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SavannahYear 8
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LanguagesSpeaking French with confidence22 min★ difficulty

Reading aloud clearly

Reading a French passage aloud tests whether your pronunciation habits actually work under pressure.

Part of your national curriculum
  • Speaking: Use accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Use accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases

Key learning points

  • • Nasal sounds
  • • The letter 'r'
  • • Reading with expression

This lesson at a glance

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

Words to know

accuratepronunciationintonationothersreading

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 14 · Discover7%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 14

Watch first

Reading aloud clearly

An English teaching video on this topic from French in Plain Sight. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Use accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases

2

Learning cycle

Part 2 of 14

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · Nasal sounds

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

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 14

Learn

Nasal sounds

Letters 'in', 'an', 'on' and 'un' produce nasal vowel sounds with no following consonant sound: 'un bon vin blanc' has four nasal sounds in a row. Practising these prevents mispronouncing common words.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 14

Learn

The letter 'r'

The French 'r' is made at the back of the throat, unlike the English 'r'. Words like 'rouge' (red) and 'Paris' need this throaty sound to be understood clearly by a French listener.

5

Quick check

Part 5 of 14

Quick check

Which sound type appears in 'un bon vin blanc'?

6

Reset break

Part 6 of 14

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 14

Quick check

Where is the French 'r' typically produced?

8

Learning cycle

Part 8 of 14

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · Reading with expression

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

9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 14

Learn

Reading with expression

Match your tone to punctuation: a question mark needs rising intonation, an exclamation mark needs energy. Reading 'Quelle bonne idée !' flatly loses its meaning of genuine enthusiasm.

10

Quick check

Part 10 of 14

Quick check

Reading 'Quelle bonne idée !' aloud should sound...

11

Challenge round

Part 11 of 14

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

Challenge round

Part 12 of 14

Game · Fill the gaps

Finish the sentences

Choose the word that belongs in each gap.

Match your tone to punctuation: a question mark needs rising ____, an exclamation mark needs energy.

____ 'Quelle bonne idée !' flatly loses its meaning of genuine enthusiasm.

13

Mastery quiz

Part 13 of 14

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Reading aloud clearly

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

  1. 1. Which sound type appears in 'un bon vin blanc'?

  2. 2. Where is the French 'r' typically produced?

  3. 3. Reading 'Quelle bonne idée !' aloud should sound...

14

Lesson round-up

Part 14 of 14

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 14 · Watch & discover

How this is going

  • Not looked at yet

    Use accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases

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