Year 10 - French
Ils sont venus à Paris : Present perfect
Communication and the world around us: mon nouveau pays
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit examines the use of direct and indirect object pronouns in the past tense, infinitives used as nouns, and the perfect tense when used as the equivalent of the present perfect. Furthermore, pupils will meet the present tense with depuis, être en train de, and venir de + infinitive.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to recognise when to use the simple past and when to use the present perfect when translating French into English, in the context of arriving to live in a new country.
Key Notes
- The simple past is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (avoir or être) with a past participle.
- The present perfect is formed in the same way as the simple past, combining an auxiliary verb and a past participle.
- When translating into English, we need to think whether the simple past or the present perfect is the best translation.
Vocabulary To Learn
- auxiliary verb: a form of either 'avoir' or 'être' used to form the perfect tense
- past participle: a verb form that forms the perfect tense, together with the auxiliary verb
- simple past: a tense in English that describes things that happened and finished in the past
- present perfect: a tense in English that describes actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a connection to the present
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The perfect tense can only be translated as what happened in French.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
The simple past is formed by combining an auxiliary verb (avoir or être) with a past participle. The present perfect is formed in the same way as the simple past, combining an auxiliary verb and a past participle.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'auxiliary verb'
a form of either 'avoir' or 'être' used to form the perfect tense. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: The perfect tense can only be translated as what happened in French. Correction: The perfect tense refers to the past in two ways: what happened and what has happened. Context tells us the intended meaning. 'Hier, je suis allé en ville' - yesterday I went to town. 'Je suis déjà allé à Paris' - I have already been to Paris.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Des histoires diverses : Present tense with 'depuis' Study Guide
- Il faut agir : Infinitives as nouns Study Guide
- Il m'a aidé : Direct and indirect object pronouns in the past tense Study Guide
- La journée d'un jeune migrant : Extended writing and speaking Study Guide
- Mon voyage dangereux : Direct and indirect object pronouns in the past tense Study Guide
- Mon voyage dangereux : extended writing and speaking Study Guide
- Notre planète est en crise : infinitives as nouns, 'en train de' and 'venir de' Study Guide
- Un problème écologique : Extended writing and speaking, photo description Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 10 French guide library.