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Year 8 - Spanish

A party: simple present for immediate plans

Comparing what people do: -ER and -IR verbs

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn to form the first person plural form of -er and -ir verbs, and the third person plural 'hacen'. They learn English has two translations of the Spanish present tense - present simple and continuous. Spanish subject pronouns are introduced. Stressed syllables are introduced.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use present tense verbs to write about preparations for a party.

Key Notes

  • Applying knowledge about syllable stress reminds us how to pronounce words we have not used for some time.
  • Recalling vocabulary with a partner is very effective, especially if we can support each other with accurate stress.
  • Conjugated verbs in the present tense have different stress from their infinitives.
  • Spanish uses the simple present for habitual actions, e.g. 'Siempre hago' - 'I always do'.
  • Spanish also uses the simple present for today's immediate plans, e.g. 'Hoy hago' - 'Today I am doing'.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • syllable stress: pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word
  • conjugated verb: verb changed to match its subject and tense
  • simple present: verb changed to match its subject and tense

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The simple present tense in Spanish is only for habitual actions, e.g. 'every week I do my homework'.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Applying knowledge about syllable stress reminds us how to pronounce words we have not used for some time. Recalling vocabulary with a partner is very effective, especially if we can support each other with accurate stress.

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

pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: The simple present tense in Spanish is only for habitual actions, e.g. 'every week I do my homework'. Correction: The simple present in Spanish is used for habitual actions and immediate plans. '¿Qué haces hoy?' translates as 'What are you doing today?' - 'Hoy hago mis deberes.' 'Today I'm doing my homework'. English uses the present continuous here instead.

More Lessons In This Unit

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