Ce week-end: impersonal verbs
Learning outcomes
I can use impersonal verbs to tell the time, describe weather, say what there is and what is necessary in the context of making plans.
I can recognise, write and pronounce [y] and [i].
Ce week-end: impersonal verbs
Learning outcomes
I can use impersonal verbs to tell the time, describe weather, say what there is and what is necessary in the context of making plans.
I can recognise, write and pronounce [y] and [i].
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- An impersonal verb is a verb and subject that don't refer to a particular person or thing.
- To say what time it is use impersonal verb il est + number + heure (s) + minutes.
- Il est + adjective + de + infinitive can be used to express it is difficult/easy/forbidden to + a verb.
- Il fait (with weather expressions), il y a (there is/are) and il faut (it is necessary) are useful impersonal verbs.
- [y] and [i] sounds like 'midi' and 'physique'.
Keywords
Impersonal verb - a verb that doesn't refer to a particular person or thing, and whose subject is most often 'il' (it)
Common misconception
The subject pronoun 'il' always means 'he'.
There are a number of impersonal verbs such as 'il faut', 'il neige' and 'il pleut'. Verbs such as 'il fait' and 'il est' can also be used in an impersonal sense. In these cases, the English meaning is 'it' or impersonal 'you', 'we' as appropriate.
Equipment
It would be useful to have mini whiteboards and pens if available.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
brown (hair)
glasses
brown (eyes)
red/ginger
loyal, faithful
mental
Exit quiz
6 Questions
it is necessary, must
there is, there are
it is difficult to
it is (time)
it is (weather)
it is easy to
Il est six heures vingt-cinq.
Il est quatorze heures et demie.
Il est quatre heures et demie.
Il est dix-sept heures et quart.
Il est sept heures et quart.
Il est seize heures vingt-cinq.