À table ! Partitive and indefinite articles, preverbal use of 'y' and 'en'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use indefinite and partitive articles accurately to describe food and drink quantities and I can recognise when 'y' and 'en' are used to shorten sentences.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- Use un/une (indefinite article) to describe whole things, and du/de la/de l' (partitive article) for parts of things.
- Uncountable nouns, such as water or money, do not have a plural form. They are used with the partitive article.
- 'Y' can replace 'à' + [a place] to mean 'there', e.g. 'elle y va demain'.
- 'En' can replace 'de' + noun and can mean '(of) it/them', e.g. 'j'aime la confiture, j'en mange tous les jours'.
- [en] is pronounced as in ‘enfant’.
Keywords
Y - indirect object pronoun meaning 'there', used to replace à + place
En - indirect object pronoun meaning ‘(of) it/them’, used to replace 'de' + noun
Common misconception
The pronouns 'y' and 'en' go after the verb, as 'there' and 'of it/them' do in English.
'Y' and 'en' go before the verb in a present tense sentence e.g. 'elle y va' and 'elle en boit'.
Teacher tip
Learning cycle 2 teaches Higher-level grammar. Foundation students might find it useful to recognise the uses of 'y' and 'en' but teachers may prefer not to use some or all of the practice tasks with their students in this cycle and give further practice of articles.
Equipment
Mini whiteboards and pens are useful if available.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a cognate?
Q2.Which of these French words is not a cognate?
Q3.Match the French words to their English meanings.
to order, ordering
to eat, eating
bread
milk
fish
Q4.Put the following French food-related words in order from starter to dessert in a typical meal. Start with déjeuner.
Q5.Match the forms of the partitive article.
du
de la
de l'
des
Q6.Translate to French : I would like some fish.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which word means "chips" in French?
Q2.Match each French word to its English meaning.
vegetable
food
chicken
quantity
pastries
chocolate
Q3.Put the words in the correct order to make the sentence: I drink some every morning.
Q4.Which sentence is correct when talking about eating part of something?
Q5.Rewrite the sentence using 'y' to say 'She goes there: Elle va au marché'
Q6.Which sentence is correct in French?
To help you plan your 11 French lesson on: À table ! Partitive and indefinite articles, preverbal use of 'y' and 'en', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 French lesson on: À table ! Partitive and indefinite articles, preverbal use of 'y' and 'en', 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: Des pays francophones unit, dive into the full secondary French curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.