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Likely or unlikely?

Here's a simple idea for a listening task with near-beginners or just above (CEFR A1). Simply read aloud a set of statements and ask students to note (or show on a mini-whiteboard) if the statement is likely ('probable') or unlikely ('peu probable'). The example below is in French. You could make these up on the spot to fit with whatever vocabulary you have been using in previous lessons.

With a shorter list you could add writing to the mix by doing this as a dictation (gapped if you like) and still ask whether the statement is unlikely or not. This makes sure the class is engaging with meaning, as well as form. The same statements could be reused in a game such as Sentence Stealers or Sentence Chaos. Gianfranco has named this sort of task 'Spot the nonsense'.

Or you could ask students to instantly write an English translation of each sentence before they make their judgement.

Students may like to make up their own examples - this would appeal to their sense of the absurd. But don't forget the obvious point, they need to have the means to do this without much support. Suggest strongly that they stick to language they know.

Note that the list below is not very finely-tuned to any particular language forms or patterns (apart from, very broadly, present tense verb forms in the first person). You could design these, as mentioned above, to be more tightly attuned to language you want students to hear repeatedly.

And finally, this is one of those minimal preparation tasks, if you are able to improvise them or have a ready-made list you can reuse.


Possible ou peu probable?

 

  1. J’achète du pain à la boulangerie.
  2. Je joue au football à la piscine.
  3. Je regarde un film dans les toilettes.
  4.  J’achète une baguette à la boucherie.
  5. Je joue au cricket en France.
  6.  Je vais à la piscine pour jouer au tennis.
  7.  Je vais au parc pour jouer au football avec mes amis.
  8. Je parle français en Belgique.
  9.  Je mange des céréales au petit déjeuner.
  10. J’achète une glace au chocolat à la pharmacie.
  11. Je vais en Australie en voiture.
  12.  Je regarde la télé dans la salle de bains.
  13. Je mange un dinosaure au restaurant.
  14. Je parle anglais à la maison.
  15. Je fais mes devoirs dans la chambre.
  16. J’achète un gâteau à la pâtisserie.
  17. Je joue de la guitare au cinéma.
  18. Je mange du coca cola.
  19. Je suis végétarien. Je mange du poulet.
  20. Je vais au cinéma pour acheter un livre.
  21. Je regarde une série sur Netflix.
  22. Je parle français au Canada.
  23. Je mange des insectes à la cantine.
  24. Je déteste le chocolat.
  25. En général je parle français avec mes parents.


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