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SavannahYear 8
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LanguagesGrammar and vocabulary tools25 min★★ difficulty

Working out unfamiliar words

You will never know every French word — but you can often work out a new one using clues and a dictionary.

Part of your national curriculum
  • Grammar and vocabulary: Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary

Key learning points

  • • Cognates and near-cognates
  • • Prefixes and suffixes
  • • Using a dictionary well

This lesson at a glance

  • 25 minutes
  • 13 parts to scroll through
  • 3 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

linguisticknowledgelanguagederivemeaning

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 13 · Discover8%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 13

Watch first

Working out unfamiliar words

An English teaching video on this topic from MFL SEELY. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary

2

Learning cycle

Part 2 of 13

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · Cognates and near-cognates

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 13

Learn

Cognates and near-cognates

Many French words closely resemble English: 'important', 'possible' and 'nation' are nearly identical. Spotting these cognates lets you understand new text quickly without a dictionary.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 13

Learn

Prefixes and suffixes

'-tion' words are usually feminine nouns similar to English ('la nation', 'la position'). 'Im-' or 'in-' at the start often means 'not', as in 'impossible' or 'incorrect' — the same pattern as English.

5

Quick check

Part 5 of 13

Quick check

What does 'impossible' most likely mean, based on the prefix 'im-'?

6

Reset break

Part 6 of 13

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 2 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.

Stop here for now
7

Quick check

Part 7 of 13

Quick check

To look up 'vont' in a dictionary, you should search for...

8

Learning cycle

Part 8 of 13

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · Using a dictionary well

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 13

Learn

Using a dictionary well

When looking up a verb in a dictionary, search for its infinitive form, not the conjugated form you saw: to find 'vont' (they go), you must look up 'aller'. Knowing this saves frustrating failed searches.

10

Quick check

Part 10 of 13

Quick check

Words like 'important' and 'nation' that closely resemble English are called...

11

Challenge round

Part 11 of 13

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

12

Mastery quiz

Part 12 of 13

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Working out unfamiliar words

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. To look up 'mangé' in a dictionary you search for...

  2. 2. What does 'impossible' most likely mean, based on the prefix 'im-'?

  3. 3. To look up 'vont' in a dictionary, you should search for...

  4. 4. Words like 'important' and 'nation' that closely resemble English are called...

13

Lesson round-up

Part 13 of 13

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

Not sat

Games

Not played

Points this lesson

0

Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

Ask Luna

Do the work

Your written work for this lesson

This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.

Extract

Une journée à Lyon

Samedi matin, je me lève à sept heures et demie. Je prends le petit déjeuner avec ma sœur — du pain, du beurre et un chocolat chaud. Ensuite, nous prenons le bus jusqu'au centre-ville.

J'aime beaucoup Lyon parce qu'il y a un grand marché près du fleuve. Ma sœur préfère les magasins, mais moi, je préfère le marché : c'est moins cher et c'est plus intéressant. À midi, nous mangeons un sandwich au parc.

L'après-midi, il commence à pleuvoir, alors nous rentrons à la maison en tram. Le soir, je fais mes devoirs et je regarde un film avec mes parents.

Original text written for Good Learning Co.

Reading questions

  1. In English, say what the writer does in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  2. Find the phrases that give an opinion and a reason, and copy them out.
  3. Write 8–10 sentences about your own Saturday, using at least three phrases from the text.

  • Written practice

    Writing

    Write the sentences out in the language, then translate them back into English.

    8–10 sentences

  • Vocabulary page

    Working out

    Copy the new words, cover them, and test yourself. Note the ones you keep missing.

    15 words

Saved as you type.

Part 1 of 13 · Watch & discover

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    Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary

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