This introduction covers Les verbes en -ir, -re et les modaux — The Final Pieces within Present tense: -ir, -re and modal verbs for GCSE French. Revise Present tense: -ir, -re and modal verbs in The 25 Core Verbs and the Present Tense for GCSE French with 15 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 1 of 4 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🧩 Les verbes en -ir, -re et les modaux — The Final Pieces
Once you know être, avoir, aller, faire, and regular -er verbs, you have covered the vast majority of French. The -ir and -re verb patterns fill the remaining gaps — verbs like finir (to finish), choisir (to choose), and vendre (to sell) follow predictable endings. Add the three modal verbs pouvoir, vouloir, and devoir (which you already know from T1), and your present-tense toolkit is complete.
Practice questions for Present tense: -ir, -re and modal verbs
What does 'finir' mean in English?
Which ending is correct for 'nous' with a regular -ir verb like 'finir'?
Quick recall flashcards
finir
to finish — regular -ir verb. je finis mes devoirs à six heures = I finish my homework at six o'clock.
vendre
to sell — regular -re verb. il vend des fruits au marché = he sells fruit at the market.