New
New
Year 9

Shopping: direct object pronoun contraction 'l''

Learning outcomes

I can form sentences with the direct object pronouns 'le', 'la' and 'l'' in the context of shopping.

I can recognise and pronounce the consonant clusters [th] and [ch].

New
New
Year 9

Shopping: direct object pronoun contraction 'l''

Learning outcomes

I can form sentences with the direct object pronouns 'le', 'la' and 'l'' in the context of shopping.

I can recognise and pronounce the consonant clusters [th] and [ch].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. The English 'th' sound does not exist in French. In French the SSC (sound-symbol correspondence) [th] makes a 't' sound.
  2. The French [ch] does not make the same sound as the English 'ch'. In French, the SSC [ch] makes a 'sh' sound.
  3. A direct object is a noun that receives the action of the verb. It answers either what? or whom?
  4. Using the direct object pronoun 'it' to replace a masculine noun we use 'le'; to replace a feminine noun we use 'la'.
  5. Direct object pronouns go before the verb; 'le' and 'la' shorten to 'l’ ' before a verb starting with a vowel or 'h'.

Keywords

  • [th] - SSC (sound-symbol correspondence) pronounced as in 'thé'

  • [ch] - SSC (sound-symbol correspondence) pronounced as in 'chocolat'

  • Direct object pronoun - replaces the noun receiving the action of the verb e.g. me, you, it, them: il me regarde - he is looking at me

  • Le, la, l' - direct object pronoun meaning 'it', 'him' or 'her' in the masculine and feminine forms: je la trouve, I am finding it/her

Common misconception

The direct object pronouns 'le' and 'la' change to 'l' ' if the noun starts with a vowel or a 'h': Je lis l'histoire.

The direct object pronouns 'le' and 'la' change to 'l' ' if the verb starts with a vowel or a 'h', not the noun: J'achète le chapeau - je l'achète.


To help you plan your year 9 French lesson on: Shopping: direct object pronoun contraction 'l'', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

As an extension activity in cycle 2, ask pupils to write their own 'histoire bizarre' using all of the revisited vocabulary words.
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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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the multiples of 10 in the correct order. Start at 40.
1 - quarante
2 - cinquante
3 - soixante
4 - soixante-dix
5 - quatre-vingts
6 - quatre-vingt-dix
7 - cent
Q2.
Which number is missing from the sequence? Quatre-vingt-quinze, Quatre-vingt-seize, Quatre-vingt-dix-sept, Quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, cent.
96
Correct answer: 98
100
99
90
Q3.
Match the continents.
Correct Answer:l'Afrique,Africa

Africa

Correct Answer:l'Europe,Europe

Europe

Correct Answer:l'Asie,Asia

Asia

Correct Answer:l'Antarctique,Antarctica

Antarctica

Correct Answer:l'Amérique du Sud,South America

South America

Correct Answer:l'Océanie,Australia

Australia

Q4.
Match the shopping vocabulary.
Correct Answer:acheter,to buy, buying

to buy, buying

Correct Answer:livrer,to deliver, delivering

to deliver, delivering

Correct Answer:payer,to pay, paying

to pay, paying

Correct Answer:cout,cost

cost

Correct Answer:client,customer

customer

Correct Answer:marque,brand

brand

Q5.
Give the French for 'shopping centre'.
Correct Answer: centre commercial, un centre commercial
Q6.
Je paye les billets de cinéma. Which of these words can be spelt in 2 ways? Both are correct.
Correct Answer: paye, payer, paie

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the words in the correct order so that the direct object pronoun is in the right place.
1 - il
2 - la
3 - prend
Q2.
Je paie le repas. How would we say 'I am paying for it'?
Correct Answer: Je le paie, Je le paye
Q3.
Je trouve la clé = I find the key. How would you say, 'I find it' in French?
Correct Answer: Je la trouve
Q4.
When le and la come before a verb beginning with a vowel or h, they are shortened to ?
Correct Answer: l'
Q5.
How do you say 'I like it' in French?
Correct Answer: Je l'aime
Q6.
What sound does the French SSC [ch] make?
In French, the SSC [ch] makes a 'ss' sound.
Correct answer: In French, the SSC [ch] makes a 'sh' sound.
In French, the SSC [ch] makes a 'say' sound.
In French, the SSC [ch] makes a 'ch' sound.

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