Choose exam board for KS4 Computer Science (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 English
Choose exam board for KS4 French
Choose exam board for KS4 Geography
Choose exam board for KS4 German
Choose exam board for KS4 History
Choose tier for KS4 Maths
Choose exam board for KS4 Music
Choose exam board for KS4 Physical education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Religious education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Spanish

On est prêt à tout : avant de, après avoir

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can complete a photo description task and accurately translate complex sentences using prepositions into French and into English, in the context of taking exams.

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. Including structures such as avant de + infinitive and après avoir + past participle enhances complexity.
  2. Cognates help us understand the context of longer texts. Be aware of 'false friends' which don't carry the same meaning.
  3. Pay attention to 'little words' when translating into French, e.g. avant must be followed by 'de' before the infinitive.
  4. Account for every word when translating from French, but remember there might be a different number of words in English.

Keywords

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

Common misconception

There are always the same number of words used when translating between languages.

As languages are complex, many ideas are expressed differently in different languages. When translating, more or fewer words might be needed to convey the information e.g. avant de passer un examan - before sitting an exam.

Teacher tip

Task B3 has two options. Option 1 is intended for the majority of students. Option 2 is intended for students requiring extra support. Option 1 is included in the video.

Equipment

Mini whiteboards and pens are useful, if available.

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

Loading...

Some of our videos, including non-English language videos, do not have captions.

Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Put the ordinal numbers in the correct order.

1 - Premier
2 - Deuxième
3 - Troisième
4 - Quatrième
5 - Cinquième
6 - Sixième
7 - Septième

Q2.
What are 'faux amis'?

Bad friends
Correct answer: French words that look similar to English words but mean something different.
Cognates
Words that look similar in French and English and something similar. .

Q3.
Match the words to their meanings.

Correct Answer:ceci,this

this

Correct Answer:cela,that

that

Correct Answer:ça,that (shortened form)

that (shortened form)

Q4.
Which word means 'to improve'?

assister
Correct answer: améliorer
aider
acheter

Q5.
Match the colours.

Correct Answer:noir,black

black

Correct Answer:vert,green

green

Correct Answer:jaune,yellow

yellow

Correct Answer:orange,orange

orange

Correct Answer:brun,brown

brown

Correct Answer:bleu,blue

blue

Q6.
Which is the correct translation of 'au premier plan'?

in the middle
in the background
Correct answer: in the foreground
outside

5 Questions

Q1.
What acronym can you use to help you describe a photo?

Correct Answer: PALM, palm, PALM., palm.

Q2.
Match the example to the 'hint'. PALM in an acronym which will help you describe a photo.

Correct Answer:P,Sur la photo, au premier plan, on peut voir cinq élèves.

Sur la photo, au premier plan, on peut voir cinq élèves.

Correct Answer:A,Ils sont en train de manger.

Ils sont en train de manger.

Correct Answer:L,Je pense qu’ils sont au collège.

Je pense qu’ils sont au collège.

Correct Answer:M,À mon avis, les élèves sont contents.

À mon avis, les élèves sont contents.

Q3.
Match the structures.

Correct Answer:sans + infinitive,without + verb

without + verb

Correct Answer:avant de + infinitive,before + verb

before + verb

Correct Answer:pour + infinitive,for/in order + verb

for/in order + verb

Q4.
Chose the correct past participle to fill the gap. Après être ___________ en retard, elle a complété le contrôle

arrivés
arrivé
arrivées
Correct answer: arrivée

Q5.
Put the words in the correct order to get some advice on taking an exam.

1 - avant
2 - de
3 - passer
4 - un examen
5 - il
6 - faut
7 - s'organiser

To help you plan your 11 French lesson on: On est prêt à tout : avant de, après avoir, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...