STEP 5: Structure
Grammar as a tool (levels 1A/B-2) Structures 3A.2
The Structures sections in levels 1 and 2 include two grammar points, each with an explanation and practice activities on two facing pages.
Boîte à outils
Available online only, Vérifiez activities give students practice with discrete grammar concepts before they move on to the main practice sequence.
Carefully designed charts and diagrams call out key grammatical structures and forms, as well as important related vocabulary.
La famille et les copains
Leçon 3A
pronoun you choose depends on the gender and number of the modified noun, not the possessor (il or elle).
Point de départ In both English and French, possessive adjectives express ownership or possession.
In Contextes, you learned a few possessive adjectives with family vocabulary: mon grand-père, ma sœur, mes cousins.
Possessive adjectives masculine singular mon ton son notre votre leur
feminine singular ma ta sa notre votre leur
Unité 3
• The possessive adjectives son, sa, and ses are used to indicate both his or her. The
Possessive adjectives
sa sœur = his/her sister
ses parents = his/her parents
J’aime Nadine mais je n’aime pas son frère. Rémy et son frère sont trop sérieux.
plural mes tes ses nos vos leurs
son frère = his/her brother
Context will usually clarify whether the possessive adjective means his or her. I like Nadine but I don’t like her brother.
my your (fam. and sing.) his, her, its our your (form. or pl.) their
C’est ta sœur? Tes parents?
Rémy and his brother are too serious.
Vérifiez
Elle a déjà son bac.
Voilà vos photos.
Possession with de
• In English, you use ’s to express relationships or ownership. In French, you use de (d’) + [the noun or proper name].
Photos from the lesson’s Roman-photo show the grammar structures in context.
Non, c’est mon oncle. No, that’s my uncle.
Voici notre mère. Here’s our mother.
Ce sont tes livres? Are these your books?
C’est le petit ami de ma sœur.
Tu aimes la cousine de Thierry?
J’ai l’adresse de ses parents.
That’s Élisabeth’s boyfriend.
• Possessive adjectives are always placed before the nouns they modify. C’est ton père? Is that your father?
C’est le petit ami d’Élisabeth.
form du and des, respectively. There is no contraction when de is followed by la and I’. de + le
with the nouns they modify.
You already know that there are two ways to express you in French: tu (informal and singular) and vous (formal or plural). Remember that the possessive adjective must always correspond to the form of you that is used. Tu parles à tes amis? Vous parlez à vos amis?
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I have his parents’ address.
• When the preposition de is followed by the definite articles le and les, they contract to
• In French, unlike English, possessive adjectives agree in gender and number
Boîte à outils
That’s my sister’s boyfriend.
Do you like Thierry’s cousin?
du
de + les
La fille des voisins a les cheveux châtains.
Le nom de l’oiseau, c’est Lulu.
J’ai le nouvel album de la chanteuse française.
ma sœur my sister
mes grands-parents my grandparents
The grandfather’s opinion is important.
ton chat your cat
ta nièce your niece
tes cousines your cousins
The bird’s name is Lulu.
• The forms notre, votre, and leur are the same for both masculine and feminine nouns.
Essayez!
They change only if the noun they modify is plural. notre famille our family
nos enfants our children
leur cousin their cousin
leur cousine their cousin
leurs cousins their cousins
librairie professeurs
4. 5. 6.
son histoire his story
I have the French singer’s new album.
son, sa, ses
7. 8.
table problèmes école
9.
ton, ta, tes
nouns if they begin with a vowel sound. ton école your school
livre
3.
• The masculine singular forms mon, ton, and son are also used with feminine singular mon amie my friend
mon
The neighbors’ daughter has brown hair.
Animated Grammar Tutorials feature guided instruction with interspersed quick checks to keep students on track and ensure comprehension. Le professeur provides a humorous, engaging, and relatable twist to grammar instruction.
votre, vos
13. 14.
ordinateurs télévision stylo
10. 11. 12.
soirées lycée devoirs
15.
notre, nos
leur, leurs
cahier études bourse
16. 17. 18.
résultat classe notes
cent trois
cent deux
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Vérifiez
Provide the appropriate form of each possessive adjective.
mon, ma, mes
1. 2.
des
L’opinion du grand-père est importante.
mon frère my brother
notre neveu our nephew
Boîte à outils You have already seen de used to express relationship in Contextes: la fille de Juliette et de Robert, le chien de mes cousins.
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Essayez! offers students their first comprehensive practice of each new grammar point.
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