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Weekday routine: inversion questions, negation

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can use inversion and negation to ask and answer questions about my everyday activities.

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. Change statements into questions in French with raised intonation; a question word at the end gets more information.
  2. More formal inversion yes/no questions swap subject and verb; question words go at the start of information questions.
  3. For negation meaning 'not', put ne … pas around the first verb in a sentence; ne shortens to n' before a vowel.
  4. To develop productive skills, keep a bank of vocabulary with words from texts, glossaries or the dictionary.

Keywords

  • Intonation - rise and fall of the voice in speaking

  • Inversion - when the subject pronoun and the verb switch place to form a question

  • Negation - two elements e.g. ne … pas around the main verb expressing negative meaning

Common misconception

If you use inversion and add a question word, you don't need to change your intonation.

Even when using inversion and/or question words, still raise your voice at the end of a sentence in French when asking a question.

Teacher tip

Activity 2a could be extended as a speaking or writing exercise where students make all the sentences questions with question words. You could encourage students to have part of their books/folders where they have their own list of vocabulary they add to when lessons mention 'personal repertoire'.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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.
Which word describes the rise and fall of the voice in speaking?

infinitive
Correct answer: intonation
inversion
liaison
preposition

Q2.
What does the question word 'quoi' mean?

Correct answer: what
when
where
which
who

Q3.
What is the present tense verb ending for 'ils/elles'?

-e
-es
-ons
-ez
Correct answer: -ent

Q4.
Order the words to say: 'I'm listening to the radio and she is watching TV'.

1 - j'
2 - écoute
3 - la radio
4 - et
5 - elle
6 - regarde
7 - la télé

Q5.
Write the French word for 'why'.

Correct Answer: pourquoi

Q6.
Add the missing word: 'There isn't a solution.' - 'Il n'y a pas de .'

Correct Answer: solution

6 Questions

Q1.
What does the question word 'quel(le)' mean?

how
what
where
when
Correct answer: which

Q2.
Match the conjunctions in French and English.

Correct Answer:et,and

and

Correct Answer:mais,but

but

Correct Answer:quand,when

when

Correct Answer:parce que,because

because

Correct Answer:aussi,also

also

Correct Answer:ou,or

or

Q3.
Order the words to say: 'Normally, I don't arrive late.'

1 - normalement
2 - je
3 - n'
4 - arrive
5 - pas
6 - en
7 - retard

Q4.
Order the words to say: 'The children are showing the answer to the teacher'.

1 - les enfants
2 - montrent
3 - la réponse
4 - à
5 - la professeure

Q5.
Use intonation to ask: 'Do you like history?'

Correct Answer: Tu aimes l'histoire ?

Q6.
Use inversion and 'tu' as the subject to ask: 'When do you changes?'

Correct Answer: Quand arrives-tu ?

To help you plan your 8 French lesson on: Weekday routine: inversion questions, negation, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...