New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Avant de passer un examen : prepositions with the infinitive

Learning outcomes

I can understand and give advice using 'sans', 'pour' and 'avant de' plus the infinitive.

I can recognise, write and pronounce consonants [th], [j], [gn] and [h].

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Avant de passer un examen : prepositions with the infinitive

Learning outcomes

I can understand and give advice using 'sans', 'pour' and 'avant de' plus the infinitive.

I can recognise, write and pronounce consonants [th], [j], [gn] and [h].

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. [j] sounds like 'jour', [th] sounds like 'thé', [gn] sounds like 'ligne' and [h] sounds like 'heure.'
  2. sans (without) and pour (for) are prepositions which can be followed immediately by the infinitive.
  3. avant (before) is followed by 'de' and the infinitive and is translated as 'before doing'.

Keywords

  • Preposition - a word that is used before a noun, a noun phrase or a pronoun, connecting it to another word

  • Infinitive - form of the verb giving it general meaning, with no subject or tense

Common misconception

French uses the present participle after the preposition 'sans'.

'Sans' is followed by an infinitive in French where in English the present participle would be used e.g. without knowing, without looking.


To help you plan your year 11 french lesson on: Avant de passer un examen : prepositions with the infinitive, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students might enjoy working in pairs or small groups after the feedback for Task A2 and seeing who can pronounce the tongue twisters the best.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Mini whiteboards and pens would be useful, if available.

Licence

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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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is an infinitive?
je mange
nous parlons
Correct answer: manger
tu as
Q2.
What is the English translation of 'pour'?
with
about
Correct answer: for
after
Q3.
Match the French preposition to its English meaning.
Correct Answer:sans,without

without

Correct Answer:pour,for

for

Correct Answer:avant de,before

before

Correct Answer:avec,with

with

Correct Answer:en,by

by

Correct Answer:dans,in

in

Q4.
Which of these prepositions is followed by 'de' before an infinitive?
sans
pour
Correct answer: avant
avec
Q5.
How would you translate 'without improving' using 'sans'?
Correct Answer: sans améliorer
Q6.
Match the French vocabulary word to its English meaning.
Correct Answer:améliorer,to improve, improving

to improve, improving

Correct Answer:prononcer,to pronounce, pronouncing

to pronounce, pronouncing

Correct Answer:répéter,to repeat, repeating

to repeat, repeating

Correct Answer:un stylo,pen

pen

4 Questions

Q1.
How would you say 'for improving your French' in French?
Correct Answer: pour améliorer ton français
Q2.
You want to advise someone to practice before pronouncing new words. How would you start this advice?
Sans prononcer les nouveaux mots ...
Pour prononcer les nouveaux mots ...
Correct answer: Avant de prononcer les nouveaux mots ...
Après de prononcer les nouveaux mots ...
Q3.
How would you translate 'without looking'?
sans regardant
sans de regarder
sans à regarder
Correct answer: sans regarder
Q4.
Match the English phrase to its correct French translation.
Correct Answer:Before improving,Avant d'améliorer

Avant d'améliorer

Correct Answer:Without repeating,Sans répéter

Sans répéter

Correct Answer:For repeating,Pour répéter

Pour répéter

Correct Answer:Without improving,Sans améliorer

Sans améliorer

Correct Answer:For eating,Pour manger

Pour manger

Correct Answer:Without watching,Sans regarder

Sans regarder

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