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Year 4 - French

My monster: 'il y a' and 'il a'

Introductions: singular 'être', 'avoir', and regular adjectives

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils embed vowel and other sounds. They secure numbers 1-12 and essential verbs to be, to have and there are, describing themselves, friends and a monster. Pupils learn that 'avoir' also means 'be' for ages and states, enabling them to say with more precision how they feel.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use 'il y a' and 'il a' with 'des' and numbers 1-12 to say how many.

Key Notes

  • Numbers 1-12 go before nouns to indicate how many there are.
  • The indefinite article des is the French word for the determiner some.
  • When 'des', 2, 3 and 10 are followed by a noun beginning with a vowel, the -s and -x are pronounced; this is liaison.
  • 'Il y a' means both there is and there are; 'il a' means 'he, it has'.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • des: plural indefinite article meaning some
  • liaison: pronouncing a usually silent final consonant when followed by a vowel, e.g. trois oreilles
  • il y a: irregular verb phrase meaning 'there is' or 'there are'
  • il a: from the French verb 'avoir', meaning 'he has'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • 'Il y a' and 'il a' can both be used to say what there is/are.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Numbers 1-12 go before nouns to indicate how many there are. The indefinite article des is the French word for the determiner some.

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

plural indefinite article meaning some. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: 'Il y a' and 'il a' can both be used to say what there is/are. Correction: 'Il y a' and 'il a' sound similar but have different meanings. 'Il y a' means 'there is' or 'there are' and 'il a' means 'he has'.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 French guide library.