Notre planète est en crise : infinitives as nouns, 'en train de' and 'venir de'
I can describe what is in the process of happening and what has just happened in the context of the environment.
Notre planète est en crise : infinitives as nouns, 'en train de' and 'venir de'
I can describe what is in the process of happening and what has just happened in the context of the environment.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- To talk about something that is 'in the process of' happening, we can use 'être en train de' + infinitive.
- The phrase 'être en train de' is usually translated using the -ing form of the verb in English.
- To talk about something that has just happened, we can use 'venir de' + infinitive.
- The English past participle translates the French infinitive when using 'venir de' + infinitive.
Keywords
Periphrastic phrase - a single idea expressed by several words, often including two verbs, e.g., 'is going to go'
Past participle - verb form that forms the perfect tense, together with the auxiliary verb
Common misconception
When using 'venir de' (to have just), the next word needs to be a past participle, like in English.
In French, 'venir de' is like every other French verb followed by 'de'. It is always followed by a second verb in the infinitive.
Equipment
Mini whiteboard and pen.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
rubbish
warming
earth
flood
battle, fight, struggle
to increase, increasing
Exit quiz
6 Questions
to threaten to
to increase
to be in the process, middle of
to have just
abroad, foreigner, stranger
viens de
vient de
venons de
venez de
viennent de