New
New
Year 9

Childhood: then and now: key - RE and -IR verbs in the imperfect tense

Learning outcomes

I can describe things now compared to how they used to be in childhood.

I can distinguish between [ou] and [u].

New
New
Year 9

Childhood: then and now: key - RE and -IR verbs in the imperfect tense

Learning outcomes

I can describe things now compared to how they used to be in childhood.

I can distinguish between [ou] and [u].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. [ou] is pronounced as in 'nous'.
  2. [u] is pronounced as in 'tu'.
  3. Use 'un an' to count years + 'une année' to describe events or duration within a year.
  4. Use 'ans' with 'avoir' to describe age e.g. 'J'ai douze ans' and 'Quel âge as-tu ?' to ask someone's age.
  5. To form the imperfect tense (all verb groups), take the nous form of the present tense, remove –ons, add -ais or -ait.

Keywords

  • Imperfect tense - tense used to describe how things were or used to be in the past

Common misconception

The imperfect tense formation is different for ir/re verbs.

The imperfect tense is formed exactly the same way as with -er verbs. Take the present tense nous form, remove -ons and add the imperfect endings.


To help you plan your year 9 French lesson on: Childhood: then and now: key - RE and -IR verbs in the imperfect tense, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

During the vocabulary focus in the 2nd learning cycle, teachers may want to remind pupils about their personal word repertoire, and encourage them to add any words that are important to them to the place set aside for this.
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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.
Match these words to do with religion.

Correct Answer:foi,faith

faith

Correct Answer:laïcité,non-religiousness

non-religiousness

Correct Answer:musulman,Muslim

Muslim

Correct Answer:chrétien,Christian

Christian

Correct Answer:juif,Jewish

Jewish

Correct Answer:dieu,God

God

Q2.
Match the nous form of these verbs.

Correct Answer:nous construisons,we build

we build

Correct Answer:nous réfléchissons,we think about

we think about

Correct Answer:nous réagissons,we react

we react

Correct Answer:nous buvons,we drink

we drink

Correct Answer:nous vendons,we sell

we sell

Correct Answer:nous prenons,we take

we take

Q3.
Put the words in order to make the question, 'how old are you?'

1 - quel
2 - âge
3 - as
4 - -
5 - tu
6 - ?

Q4.
What is the French word for 'non-religiousness'?

quotidien
religion
liberté
Correct answer: laïcité
église

Q5.
How do you say 'free' (as in free/available to do something) in English?

Correct Answer: libre

Q6.
Which of the following means 'every year'?

tous les jours
tous les mois
Correct answer: tous les ans
tous les weekends
tous les jeudis

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Forming the imperfect tense. Put the stages in the correct order.

1 - take the present tense nous form
2 - remove -ons
3 - add the imperfect endings
4 - Je - ais, Tu - ais, Il/Elle - ait

Q2.
Which of the following means 'she used to believe'?

elle écrivait
elle prenait
Correct answer: elle croyait
elle appartenait
elle donnait

Q3.
Which are the correct translations of 'Je partais'?

Correct answer: I was leaving
I left
Correct answer: I used to leave
I leave
I am leaving

Q4.
Put the words in the correct order to explain what the people were doing yesterday. Start with 'je'

1 - je
2 - mangeais
3 - une glace
4 - mais
5 - elle
6 - mangeait
7 - une orange

Q5.
__________ appartenais à un club de danse mais __________ n’aimait pas danser. Chose the correct option to fill in the blanks.

Je / il
Elle / je
Je / je
Correct answer: J' / il
J' / tu

Q6.
J'ai passé deux en France. Add the missing word.

Correct Answer: ans

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