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Numbers: 'il y a', liaison

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can use numbers 1-12 with nouns and ‘avoir’ to talk about how many I and others have.

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. When numbers 2, 3 and 10 are followed by a noun beginning with a vowel, the -s and -x are pronounced; this is liaison.
  2. Adding -s to nouns makes them plural.
  3. Contrasting ‘il y a’ and ‘il a’ for practice helps to distinguish between them.

Keywords

  • Liaison - pronouncing a usually silent final consonant because a word starting with a vowel follows

  • Plural noun - a word that refers to more than one person, place or thing

  • Il y a - irregular verb phrase meaning 'there is' or 'there are'

  • Avoir - French verb meaning 'to have, having'

  • Il a - from the French verb 'avoir', meaning 'he has'

Common misconception

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

'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'.

Teacher tip

Use numbers at any opportunity within the classroom, for both social and organisational interactions.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What sound is in the French word for 'three'?

[o]
[i]
[eu]
[e]
Correct answer: [oi]

Q2.
Which number is missing from the following series? 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

un
deux
trois
Correct answer: quatre
cinq

Q3.
Put these numbers in order, starting with the smallest number.

1 - deux
2 - quatre
3 - six
4 - huit
5 - dix
6 - douze

Q4.
Make the following noun plural: 'chat'

Correct Answer: chats, 'chats'

Q5.
Which of these statements is correct?

Correct answer: The 's' at the end of a plural noun is silent.
The 's' at the end of a plural noun in pronounced.
The 's' at the end of a plural noun changes intonation: the voice must go up.

Q6.
How do you say 'there is' or 'there are' in French?

Correct Answer: Il y a, 'Il y a'

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the French words below to the correct English translations.

Correct Answer:avec,with

with

Correct Answer:mais,but

but

Correct Answer:et,and

and

Correct Answer:tous les jours,everyday

everyday

Q2.
Choose the correct answer for the following maths problem: 5 + 2 = __________.

quatre
cinq
six
Correct answer: sept
huit

Q3.
Fill in the gap: 'dix, neuf, , sept, six, cinq'.

Correct Answer: huit

Q4.
In which of these phrases do you hear the 's' in 'trois' ?

trois chats
Correct answer: trois enfants
Correct answer: trois oranges
trois peluches
Correct answer: trois exercises

Q5.
Select which numbers have a liaison when followed by a noun beginning with a vowel.

Correct answer: deux
quatre
Correct answer: six
Correct answer: trois
Correct answer: dix

Q6.
Match the French words below to the correct English translations.

Correct Answer:j'ai,I have

I have

Correct Answer:tu as,you have

you have

Correct Answer:il a,he has

he has

Correct Answer:elle a,she has

she has

Correct Answer:il y a ,there is/are

there is/are


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