KS4 · French · Year 11
En ligne : Impersonal and modal verbs, conversation (Edexcel)
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Your learning goal
I can use impersonal and modal verbs to support my discussion of the positives and risks of life online, and how to stay safe online.
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En ligne : Impersonal and modal verbs, conversation (Edexcel): slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
Original teaching resources
The original illustrated PowerPoint is available as well as the IllumED text slides. It retains the publisher’s design and credits.
Download original PowerPoint ↓What you’ll learn
I can use impersonal and modal verbs to support my discussion of the positives and risks of life online, and how to stay safe online.
Key learning points
- 'Il est', 'il fait', 'il y a' and 'il faut' are common impersonal verbs.
- Impersonal verbs 'il vaut mieux' (it's better) and 'ça vaut la peine de' (it's worth) are followed by the infinitive.
- To talk about what you can, know, have to, or want to do, use modal verbs: 'pouvoir', 'savoir', 'devoir', 'vouloir'.
- If modal verbs are followed by another verb, it must be in the infinitive form.
- The past participles of the four modal verbs are: 'dû', 'pu', 'voulu' and 'su'. They are used with 'avoir'.
Words to know
- impersonal verb
- a verb that doesn't refer to a particular person or thing, and whose subject is most often 'il' (it)
- modal verb
- verb of necessity or possibility used with a 2nd verb in infinitive, e.g. 'must', 'can', 'want'
Common mistakes
There is a direct translation in French of the English verbs 'must' and 'can'.
The idea of 'must' is conveyed by the verb 'devoir' (to have to do something). 'Can' is expressed with 'pouvoir' (to be able to do something).
For parents, carers and teachers
- It is useful for students to have a list of topic-related questions to hand when taking part in task C3. Alternatively, a list of questions displayed on the board during the task would also be helpful.