Topic Three (1.3): Mon autoportrait
Objectives for this topic
- To be able to give and understand physical descriptions
Introduction
In this topic, you will learn to describe your appearance and that of another person. You will also learn the present tense of the verb avoir (to have) and how to use adjectives correctly with different nouns.
Working through your coursebook
Please work through the following sections in your coursebook, completing all listed exercises:
- Before beginning this topic, make sure that you are confident with colours in French. You can use the Language Nut links below to help you revise.
- Exercise 1 page 8. Look at the five pictures and listen to audio Disc 1 Track 6.
LISTEN - Disc 1 Track 6 Download LISTEN - Disc 1 Track 6
- Match the phrases to the pictures. When you have done this, translate the sentences to work out what the different eye (les yeux) colours are. You can check your answers against the vocabulary list on page 21.
- Exercise 2 page 8. Now you are going to look at how to describe someone’s hair (les cheveux) colour and style. Listen to audio Disc 1 Track 7 and put the phrases in the correct order.
LISTEN - Disc 1 Track 7 Download LISTEN - Disc 1 Track 7
- Read them aloud to yourself to practice your pronunciation. Can you translate each of the phrases? Make sure you check against the vocabulary on page 21 so you are confident of what each word means.
- Describe yourself! Using the new vocabulary that you have learnt, write two sentences to describe your hair colour and style as well as your eye colour.
- Exercise 4 page 9. Read the texts and look at the pictures. Can you match the descriptions to the correct picture?
Interactive Kerboodle activities
Log onto Kerboodle and complete the interactive activities for this topic by following the links below:
COMPLETE - Mon autoportrait 1 Links to an external site.
COMPLETE - Mon autoportrait 2 Links to an external site.
Support activity for this topic
Log onto Language Nut and choose the Topics page.
Complete the activities in the Practice area of the following sections:
- Me and my family – How I look – Describing myself
- Me and my family – How I look – Describing other people
- Me and my family – How I look – Colours
- Me and my family – How I look – More colours
- Me and my family – How I look – Hairstyles
Extension activity for this topic
Pick a celebrity and find a picture of them. Write a description using your new vocabulary and structures from this module.
Grammar Alert
Page 8 Grammaire. Read the box about the verb avoir. Avoir is an irregular verb in French and you will need to learn it off by heart as you will use it in many different contexts! This shows how you conjugate it (change the verb) for each person in the singular form. More information is available on page 169.
Vocabulary
Review the vocabulary section ‘Physical Appearance’ on page 21.
Check your answers
To check your answers to this topic, consult the Allez 1 module answers for Topic 1.3.
CHECK - Topic 1.3 Download CHECK - Topic 1.3