New
New
Year 6

Luis' trip to Iquique: 'al' and 'a la'

Learning outcomes

I can understand information about a trip.

I can choose correctly between [b] and [v] when spelling familiar words.

New
New
Year 6

Luis' trip to Iquique: 'al' and 'a la'

Learning outcomes

I can understand information about a trip.

I can choose correctly between [b] and [v] when spelling familiar words.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. The sounds [b] and [v] are the same, so practising the spelling of familiar words helps to remember which letter to use.
  2. The verb 'ir' means to go, going. To say I go, use 'voy'. To say she, he, it goes, use 'va'.
  3. The Spanish word 'a' means 'to'. 'To the' with singular masculine nouns is 'al'; with singular feminine nouns, 'a la'.

Keywords

  • Voy - I go, am going - part of the verb ‘ir’ meaning ‘to go, going’

  • Va - she, he, it goes, is going - part of the verb ‘ir’ meaning to ‘go, going’

  • A - to

  • Al - 'to the' before a singular masculine noun

  • A la - 'to the' before a singular feminine noun

Common misconception

The preposition 'a' stays the same regardless of the gender of the noun it precedes.

In English, the preposition 'to' before 'the' does not change. In Spanish, 'a' + 'el' contracts to 'al' before masculine nouns (e.g., 'al parque' — to the park), but stays as 'a la' before feminine nouns (e.g., 'a la playa' — to the beach).


To help you plan your year 6 Spanish lesson on: Luis' trip to Iquique: 'al' and 'a la', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Pupils may benefit from additional practice of 'al' and 'a la'. This could be done in a paired task where one pupil starts the sentence with 'voy' and chooses 'al' or 'a la'. The second pupil completes the sentence with an appropriate noun.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word means 'kitchen'?
bocadillo
Correct answer: cocina
comida
cultura
familia
Q2.
Match the Spanish to the English.
Correct Answer:tocar,to play, playing (an instrument)

to play, playing (an instrument)

Correct Answer:limpiar,to clean, cleaning

to clean, cleaning

Correct Answer:necesitar,to need, needing

to need, needing

Correct Answer:trabajar,to work, working

to work, working

Correct Answer:tener,to have, having

to have, having

Correct Answer:ver,to see, seeing

to see, seeing

Q3.
Order the words to say 'I have a round face but a small nose'.
1 - tengo
2 - la cara
3 - redonda
4 - pero
5 - la nariz
6 - pequeña
Q4.
Order the words to say 'the village where I live is old and pretty'.
1 - el pueblo
2 - donde
3 - vivo
4 - es
5 - antiguo
6 - y
7 - bonito
Q5.
Order the words to say 'I am going to go to the park when it's sunny'.
1 - voy
2 - a ir
3 - al
4 - parque
5 - cuando
6 - hace
7 - sol
Q6.
'Mi profesor tiene las orejas grandes.' Translate this sentence into English.
Correct Answer: My teacher has big ears, My teacher has large ears

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
'Mi amiga tiene el pelo __________ y moreno.' Which words complete this sentence?
rubia
Correct answer: largo
negativo
Correct answer: interesante
Correct answer: bonito
Q2.
Match the Spanish to the English.
Correct Answer:norte,north

north

Correct Answer:este,east

east

Correct Answer:oeste,west

west

Correct Answer:sur,south

south

Correct Answer:campo,countryside

countryside

Correct Answer:ciudad,city

city

Q3.
Match the Spanish to the English.
Correct Answer:ayudar,to help, helping

to help, helping

Correct Answer:escribir,to write, writing

to write, writing

Correct Answer:escuchar,to listen, listening

to listen, listening

Correct Answer:estar,to be, being (temporary states)

to be, being (temporary states)

Correct Answer:hablar,to speak, speaking

to speak, speaking

Correct Answer:leer,to read, reading

to read, reading

Q4.
Order the words to say 'the languages that we speak at school are English and Spanish'.
1 - los idiomas
2 - que
3 - hablamos
4 - en la
5 - escuela
6 - son
7 - inglés y español
Q5.
Order the days of the week from the final day of the week to the first day.
1 - domingo
2 - sábado
3 - viernes
4 - jueves
5 - miércoles
6 - martes
7 - lunes
Q6.
'I go to the beach to see the sea.' Translate this sentence into Spanish. Do not include the pronoun.
Correct Answer: Voy a la playa para ver el mar

Additional material

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