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      Des histoires diverses : Present tense with 'depuis'

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can understand different life experiences of people living in countries where French is spoken.

      Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

      Key learning points

      1. 'Depuis' can mean 'since' or 'for' in English.
      2. To talk about something that started in the past but continues today, we use the present tense + 'depuis'.
      3. The SSC [ui] in 'depuis' sounds like 'huit'.
      4. It's important to pay attention to French sounds and pronunciation rules such as liaison as you read aloud.

      Keywords

      • Depuis - for, since

      • [ui] - as pronounced in 'huit'

      • Liaison - pronouncing a usually silent final consonant because a word starting with a vowel follows

      Common misconception

      When using 'depuis' (for, since), sentences are framed in the past in French.

      In French, when using 'depuis' to describe an action that started in the past but continues today, frame the sentence in the present tense.

      Teacher tip

      Practice task B2 has Option 1 (Higher version) and Option 2 (Foundation version). The version that is filmed is the Higher version so you may wish to pause the video here and direct each student to complete the task version appropriate to their level.

      Equipment

      Mini whiteboard and pen.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), 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

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Match the French words with their English meanings.

      Correct Answer:l'espoir,hope
      Correct Answer:l'occasion,chance, opportunity
      Correct Answer:vivre,to live, living
      Correct Answer:l'étage,floor
      Correct Answer:depuis,for, since

      Q2.
      Match the parts of 'avoir' with the subject pronouns.

      Correct Answer:j',ai
      Correct Answer:tu,as
      Correct Answer:il, elle, on,a
      Correct Answer:nous,avons
      Correct Answer:vous,avez
      Correct Answer:ils, elles,ont

      Q3.
      Write the past participle of 'écrire.

      Correct Answer: écrit

      Q4.
      Which word is missing from this French sentence? 'Nous écrit une lettre au Président.' We wrote a letter to the President.

      Correct Answer: avons

      Q5.
      Which verb is used as the auxiliary verb with 'aller' in the perfect tense?

      Correct Answer: être

      Q6.
      Which translations can be correct for this sentence? 'J'ai choisi d'aller à l'université en octobre.'

      I am choosing to go to university in October.
      I will choose to go to university in October.
      Correct answer: I have chosen to go to university in October.
      Correct answer: I chose to go to university in October.
      I choose to go to university in October.

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      What is meant by the term 'liaison' in French phonics?

      Agreement of adjectives with the gender and number of the noun.
      Correctly pronouncing of all Sound Symbol Correspondences (SSCs) when speaking.
      Correct answer: Pronouncing Silent Final Consonant (SFC) when the next word starts with a vowel.
      Knowing that [ui] sounds like in the word 'depuis'.

      Q2.
      Match the French words with their English translations.

      Correct Answer:l'aide,help
      Correct Answer:le droit,right
      Correct Answer:le retard,delay
      Correct Answer:la durée,length, duration
      Correct Answer:lourd,heavy
      Correct Answer:sauf,except

      Q3.
      Which tense should be used when writing or saying a sentence about how long you have been doing something?

      Correct Answer: present

      Q4.
      Which verb phrase is missing from this sentence? ' la nouvelle saison depuis juillet.' I have been waiting for the new season since July.

      Correct Answer: j'attends

      Q5.
      'Mettre' means to put or to put on. Complete this sentence: ' mon manteau.' I have already put my coat on.

      Correct Answer: j'ai déjà mis

      To help you plan your 10 French lesson on: Des histoires diverses : Present tense with 'depuis', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...