Manipulating key grammar structures
Beyond simple sentences, French grammar offers different 'voices' and 'moods' to shift meaning and emphasis.
Part of your national curriculum
- Grammar and vocabulary: Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate
Key learning points
- • Active and passive voice
- • The subjunctive mood
- • The conditional
This lesson at a glance
- 28 minutes
- 16 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 16
Visual introductionPicture this
Manipulating key grammar structures
Beyond simple sentences, French grammar offers different 'voices' and 'moods' to shift meaning and emphasis.
In a nutshell
Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Active and passive voice
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
Learn
Active and passive voice
'Le chat mange la souris' (the cat eats the mouse) is active. The passive, 'la souris est mangée par le chat' (the mouse is eaten by the cat), shifts the focus using 'être' plus a past participle.
Reset break
Part 4 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 16
Learn
The subjunctive mood
After certain expressions like 'il faut que' (it is necessary that), the verb changes mood: 'il faut que tu finisses' (you must finish) uses the subjunctive form 'finisses', not the normal present 'finis'.
Quick check
Part 6 of 16
Quick check
Part 7 of 16
Reset break
Part 8 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 16
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · The conditional
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
Learn
The conditional
The conditional mood expresses possibility or politeness: 'je voudrais' (I would like) and 'je pourrais' (I could) are softer and more polite than 'je veux' (I want) or 'je peux' (I can).
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Reset break
Part 12 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 16
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 16
Game · Recall cards
Complete: 'Il n'y a pas ___ piscine.'
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Manipulating key grammar structures
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Complete: 'Il n'y a pas ___ piscine.'
2. 'La souris est mangée par le chat' is an example of the...
3. Which mood follows 'il faut que'?
4. 'Je voudrais' is an example of the...
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
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Ask LunaPart 1 of 16 · Watch & discover
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Use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns, including voices and moods as appropriate