Year 8 - French
In Paris: 'vouloir' and 'devoir'
New places: modal verbs, aller + infinitive, negation
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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 consolidate their knowledge of modal verbs devoir, vouloir, pouvoir and savoir in the present tense singular forms. They also revisit aller with infinitive to express future intention and revisit question formation and negation in two-verb structures.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use two-verb structures and adverbs to talk about Paris.
Key Notes
- [ai] is pronounced as in 'vrai' and [i] as in 'midi'. Both are oral vowel sounds.
- Devoir, pouvoir, savoir and vouloir are modal verbs, they are usually followed by a second verb in the infinitive form.
- Savoir and pouvoir both mean 'can' but 'savoir' is used for activities requiring specific skills, knowing 'how to' do.
- In two-verb structures with infinitives, 'how' and 'how often' adverbs come before the infinitive.
- In negative sentences with two-verb structures with infinitives, ne ...pas surrounds the first verb, before the adverb.
Vocabulary To Learn
- [ai]: pronounced as in 'vrai'
- [i]: pronounced as in 'midi'
- modal verb: verb of necessity or possibility used with a 2nd verb in infinitive e.g., must, can, want
- adverb: word that describes a verb or an adjective
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Adverbs have the same word order in French as they do in English in two-verb sentences.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
[ai] is pronounced as in 'vrai' and [i] as in 'midi'. Both are oral vowel sounds. Devoir, pouvoir, savoir and vouloir are modal verbs, they are usually followed by a second verb in the infinitive form.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. '[ai]'
pronounced as in 'vrai'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: Adverbs have the same word order in French as they do in English in two-verb sentences. Correction: Adverbs that tell us 'how' and 'how often' come before the infinitive e.g. 'Elle peut souvent visiter les musées'. 'Tu ne peux pas encore visiter Alger.'.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 8 French guide library.