expresses a future action completed before another future action. The other action ('quand tu arriveras') is in futur simple, signalling futur antérieur in the main clause.
6Si j'avais plus d'argent, je ___ en Afrique francophone.
A.voyagerais
B.voyagerai
C.voyageais
D.aurais voyagé
Explanation: Si + imparfait in the if-clause requires conditionnel présent in the main clause: si j'avais → je voyagerais. This expresses a hypothetical present/future situation.
7Si j'avais étudié davantage, j'___ le bac avec mention.
A.aurais obtenu
B.obtiendrais
C.obtenais
D.ai obtenu
Explanation: Si + plus-que-parfait in the if-clause requires conditionnel passé in the main clause: si j'avais étudié → j'aurais obtenu. This describes a hypothetical past (regret) situation.
8Il faut que tu ___ tes devoirs avant de sortir.
A.finisses
B.finis
C.finiras
D.finirais
Explanation: 'Il faut que' triggers the subjonctif présent. For 'finir' (2nd singular): 'finisses'. Verbs expressing necessity, doubt, will or emotion require the subjunctive in the dependent clause.
9Je ne pense pas qu'il ___ raison sur cette question politique.
A.ait
B.a
C.aura
D.avait
Explanation: Verbs of doubt or negation ('je ne pense pas que', 'je doute que') trigger subjonctif présent. For 'avoir' (3rd singular): 'ait'. The negation introduces uncertainty.
10Je suis content que tu ___ venu hier soir.
A.sois
B.es
C.as
D.étais
Explanation: Verbs of emotion ('être content que') trigger the subjunctive. With a past action, the subjonctif passé is used: 'sois venu' (auxiliary 'être' in subjunctive + past participle).

About the Higher French Exam

Higher French (course code C830 76) is the SCQF Level 6 modern language qualification awarded by Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA). It is the standard progression from National 5 French and is assessed across four skills (Reading, Writing, Listening, Talking) within the contexts of Society, Learning, Employability and Culture.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Paper 1: 1h 40m. Paper 2: 1h 30m. Paper 3: ~30m. Performance-talking: 12-15m (internal).

Passing Score

Grade C (50%) is the minimum award; A-D recorded, no award below D

Exam Fee

Entry fee set by centre (typically school-funded for S5-S6 candidates) (Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA))

Higher French Exam Content Outline

50 marks

Reading and Translation

Extended French text with comprehension and overall purpose questions in English, plus translation of an extract into accurate English. Topics range across the four contexts at greater depth than National 5.

20 marks

Writing

Discursive writing in French of 200-250 words responding to a stimulus from one of the four contexts. Requires complex tenses, opinion structures and accurate grammar at Higher level.

30 marks

Listening

Audio of a monologue followed by a conversation in French, played twice. Candidates answer comprehension, inference and tone-recognition questions in English.

30 marks

Performance — Talking

Internally assessed presentation on a chosen topic plus unprepared conversation with the teacher across at least two contexts; submitted with evidence to Qualifications Scotland for verification.

Contexts

Society, Learning, Employability, Culture

The four mandatory contexts cover politics, environment, immigration, media, education, careers, francophone culture and history, with vocabulary at CEFR B1/B2 level.

How to Pass the Higher French Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Grade C (50%) is the minimum award; A-D recorded, no award below D
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Paper 1: 1h 40m. Paper 2: 1h 30m. Paper 3: ~30m. Performance-talking: 12-15m (internal).
  • Exam fee: Entry fee set by centre (typically school-funded for S5-S6 candidates)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Higher French Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the full Higher tense system (passe compose, imparfait, plus-que-parfait, futur simple, conditionnel present and passe, subjonctif present) — they appear in every paper
2Build a bank of complex opinion phrases (je suis convaincu que, il est indispensable que + subjonctif, en ce qui me concerne, par ailleurs) for the Writing and Talking
3Listen to 5-10 minutes of authentic French daily (RFI, France Info, podcasts) to train your ear for the Listening paper pace
4Translate one short past-paper extract into English each week — focus on accuracy of register and idiom rather than word-for-word substitution
5Memorise 8-10 cultural facts on French politics, history, Francophonie and current affairs to deploy across all four skills

Frequently Asked Questions

Who awards Higher French in 2026?

From 1 February 2026, the awarding body is Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA). The course content, code (C830 76), and assessment structure are unchanged from the SQA specification.

What level is Higher French at?

Higher French sits at SCQF Level 6 and corresponds broadly to CEFR B1 with B2 elements. It is the standard university-entrance language qualification in Scotland and a progression from National 5 French (SCQF 5).

What contexts are studied in Higher French?

Higher French uses the same four contexts as National 5 — Society, Learning, Employability and Culture — but at greater depth, covering politics, immigration, environment, media, education systems, careers and francophone culture.

How is Higher French graded?

Higher French is graded A-D with Grade C (around 50%) the minimum award. The total course mark is out of 130: Reading and Translation 50, Writing 20, Listening 30 and Performance-talking 30.