What are the key words essential for B1 level French learners to build vocabulary

For B1 level French learners, the essential vocabulary typically includes a core set of frequently used words, collocations (common word combinations), and lexical bundles that are necessary for everyday communication and comprehension at an intermediate level. Key points for vocabulary building at B1 level are:

• Focus on lexical collocations: These are word pairs or groups that commonly occur together, such as noun-adjective or verb-noun combinations. B1 learners often find nomino-adjectival collocations more frequent and useful than verbal collocations, although the overall collocational competence is still developing at this stage. ²

• Include high-frequency lemmas: Core vocabulary lists used in learner textbooks cover a large portion of everyday vocabulary and serve as a base for language learners. These cover essential verbs, nouns, adjectives, and functional words necessary to express common ideas and situations. ⁹

• Utilize lexical bundles and common phrases: Recurring four-word and other multi-word expressions found in spoken and written French help learners acquire natural language chunks typical for their proficiency level. ¹²

• Emphasize semantic fields relevant for daily life: B1 learners build vocabulary around topics like food, travel, work, education, and social relationships to support practical communication.

• Include basic to intermediate everyday expressions and some idiomatic or sociolectal elements relevant for common contexts (though more informal or youth argot is less prioritized at this level). ¹⁰

In summary, essential B1 vocabulary consists of core high-frequency words, typical collocations, and multiword expressions that are useful for everyday interaction and comprehension. This vocabulary is often organized by theme and presented in learner textbooks and vocab profiles designed specifically for this level. ^{2, 9, 12}

References

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• Language learning and teaching – theory and practice

• Language learning and teaching — theory and practice

• The application of the less is more hypothesis in foreign language learning

• Ten Simple Rules for making a vocabulary FAIR

• LEMMATIZING TEXTBOOK CORPUS FOR LEARNER DICTIONARY OF BASIC VOCABULARY

• Common Youth Argot in Teaching of French as a Foreign Language in Higher Education

• Assisted Lexical Simplification for French Native Children with Reading Difficulties

• J’ai l’impression que: Lexical Bundles in the Dialogues of Beginner French Textbooks

• Evaluation informatisée du vocabulaire chez les enfants de 8 à 11 ans

• A French corpus annotated for multiword expressions and named entities

• Rousing Vocabulary: A Pioneering Approach to Stimulate Learners to Acquire EFL