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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lesson Plan 2: MAKING THINGS REALLY CLEAR WITH ARTICLES! ............... 2
Fast Forward! ........................................................................ 2
Define it ............................................................................ 2
Or not! ................................................................................ 2
Making Things Specific (Definite) in French..................................... 2
Par Exemple ............................................................. 3
Making Things General (Indefinite) in French................................... 5
Par Exemple ............................................................. 5
When Indefinite and Definite Work Together in French ...................... 5
A Versatile Word: De............................................................. 6
Sounds in Pronunciation ......................................................... 6
Par Exemple ............................................................. 7
Par Exemple ............................................................. 8
Action Replay! ....................................................................... 9
More Audio!........................................................................... 9
Extra Words .............................................................. 9
Les Activits.........................................................................11
Le, La, L or Les?.................................................................11
Un, Une or Des? ..................................................................12
A Versatile Word, De .........................................................13
Un Jeu Dimages! ................................................................14
Les Rponses ........................................................................18
Le, La, Lor Les? .................................................................18
Un, Une, D or Des?..............................................................18
A Versatile Word, De............................................................19
Un Jeu Dimages! ................................................................19





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Lesson Plan 2: MAKING THINGS REALLY CLEAR WITH
ARTICLES!
Fast Forward!
Lesson Plan 2 is about the little words that make language really clear:
The, A, Some, Several, Of, Of the and Any.
As you work through this Lesson Plan, you will inevitably come across new
words and new expressions. You may feel that a lot of new material and
unpredictable rules are being placed in front of you. Not all of it will make
sense at first!
If we dissect the rules too much, you will find yourself caught up by the
technical side of the language. Rather allow yourself the benefit of
enjoying the experience even when you have questions left un-
answered..for the moment! You will see that by the time you reach the
end of Lesson Plan 2, that the Activities will clarify and reinforce your
progress.
Define it .
You may not have learned this at school, but in English the word the is
called a definite article. That is because the word the points to a very
specific thing.
For example, you may tell someone, I want the mug assuming that they
will bring you the mug you have in mind.
Or not!
However, if you tell them, I want a mug, you will get whatever mug they
choose to hand you! That is because the words a or an or some are
indefinite articles and point to a general group of items, things, people or
places.
Making Things Specific (Definite) in French
As mentioned in Lesson Plan 1, about the concept of gender, the short
defining word before the noun is really part of the noun. Remember le
chien and la chienne, le musician and la musicienne?
One of the most common words in any language is the. In French, the
is not just one word. Rather there are a total of 4 ways to write and
pronounce them, depending on the gender and quantity of the noun to
which each refers.


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The French word for the, if followed by a masculine noun, is Le. If
followed by a feminine noun, is La and when followed by any noun in the
plural, is Les. For example, if there is one (male) cat, we say Le chat.
If there are two or more cats, we say Les chats. If there is one woman,
we say La femme. If there are two or more women, we say Les
femmes.









Any noun beginning with a vowel is always preceded by an apostrophe,
L. The apostrophe is inserted in between the article or pronoun and the
noun or the verb. This is because two vowel sounds in French cannot follow
from one word to another. There are more examples of this rule in this
Lesson Plan.
In summary:
The + masculine noun = le
The + feminine noun = la
The + any noun beginning with a vowel = l
The + any plural noun = les
Par Exemple
2.1 Le garon
The boy
2.2 Les garons
The boys
2.3 La fille
The girl
2.4 Les filles
The girls
2.5 Linvit
The guest (a man)

Le chat Les chats

Les filles


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2.6 Les invits
The guests
2.7 Lenfant
The child
2.8 Les enfants
The children
2.9 Le livre
The book
2.10 Les livres
The books
2.11 La pomme
The apple
2.12 Les pommes
The apples
2.13 La librairie
The bookstore
2.14 Les librairies
The bookstores
2.15 Le jeu
The game
2.16 Les jeux
The games









Les livres

Lenfant

Le jeu

Les pommes


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Making Things General (Indefinite) in French
Just as the previous section refers to making things specific using the in
French, with Le, La, Les and L, in this section, we talk about the
ways to make things general, or indefinite. In French, there are 3 ways of
using the indefinite articles a, an, some or several.
A or An + masculine noun = un
A or An + feminine noun = une
Some or Several + any plural noun = des
Note that some and several are interchangeable and explained in more
detail further on in this Lesson Plan.
Par Exemple
2.17 Une fleur
A flower
2.18 Des fleurs
Some flowers
2.19 Une copine
A friend (a woman)
2.20 Des copines
Several friends (women)
2.21 Un crayon
A pencil
2.22 Des crayons
Several pencils
When Indefinite and Definite Work Together in French
Some and several in French are interchangeable with any and of
the. These articles also help to define words and quantities, and are
subject to gender rules. This means that almost everything new you learn in
French will be subject to these questions:
Is it a female group of words?
Is it a male group of words?
Is it plural?
Does it begin with a vowel?

Un crayon

Des crayons


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A Versatile Word: De
The next group of defining words of the, of, some, several, or
any are used with singular, plural, masculine and feminine nouns. The
root word de is used and as you might guess, this means it needs to be
very versatile! De generally changes form as follows to mean of and
of the.
of or of the + masculine noun = de or du
of or of the + feminine noun = de la
of or of the + any noun starting with a vowel = d or de l
of or of the + any plural noun = des
Sounds in Pronunciation
First a note about pronunciation as it relates to the use of de. As we
mentioned to you in your Learning Companion, when speaking French, words
must be linked to one another by sound. When there are too many vowel
sounds that clash with the phonetic principles, they are simply eliminated.
It can be explained by saying that the rules exist to be broken when it
doesnt sound just right to the linguists! In French, the expression thats
used to explain this principle is faire la liaison entre les mots, which
means, to make connections between words.
As you get used to the various forms of de, as it is used in of, and of
the, its important to bring your attention to this rule about la liaison.
Vowels cant follow straight on from one word to another. We have given
you two examples so far:
Linvit and lenfant which start with a L instead of a Le. This is
because Le would be followed by the sound i in invit, and by the
sound e in enfant, and would be grammatically and phonetically
incorrect.
A very similar principle applies when using of and of the with a noun
like Le garcon. As you will see from the following examples the boys
game is written Le jeu du garcon, not Le jeu de-le garcon, as you
might expect.
In other words, when the sound of two vowels together clash, such as de
le, a kind of short cut rule applies, making it du for the purpose of
sounding more fluent. For feminine words, de la doesnt change, unless
the word begins with a vowel, when de la becomes de l.
You will also note from the following examples that a literal translation has
been included in brackets, because there is no equivalent in French for the
use of the apostrophe as it is used in English. The childrens game, for
example, is literally translated as the game of the children. This is where
de, in its various forms as explained above, comes into action.


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Par Exemple
2.23 Le jeu des enfants
The childrens game (The game of the children)
2.24 Le jeu de lenfant
The childs game (The game of the child)
2.25 Le jeu de la fille
The girls game (The game of the girl)
2.26 Le jeu du garon
The boys game (The game of the boy)
2.27 Le jeu de linvit
The guests game (The game of the guest)
2.28 Le got du fromage (masculine)
The taste of the cheese
2.29 La couleur du vin (masculine)
The color of the wine
2.30 La fracheur du pain (masculine)
The freshness of the bread
2.31 La qualit de la confiture (feminine)
The quality of the jam
2.32 La beaut de lactrice (feminine + vowel)
The beauty of the actress









As well as being used to say of or of the in the plural, as we saw above,
du, de la , d, de l and des are also used to mean and some and
several. In effect, this is when the article a or an becomes a plural,
to mean more than just one.

La beaut de lactrice

La fracheur du pain

La couleur du vin


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Par Exemple
2.33 Du fromage (masculine)
Some cheese
2.34 Du vin (masculine)
Some wine
2.35 Du pain (masculine)
Some bread
2.36 De la confiture (feminine)
Some jam
2.37 De largent (masculine + vowel)
Some money
2.38 De lomelette (feminine + vowel)
Some omelet











Du fromage

Du vin

Du pain

De largent


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Action Replay!
Le, La, L and Les
The + masculine noun = le
The + feminine noun = la
The + any noun beginning with a vowel = l
The + any plural noun = les
Un, Une and Des
A or An + masculine noun = un
A or An + feminine noun = une
Some or Several + any plural noun = des
De, Du, De La, D, De L and Des
Of or Of the + masculine noun = de or du
Of or Of the + feminine noun = de la
Of or Of the + any noun starting with a vowel = d or de l
Of or Of the + any plural noun = des
More Audio!
These audio tracks are for all the words in this Lesson Plan that you havent
heard yet! Most of them will be used in the following exercises.
Extra Words
2.39 La pioche The spade
2.40 Les larmes The tears
2.41 Ah oui! Ah, yes!
2.42 Le poulet The chicken
2.43 Les gouttes The drops
2.44 La pluie The rain
2.45 Oh l l! Oh my!
2.46 Les secrets The secrets
2.47 Un anniversaire A birthday
2.48 La brosse The hairbrush
2.49 Autour Around
2.50 Un jour A day
2.51 Une fte A party/gathering/feast



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2.52 Une famille A family
2.53 Pour For
2.54 Une omelette An omelet
2.55 Larbre The tree
2.56 Les arbres The trees
2.57 Une histoire A story
2.58 Lamour Love
2.59 Une bouteille A bottle
2.60 Une gousse dail A clove of garlic
2.61 Un morceau A piece
2.62 Une tranche A slice
2.63 Un bout A piece
2.64 Beaucoup A lot of, much
2.65 Un peu A little, a bit
2.66 Un pot A pot
2.67 La maison The house
2.68 Le prix The price
2.69 La chambre The room
2.70 Lhotel The hotel
2.71 Un hotel A hotel
2.72 Lhpital The hospital
2.73 Des morceaux Pieces (several)
2.74 Le bruit The noise
2.75 Une olive An olive



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Les Activits
Le, La, L or Les?
In the first space provided, write whether the noun should have la, le, l or
les in front of it! And in the second space write the English translation!
Le, La, L or Les Translation
Example La chaise The chair _
Q.1 _____ garon ______________
Q.2 _____ livre ______________
Q.3 _____ fille ______________
Q.4 _____ arbre ______________
Q.5 _____ librairie ______________
Q.6 _____ enfant ______________
Q.7 _____ pommes ______________
Q.8 _____ arbres ______________
Q.9 _____ filles ______________
Q.10 _____ invits ______________
Q.11 _____ garons ______________
Q.12 _____ livres ______________
Q.13 _____ enfants ______________
Q.14 _____ invit ______________
Q.15 _____ librairies ______________
Q.16 _____ jeux ______________
Q.17 _____ pomme ______________
Q.18 _____ jeu ______________


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Un, Une or Des?
In the space provided, write whether the noun should have un, une or des
in front of it.
Example une chaise
Q.19 _____ garon
Q.20 _____ livre
Q.21 _____ fille
Q.22 _____ arbre
Q.23 _____ librairie
Q.24 _____ enfant
Q.25 _____ pommes
Q.26 _____ arbres
Q.27 _____ filles
Q.28 _____ invits
Q.29 _____ garons
Q.30 _____ livres
Q.31 _____ enfants
Q.32 _____ invit
Q.33 _____ librairies
Q.34 _____ jeux
Q.35 _____ pomme
Q.36 _____ jeu
Q.37 _____ actrice
Q.38 _____ olive
Q.39 _____ actrices
Q.40 _____ olives



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A Versatile Word, De
In the first space provided in the sentences below choose from Un, Une or
Des for a an or several.
In the second space provided in the sentences below choose from the
following de, d, des, du, de l or de la for of the, of, several/some.
Q.41 _____ histoire ___amour a story of love
Q.42 _____ bouteille ___ vin a bottle of wine
Q.43 _____ gousse ___ ail a clove of garlic
Q.44 _____ morceau ___ fromage a piece of cheese
Q.45 _____ tranche ___ pain a slice of bread
Q.46 _____ bout ___ pain a piece of bread
Q.47 Beaucoup ___ monnaie a lot of money
Q.48 ____ peu ___ argent a bit of money
Q.49 Le got ___ ___ confiture the taste of the jam
Q.50 ____ pots ___ confiture several/some jars of jam
Q.51 Lhistoire ___ ___ maison the story of the house
Q.52 La fracheur ___ pain the freshness of the bread
Q.53 Le got ___ vin the taste of the wine
Q.54 Le prix ___ ___ chambre the price of the room
Q.55 ____ chambre ___ hpital a hospital room
(a room of the hospital)
Q.56 ____ chambre ___ htel a hotel room
(a room of the hotel)
Q.57 ____chambres ___ htel several/some rooms of the hotel
Q.58 ____ morceaux ___ fromage several/some pieces of cheese
Q.59 Le bruit ____ arbres the sound of the trees
Q.60 ____ gousses ___ ail several/some cloves of garlic



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Un Jeu Dimages!
Write the English translation in the space provided on the right. Then, on
the next line, write the French translation of the English phrase on the left.
En franais! (In French!) En Anglais! (In English!)
Q.61





La pioche du travailleur ____________________
________________ A spade
Q.62





Le crayon du garon ____________________
_______________ A pencil
Q.63





Les larmes de la fille ____________________
_______________ (Several) Tears


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Q.64







Lanniversaire du garon ____________________
_____________ A boy
Q.65







La brosse de Marie ____________________
_____________ A hairbrush
Q.66






Ah oui! Du poulet! ____________________
_______________ The chefs chicken


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Q.67






Oh l l, des secrets! ____________________
________________ A secret
Q.68

Des fleurs pour Marie ____________________
__________________ Maries flowers
Q.69






Des chaises autour de la table ____________________
__________________ A chair


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Q.70







Un jour de fte _________________________
________________ Maries party
Q.71






Une fte de famille _________________________
________________ (Several) Parties
Q.72






Des gouttes de pluie _________________________
_________________ A drop of rain


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Les Rponses
Le, La, Lor Les?
A.1 Le garon The boy
A.2 Le livre The book
A.3 La fille The girl
A.4 Larbre The tree
A.5 La librairie The bookshop
A.6 Lenfant The child
A.7 Les pommes The apples
A.8 Les arbres The trees
A.9 Les filles The girls
A.10 Les invits The guests
A.11 Les garons The boys
A.12 Les livres The books
A.13 Les enfants The children
A.14 Linvit The guest
A.15 Les librairies The bookshops
A.16 Les jeux The toys/games
A.17 La pomme The apple
A.18 Le jeu The toy/game
Un, Une, D or Des?
A.19 Un garon
A.20 Un livre
A.21 Une fille
A.22 Un arbre
A.23 Une librairie
A.24 Un enfant
A.25 Des pommes
A.26 Des arbres
A.27 Des filles
A.28 Des invits
A.29 Des garons
A.30 Des livres
A.31 Des enfants
A.32 Un invit
A.33 Des librairies
A.34 Des jeux
A.35 Une pomme
A.36 Un jeu
A.37 Une actrice
A.38 Des actrices


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A.39 Une olive
A.40 Des olives
A Versatile Word, De
A.41 Une histoire damour
A.42 Une bouteille de vin
A.43 Une gousse d ail
A.44 Un morceau de fromage
A.45 Une tranche de pain
A.46 Un bout de pain
A.47 Beaucoup de monnaie
A.48 Un peu dargent
A.49 Le got de la confiture
A.50 Des pots de confiture
A.51 Lhistoire de la maison
A.52 La fracheur du pain
A.53 Le got du vin
A.54 Le prix de la chambre
A.55 Une chambre dhpital
A.56 Une chambre dhtel
A.57 Des chambres dhtel
A.58 Des morceaux de fromage
A.59 Le bruit des arbres
A.60 Des gousses dail
Un Jeu Dimages!
A.61 The workers spade Une pioche
A.62 The boys pencil Un crayon
A.63 The girls tears Des larmes
A.64 The boys birthday Un garon
A.65 Maries hairbrush Une brosse
A.66 Alright! Chicken! Le poulet du chef
A.67 Oh My! Secrets! Un secret
A.68 Some flowers for Marie Les fleurs de Marie
A.69 Several chairs around the table Une chaise
A.70 A day of celebration La fte de Marie
A.71 A family celebration Des ftes
A.72 Rain drops Une goutte de pluie



La Fin