Que faisais-tu quand ... ? : the imperfect tense with regular verbs ('BE' + ing)
Learning outcomes
I can describe what I and others 'were doing' and what 'was happening' using the imperfect tense.
I can recognise, write and pronounce [ai], [on] and [ez].
Que faisais-tu quand ... ? : the imperfect tense with regular verbs ('BE' + ing)
Learning outcomes
I can describe what I and others 'were doing' and what 'was happening' using the imperfect tense.
I can recognise, write and pronounce [ai], [on] and [ez].
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- The imperfect tense is used to describe what 'was happening' or what you 'were doing' when something else happened.
- For imperfect of regular verbs remove -ons from 'nous' present tense and add:-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient
- [ai] sounds like 'vrai', [on] is a nasal sound like 'non', and [ez] sounds like 'écrire'.
Keywords
Imperfect tense - tense used to describe how things were or used to be in the past, or to say what was happening
Sound-symbol correspondence - relationship between letters and their sounds
Common misconception
The ending -aient is pronounced differently to -ais and -ait.
Although the third person plural ending of the imperfect tense contains a lot of letters, it is pronounced the same way as -ais and -ait. Students will need a lot of practice saying the -aient ending out loud to become confident with this verb form.
To help you plan your year 10 french lesson on: Que faisais-tu quand ... ? : the imperfect tense with regular verbs ('BE' + ing), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 french lesson on: Que faisais-tu quand ... ? : the imperfect tense with regular verbs ('BE' + ing), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 french lessons from the My personal world: Mes amis unit, dive into the full secondary french curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Mini whiteboards and pens are useful is available.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
I was choosing
he was choosing
you were leaving
I was leaving
she was hearing
he was hearing
Exit quiz
6 Questions
écoutais
écoutait
écoutions
écoutiez
écoutaient
lazy
to introduce, introducing
February
boss
instant, moment
to lead, leading