Starter quiz
- Match the modal verbs with their English meanings.
- vouloir⇔to want, wanting ✓
- pouvoir⇔to be able, being able ✓
- devoir⇔to have to, having to ✓
- savoir⇔to know how, knowing how ✓
- Put the words in order to make this sentence: I want an ice-cream please.
- 1⇔je
- 2⇔veux
- 3⇔une
- 4⇔glace
- 5⇔s'il
- 6⇔te
- 7⇔plaît
- Which word is missing from this sentence? 'Je ______ réaliser mon rêve !' I have to achieve my dream
- 'dois' ✓
- Which is the correct verb form to translate 'I know how'? Je ...
- dois
- veux
- sais ✓
- peux
-
- Which words are missing here? '______ aller en ville avec toi aujourd'hui.' I can go to town with you today.
- 'Je peux' ✓
- Which word best fits the sentence? 'Je veux ______ un nouveau portable ce week-end.'
- acheté
- achète
- acheter ✓
- achetais
- achètes
-
Exit quiz
- Match the English words with the correct Sound Symbol Correspondence, based on how they are pronounced in French.
- job⇔[oi] ✓
- contest⇔[ou] ✓
- test⇔[eu] ✓
- Match the French words, phrases with their English meanings.
- pouvoir⇔to be able ✓
- je dois⇔I must ✓
- savoir⇔to know how ✓
- je veux⇔I want ✓
- je sais⇔I know how ✓
- je peux⇔I can ✓
- Which is the correct verb for saying that you can drive a car, 'pouvoir' or 'savoir'?
- 'savoir' ✓
- Put the words in order to make this sentence: I must visit Madagascar one day.
- 1⇔je
- 2⇔dois
- 3⇔visiter
- 4⇔le
- 5⇔Madagascar
- 6⇔un
- 7⇔jour
- Which word is missing in this sentence? 'Je peux probablement ______ à la soirée demain.' I can probably go to the party tomorrow.
- 'aller' ✓
- In English, a second verb commonly follows the words can and must e.g. I can go, I must find. Which form should the second verb take in French?
- past participle
- auxiliary verb
- infinitive ✓
- present participle
- gerund
-
Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- [eu] is pronounced as in 'deux', [oi] as in 'voir', and [ou] as in 'nous'.
- To talk about what you can, know how to, 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.
- Use 'pouvoir' to talk about ability or permission; use 'savoir' to talk about skills or things you have learned to do.
Common misconception
'Devoir' (must) and 'pouvoir' (can) do not require the second verb to be in the infinitive form because an infinitive is not required in English.
'Devoir' means to have (to) and 'pouvoir' means to be able. Therefore, when followed by a second verb, this verb must always be in the infinitive form.
Keywords
Modal verb - verb of necessity or possibility used with a 2nd verb in infinitive e.g. must, can, want
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