Section 1: What we know about verb conjugations
Most of us already know how to conjugate verbs in French in a variety of different tenses for the singular pronouns (je, tu, il, elle, on) and plural pronouns (nous, vous, ils, ells). For example, one of the most well-known conjugations is the present tense conjugation for the infinitive verb “etre” (“to be” in English). The present tense conjugations for each of the personal pronouns are:
Singular Personal Pronouns Plural Personal Pronouns
Je suis (I am) Nous sommes (we are) formal
Tu es (you are) Vous Etes (you are) formal and plural
Il est (he is) Ils sont (they are)
Elle est (she is) Elles sont (they are)
On est (we are) informal
Many of us know from oral and written drills how to conjugate certain verbs to different tenses in French, but what is more difficult, is to apply the correct tense for a given scenario. In the French language, as in English and all other languages, there are a multitude of different tenses, such as:
Present tense (présent), Pluperfect tense (le plus-que-parfait)
Passé compose Future perfect tense (le future antérieur)
Imperfect tense (imparfait) Conditional perfect (le conditionnel passé)
Passe simple Reflexive verbs (les verbes pronominaux)
Future tense (future)
Conditional tense (conditionnel)
Keep in mind, that this list is by no means exhaustive, as there are other verb tenses used in French. Can you think of any that are not on the list above?
Singular Personal Pronouns Plural Personal Pronouns
Je suis (I am) Nous sommes (we are) formal
Tu es (you are) Vous Etes (you are) formal and plural
Il est (he is) Ils sont (they are)
Elle est (she is) Elles sont (they are)
On est (we are) informal
Many of us know from oral and written drills how to conjugate certain verbs to different tenses in French, but what is more difficult, is to apply the correct tense for a given scenario. In the French language, as in English and all other languages, there are a multitude of different tenses, such as:
Present tense (présent), Pluperfect tense (le plus-que-parfait)
Passé compose Future perfect tense (le future antérieur)
Imperfect tense (imparfait) Conditional perfect (le conditionnel passé)
Passe simple Reflexive verbs (les verbes pronominaux)
Future tense (future)
Conditional tense (conditionnel)
Keep in mind, that this list is by no means exhaustive, as there are other verb tenses used in French. Can you think of any that are not on the list above?
Activity
The purpose of this online Facebook activity is to access the group’s prior knowledge on French verb conjugations. To do this you will need to log into your Facebook account and go to M Summers French Class group page. If you have not created a Facebook account or have not been added to the group Facebook page click here on how to do that.
There are two steps to this activity. The first step demands that you post your own comments on the M Summers’ French Class timeline and the second step requires that you respond to posts made by your classmates.
Step 1: Posting your Verb Conjugations
Once you have navigated to M Summers’ French Class group page you will post at least 3 different posts on the timeline. Each post you make should contain a verb conjugation you already know. DO NOT DO ANY RESEARCH before posting your comments. Remember this activity is to help you recall and share your information about French verb conjugation from your memory. You will not be graded on how correct your answers are, only on your participation in the activity.
For your each post you make on the timeline, try and provide the following information:
*** Keep in mind that it will not be possible to type the accents that are commonly used in French when writing your posts and replies in Facebook. If you are adamant about using the accents, you may go to the website Type French Accents (click on name to go now), write your message in the box provided using your keyboard and the various accent buttons on the site, and then copy and paste your sentence into the "post message" box on the Facebook group page using the right-click button on your mouse device.
An example of what a comment would look like posted on M Summers French Class page would be:
Verb tense: Present (present tense) tu aimes, nous aimons
You use it to describe actions that take place in the present tense
J’aime les pommes. I like apples.
Step 2: Responding to your Classmates Posts
The next step in the activity is to respond to your classmates posts. You must respond to at least 4 posts. There are two ways to respond to a post.
First way: If you believe your classmates post to be 100% correct, click on the “like” button on the bottom corner of their post.
Second way: If there is something you believe to be incorrect in their post, hit the “comment” button and type in a sentence that explains what you think the error is. Remember, be polite in your comments, because who knows, they might be correct after all and it could be you who may have been mistaken. Furthermore, feel free to “like” and comment on students’ replies if you think they are on or off the right track.
** If you visit M Summers' French Class group page you will see an example of Step 1 and Step 2 on the timeline to help guide you through the activity.
There are two steps to this activity. The first step demands that you post your own comments on the M Summers’ French Class timeline and the second step requires that you respond to posts made by your classmates.
Step 1: Posting your Verb Conjugations
Once you have navigated to M Summers’ French Class group page you will post at least 3 different posts on the timeline. Each post you make should contain a verb conjugation you already know. DO NOT DO ANY RESEARCH before posting your comments. Remember this activity is to help you recall and share your information about French verb conjugation from your memory. You will not be graded on how correct your answers are, only on your participation in the activity.
For your each post you make on the timeline, try and provide the following information:
- Indicate the verb tense and provide a conjugated verb for that tense using at least one pronoun (written in French with English translation).
- A quick sentence telling us when you use it (written in English, French, or both).
- A sentence that uses the verb (written in French with English translation).
*** Keep in mind that it will not be possible to type the accents that are commonly used in French when writing your posts and replies in Facebook. If you are adamant about using the accents, you may go to the website Type French Accents (click on name to go now), write your message in the box provided using your keyboard and the various accent buttons on the site, and then copy and paste your sentence into the "post message" box on the Facebook group page using the right-click button on your mouse device.
An example of what a comment would look like posted on M Summers French Class page would be:
Verb tense: Present (present tense) tu aimes, nous aimons
You use it to describe actions that take place in the present tense
J’aime les pommes. I like apples.
Step 2: Responding to your Classmates Posts
The next step in the activity is to respond to your classmates posts. You must respond to at least 4 posts. There are two ways to respond to a post.
First way: If you believe your classmates post to be 100% correct, click on the “like” button on the bottom corner of their post.
Second way: If there is something you believe to be incorrect in their post, hit the “comment” button and type in a sentence that explains what you think the error is. Remember, be polite in your comments, because who knows, they might be correct after all and it could be you who may have been mistaken. Furthermore, feel free to “like” and comment on students’ replies if you think they are on or off the right track.
** If you visit M Summers' French Class group page you will see an example of Step 1 and Step 2 on the timeline to help guide you through the activity.
If you’re Having Difficulties
It should be noted, that if you are having difficulties with any aspect of the this unit (technology problems, activity directions, assignments) you may post your dilemma on the M Summers’ French Class group timeline so that class members, including myself, can try and assist you. It is my hope, that those students who are comfortable and knowledgeable with this technology can use their expertise to guide less-knowledgeable students in their exploration. However, if you feel as though you would be uncomfortable posting your question publicly, you can ask me in person, or send me a private message through Facebook. To do so simple click on Monsieurmr Summers’ profile and click the “Message” button on the right lower corner of their larger profile picture and type in your question. I will do my best to respond quickly.