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
- 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
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.
In a nutshell
Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
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.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
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.
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
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.
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 · Using a dictionary well
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
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.
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Quick check
Words like 'important' and 'nation' that closely resemble English are called...
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
To look up 'mangé' in a dictionary you search for...
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Working out unfamiliar words
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. To look up 'mangé' in a dictionary you search for...
2. What does 'impossible' most likely mean, based on the prefix 'im-'?
3. To look up 'vont' in a dictionary, you should search for...
4. Words like 'important' and 'nation' that closely resemble English are called...
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
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Apply linguistic knowledge of the language to derive meaning of unfamiliar words, including through use of a dictionary