Un nouvel élève : yes/no questions with inversion, intonation and 'est-ce que'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand and form questions in the present tense using intonation, inversion and 'est-ce que' to get to know somebody new.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Yes/no questions can be formed by raising the intonation at the end of the sentence.
- Yes/no questions can be formed by inversion, which means swapping the position of the subject and the verb.
- Yes/no questions can also be formed by adding est-ce que to a statement. Est-ce que becomes est-ce qu' before a vowel.
- In French there is no word for 'do/does' in yes/no questions.
Keywords
Intonation - rise and fall of the voice in speaking
Inversion - when the subject pronoun and the verb switch place to form a question
Est-ce que - a questioning device
Common misconception
When forming yes/no questions, we need to translate the English 'do' or 'does' into French.
There is no equivalent to 'do' or 'does' in French. Use inversion, intonation or 'est-ce que' to form yes/no questions.
Teacher tip
Model the different ways of forming questions in classroom talk. When asking the class a question, ask three times in quick succession with inversion, intonation and est-ce que, exposing pupils to all three. When a pupil asks a question, other pupils could repeat the question using the other forms.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the verbs to their English meaning.
Q2.Which of the following translate: Est-ce que tu dessines des animaux rares ?
Q3.Match the infinitives to the vocabulary.
Q4.Which is the first language of most people living in Quebec in Canada?
Q5.What is the negative form of 'il y a'?
Q6.Identify the short form of the verb in this statement: tu vas arriver en France.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the vocabulary to the English translation.
Q2.Yes/no questions in French can be formed using intonation, est-ce que or...
Q3.True or False? We directly translate the English 'do' or 'does' at the start of a yes/no question.
Q4.Make the statement into a question using 'est-ce que': tu danses.
Q5.Make this statement into a question using inversion: il est canadien.
Q6.Translate into French: Does he know Jean?
To help you plan your 10 French lesson on: Un nouvel élève : yes/no questions with inversion, intonation and 'est-ce que', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 French lesson on: Un nouvel élève : yes/no questions with inversion, intonation and 'est-ce que', 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 Travel and tourism: La France est belle! unit, dive into the full secondary French curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.