New
New
Year 9

Everyday activities: verbs with 'à' before the infinitive

Learning outcomes

I can discuss future activities using a range of two-verb structures.

I can confidently pronounce [ç/c].

New
New
Year 9

Everyday activities: verbs with 'à' before the infinitive

Learning outcomes

I can discuss future activities using a range of two-verb structures.

I can confidently pronounce [ç/c].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. [ç/c] is pronounced as in 'ici'
  2. Some verbs, like 'apprendre', 'aider' and 'commencer', form two-verb structures with 'à' followed by an infinitive.
  3. Opinion verbs, modal verbs and 'aller' don't require 'a'; they are followed directly by an infinitive.

Keywords

  • [ç/c] - pronounced as in 'ici'

  • Infinitive - form of the verb giving its general meaning

Common misconception

All two-verb sentences have à (to) before the infinitive.

Modal verbs, verbs of like/dislike and 'aller' are followed directly by an infinitive to form two-verb structures but some verbs form two-verb structures with 'à' + infinitive; for example, 'aider', 'apprendre' and 'commencer'.


To help you plan your year 9 French lesson on: Everyday activities: verbs with 'à' before the infinitive, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Phonics and vocabulary can be easily and usefully combined in 'register routines' whereby pupils are given a sound-symbol correspondence, e.g. [ç/c] and have to respond to the register with a French word containing that sound. Stipulating no repeated words keeps pupils listening to others, too.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the infinitives.

Correct Answer:aider,to help, helping

to help, helping

Correct Answer:apprendre,to learn, learning

to learn, learning

Correct Answer:choisir,to choose, choosing

to choose, choosing

Correct Answer:commencer,to start, starting

to start, starting

Correct Answer:devenir,to become, becoming

to become, becoming

Correct Answer:préférer,to prefer, preferring

to prefer, preferring

Q2.
Which of these verbs are in the infinitive?

Correct answer: donner
Correct answer: finir
finissent
choisissons
Correct answer: vendre

Q3.
What is the English for 'avenir'?

Correct Answer: future

Q4.
What is the French for 'or'?

mais
si
Correct answer: ou
et

Q5.
Match the parts of the verb 'faire'?

Correct Answer:je/tu,fais

fais

Correct Answer:elle/il,fait

fait

Correct Answer:nous,faisons

faisons

Correct Answer:vous,faites

faites

Correct Answer:elles/ils,font

font

Q6.
Translate 'I never do the washing up'.

Je ne fais pas la vaisselle
Je ne fais plus la vaisselle
Correct answer: Je ne fais jamais la vaisselle
Personne ne fait la vaisselle

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Which of these words are pronounced with a hard 'c'?

Correct answer: carte
glace
Correct answer: cochon
ici
cent

Q2.
Which of these words are pronounced with a soft 'c'?

Correct answer: glace
Correct answer: français
comment?
Correct answer: ici
cloche

Q3.
Put the words in order to make a sentence about what you are doing at the weekend.

1 - j'
2 - apprends
3 - à
4 - faire
5 - la
6 - cuisine

Q4.
Tu maman faire la cuisine ? Complete the question to mean: Do you help mum to do the cooking?

regardes / à
Correct answer: aides / à
aimes / à
penses / à
voudrais / à

Q5.
Which of these verbs do not require a preposition before an infinitive ?

commencer
Correct answer: vouloir
Correct answer: aimer
Correct answer: aller
apprendre

Additional material

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