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Year 8 - French

Language learning: -re verbs like 'prendre' 3rd person plural

Language learning: plural -RE verbs in the present

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils consolidate and extend their knowledge of -re verbs, examining verbs like entendre, lire and écrire in the present tense. Verbs with à or de before a noun are also revisited together with intonation and inversion question formation with and without question words.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use verbs like 'prendre' in the 3rd persons to talk about learning a language.

Key Notes

  • [r] is pronounced as in 'rue', in the back of your throat to make a raspy sound, which is different to English 'r'.
  • To make the third person plural of verbs like 'prendre', add the ending -ent to the stem 'prenn' - 'ils/elles prennent'.
  • 'Prend' is pronounced as in 'enfant', a nasal vowel, whereas 'prennent' is an oral vowel because of the double 'n'.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • [r]: pronounced as in 'rue'
  • prennent: part of the verb 'prendre', meaning '(they) take'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The 3rd persons singular and plural of 'prendre' sound the same, both end with silent letters.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

[r] is pronounced as in 'rue', in the back of your throat to make a raspy sound, which is different to English 'r'. To make the third person plural of verbs like 'prendre', add the ending -ent to the stem 'prenn' - 'ils/elles prennent'.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. '[r]'

pronounced as in 'rue'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: The 3rd persons singular and plural of 'prendre' sound the same, both end with silent letters. Correction: The pronunciation of 'prend' and 'prennent' is different. 'Prend' contains [en] like in 'enfant' whereas 'prennent' is an oral vowel.

More Lessons In This Unit

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