Des monuments commémoratifs : contraction of definite article after 'à'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can apply rules about the contraction of definite articles after ‘à’ in the context of commemorating historical events.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Words ending in a consonant + -le(s) or consonant + -re(s) stress the vowel before the consonant, e.g., 'terrible'.
- 'à' + definite article combine to make au/à la/à l’ or aux, depending on the gender, quantity and spelling of the noun.
- 'à' can be translated as 'at', 'to', 'in' and 'on' depending on its place and use in the sentence.
- Conflict and independence movements in Algeria and Senegal shaped their identities and relations with France.
Keywords
Stress - pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word
À - preposition meaning ‘at’, ‘to’, ‘in’, ‘on’ or 'about'
Definite article - the words 'le', 'la', 'les' and 'l’', meaning ‘the’
Common misconception
'à' is always translated as 'to' or 'at'.
'à' can be translated as 'to', 'at', 'in', 'on' or 'about', depending on the context. Particular care should be taken with verbs followed by 'à', e.g., 'réfléchir à' could be translated as 'to think about' or 'to reflect on'.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to think about stress patterns when reading aloud in class and during speaking activities. Pupils could gain points for recognising the different stress patterns needed in multisyllable words ending in a consonant + re(s) or -le(s).
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the French vocabulary below to the correct English translations.
beginning
end
brief
writer
state
independence
Q2.A definite article is a word that means ...
Q3.What does the preposition 'à' mean in the following sentence? 'Je vais à l'église.'
Q4.How could you translate the following sentence? 'Je suis au musée.'
Q5.Read the following words: 'liberté', 'période', 'sentiment'. On which syllable is there a slight emphasis?
Q6.In which continent are Algeria (l'Algérie) and Senegal (le Sénégal)?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When 'à' is followed by 'le', what do they combine to make?
Q2.When 'à' is followed by 'les', what do they combine to make?
Q3.True or false? The preposition 'à' is always translated as 'to'.
Q4.When pronouncing French words, the stress moves to the vowel(s) before the consonant when ...
Q5.Read the words below aloud. Which is the odd one out?
Q6.What is the correct translation of the following sentence? 'Amir thinks about the history of Algeria.'
To help you plan your 10 French lesson on: Des monuments commémoratifs : contraction of definite article after 'à', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 French lesson on: Des monuments commémoratifs : contraction of definite article after 'à', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 French lessons from the Communication and the world around us: 'La France est belle !' unit, dive into the full secondary French curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.