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Year 8

A day in the life of a journalist: plural masculine nouns '-x' and '-aux'

Learning outcomes

I can use plural nouns to describe current events.

I can understand and use French stress syllabification.

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New
New
Year 8

A day in the life of a journalist: plural masculine nouns '-x' and '-aux'

Learning outcomes

I can use plural nouns to describe current events.

I can understand and use French stress syllabification.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. French is not a stress-timed language. Sound all vowels. Say syllables equally with a slight emphasis on the last one.
  2. Add -s to the majority of nouns to make them plural.
  3. Add -x to masculine nouns ending in -eau or -eu. There is no difference in pronunciation because 'x' is a SFC.
  4. Masculine nouns ending -al or -ail end in -aux in the plural form; the singular and plural forms sound different.

Keywords

  • Stress - pronouncing one syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word

  • Noun - word for a person, place or thing

Common misconception

Add -s to make all nouns plural in French.

Many nouns do need an -s in the plural form but masculine nouns ending in -eau or -eu need -x adding in the plural form, and there are other exceptions.


To help you plan your year 8 french lesson on: A day in the life of a journalist: plural masculine nouns '-x' and '-aux', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Activity A2 is a wonderful opportunity for a wider discussion about the French cities students may have visited or want to visit in the future.
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Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which nouns are plural?
fille (f)
personne (f)
Correct answer: ordinateurs (m)
enfant (m)
Correct answer: lits (m)
Q2.
Match the French and English.
Correct Answer:sortir,to go out, exit
tick

to go out, exit

Correct Answer:dormir,to sleep, sleeping
tick

to sleep, sleeping

Correct Answer:partir,to leave, leaving
tick

to leave, leaving

Correct Answer:devenir,to become, becoming
tick

to become, becoming

Correct Answer:revenir,to come back, coming back
tick

to come back, coming back

Correct Answer:venir,to come, coming
tick

to come, coming

Q3.
'Je sors mes parents'. Choose the correct missing word.
assez
dans
en
Correct answer: sans
très
Q4.
Order the words to say: 'he lives in France, near the Swiss border'.
1 - il
2 - habite
3 - en
4 - France
5 - près de
6 - la frontière
7 - suisse
Q5.
Write in English: 'je traverse le forêt'.
Correct Answer: I cross the forest., I am crossing the forest.
Q6.
Write in French: 'there was a mountain'.
Correct Answer: Il y avait une montagne.

6 Questions

Q1.
In French, stress __________ with a slight emphasis on __________.
the first syllable, the final syllable
the final syllable, the first syllable
all syllables equally, the first syllable
Correct answer: all syllables equally, the final syllable
Q2.
To make French nouns plural, add -s to the end of the word.
all
Correct answer: most
all masculine
all feminine
Q3.
Match the French and English.
Correct Answer:feu,fire
tick

fire

Correct Answer:feux,fires
tick

fires

Correct Answer:journal,newspaper
tick

newspaper

Correct Answer:journaux,newspapers
tick

newspapers

Correct Answer:réseau,network
tick

network

Correct Answer:réseaux,networks
tick

networks

Q4.
Write in French: 'the dogs are big'.
Correct Answer: Les chiens sont grands.
Q5.
Write in French: 'the birds are here'.
Correct Answer: Les oiseaux sont ici.
Q6.
Write in French: 'the hospitals are small'.
Correct Answer: Les hôpitaux sont petits.

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