Year 7 - French
What you can and can't do: 'pouvoir' and 'savoir' singular persons
Summer activities: modal verbs in two-verb structures
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils extend their knowledge of two-verb structures as modal verbs with dependent infinitives are introduced. 'Devoir' 'vouloir' and 'pouvoir' in singular persons are taught so pupils can express what they want to, have to and can do on holidays. SSCs -ien and -tion are revisited.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use the modal verbs 'pouvoir' and 'savoir' in the singular persons to say what summer activities you can do.
Key Notes
- [ien] sounds like 'bien'
- Use 'pouvoir' to talk about ability or permission; use 'savoir' to talk about skills or things you have learned to do.
- 'Pouvoir' changes to 'peux' in the first and second persons singular and 'peut' in the 3rd person singular.
- 'Savoir' changes to 'sais' in the first and second persons singular and 'sait' in the 3rd person singular.
- If modal verbs are followed by another verb it must be in the infinitive form.
Vocabulary To Learn
- [ien]: pronounced as in 'bien'
- modal verbs: verb of necessity or possibility used with a 2nd verb in infinitive e.g., must, can, want
- pouvoir: modal verb meaning 'to be able to, can'
- savoir: modal verb meaning 'to know how to, can'
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- There is one verb for 'can' in French like in English.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
[ien] sounds like 'bien'. Use 'pouvoir' to talk about ability or permission; use 'savoir' to talk about skills or things you have learned to do.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. '[ien]'
pronounced as in 'bien'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: There is one verb for 'can' in French like in English. Correction: The verb for 'can' changes depending on whether you need specific skills/knowledge to be able to do it. If not, use 'pouvoir', if it does, use 'savoir'.
More Lessons In This Unit
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