Session 3, Activity 4 (French)
Activity 4 French – understanding the position of adjectives in French
Using OMT to learn language structures, such as the position of French adjectives, is effective because apart from the immediate feedback it provides, it allows learners to identify and correct mistakes, thus reinforcing correct adjective placement.
Now follow the four steps below.
Step 1
Input the English phrases below into OMT for a French translation.
- A beautiful painting.
- An old castle.
- Two young children.
- A good meal.
- A big tree.
- A cat that is black.
- A story that is interesting.
- A mountain that is tall.
- A house that is large.
- A river that is wide.
- A car that is fast.
- A young artist.
- A small apartment.
- A new phone.
- A pretty flower.
- An ugly statue.
- A book that is fascinating.
- A meal that is delicious.
- A day that is sunny.
Step 2
Read and analyse the French translations. Where are the adjectives usually placed? Is there a general tendency?
Step 3
Using your preferred online search engine or French grammar resource, identify the rule used when positioning adjectives in sentences
Step 4
Review the French translations of the phrases again. Are there any which do not adhere to the rule? Are any corrections necessary?
Discussion
In French, the position of adjectives can generally be determined by the BAGS rule:
- B for Beauty (e.g. ‘beau’, ‘joli’)
- A for Age (e.g. ‘jeune’, ‘vieux’)
- G for Goodness (e.g. ‘bon’, ‘mauvais’)
- S for Size (e.g. ‘grand’, ‘petit’)
Adjectives that fall into these categories usually come before the noun, while other adjectives typically come after the noun.
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