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Year 11 - French

Un ado francophone : present tense, picture task (AQA)

Communication and the world around us: Révisions: la vie en francophonie

Unit Summary

This unit begins formal revision, with known grammar and vocabulary reactivated throughout. Pupils apply knowledge of regular and irregular verbs in the present, perfect and imperfect tenses, reflexive verbs, feminine and plural noun formations as well as revisiting articles and pronouns.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use regular and irregular verbs in the present tense to describe the life of a teenager.

Key Notes

  • -er verbs take the following endings in the present tense: je-e, tu-es, il/elle/on-e, nous-ons, vous-ez, ils/elles-ent.
  • Four groups of -re verbs are: verbs like entendre, verbs like prendre, verbs like traduire and verbs like écrire.
  • Four groups of -ir verbs are: verbs like choisir, verbs like partir, verbs like venir and verbs like ouvrir.
  • The verbs aller (to go), avoir (to have), être (to be) and faire (to do, make) are irregular in the present.
  • The verbs voir (to see), boire (to drink), croire (to believe) are also irregular in the present.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • simple present: describes habitual events in the present: 'I do'
  • present continuous: describes events happening right now: 'I am doing'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The present continous in English has a direct translation in French.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

-er verbs take the following endings in the present tense: je-e, tu-es, il/elle/on-e, nous-ons, vous-ez, ils/elles-ent. Four groups of -re verbs are: verbs like entendre, verbs like prendre, verbs like traduire and verbs like écrire.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'simple present'

describes habitual events in the present: 'I do'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: The present continous in English has a direct translation in French. Correction: Students need to take care to translate both the simple present and the present continous with the present tense in French e.g. I listen and I am listening are translated exactly the same way: j'écoute.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 11 French guide library.