TOPIC 4 La Mode

La Mode

Learning Objectives

In this unit you will learn how to

  • describe what people are wearing

  • give opinions about clothing items with reasons

  • recognise French 'labels'

  • deliver a commentary on a fashion parade

  • buy clothing items in a shop

  • comment on price and value for money

Culture

France is the country known for fashion. Find out about some of the most famous designers in the world:

French clothes and shoe sizes are different from ours. See what size you are

Etiquette - When you go into a clothing shop in France, you should always greet the people in the shop when you come in by saying one of

- Messieurs-dames

- Bonjour Madame / Monsieur

and also acknowledging them when you go out

- Au revoir messieurs-dames

Task

In groups of 4 prepare a fashion presentation for the class. Each group will model an outfit and comment on it. This should be done in writing on a word or google doc and printed out, so that the class will read the description and match it to the right film. The presentation of each outfit should be filmed at home and emailed to one person in the group who will edit it into a film and add music. We will vote on the best one for a prize.

Here is an example of what to do.

Describing Clothes

  1. Study this clothes vocabulary

    1. Linguascope - Les Vêtements 1 - Les Vêtements 2

    2. Atantot KS2 Les Vêtements

    3. Bonjourdefrance.com - Learn the clothes vocab

    4. Watch this video to help you learn the pronunciation of the clothing items

    5. French to Go 2 p38-40 Ex 1 Wordfind, Ex 2 Crossword, Ex 3 Matching exercise

  2. Study the verb PORTER. Work with a partner to say what you wear on the weekend: Normalement le week-end je porte ...

  1. ADJECTIVES - Watch the video to remind yourselves of the rules about using adjectives. Remember that when describing clothes, colours always go after the noun and AGREE with the noun - eg) une robe bleue (extra 'e' because dress is feminine).

    1. French to Go 2 p40-42 Ex 1 Focus on verb endings and adjective agreement; Ex 2 Translation; Ex 3 Describing what people are wearing

    2. Adjectives describing quality, also go after the noun. French to Go 2 p42 Ex 4. Fill in the agreements on the adjectives

    3. Adjectives describing Beauty, Age, Good and Bad and Size (BAGS) all come in front of the noun they describe. French to Go 2 p42-3 Ex 5

    4. Adjectives with a special masculine form BEAU - NOUVEAU - VIEUX. French to Go 2 p43-44 Ex 6

    5. Test yourself! Now try French to Go 2 p44 Ex 7

    6. Now you are ready to discuss what you like or dislike wearing with your partner. Start by saying: J'aime bien porter ... / je n'aime pas porter ...

    7. Read about what people wear to certain places and do the exercises which follow from bonjourdefrance

    8. In groups, find out what the other students would wear to a variety of places. Ask them: Qu'est-ce que tu vas porter pour aller au parc / au restau / au ciné / à la disco / à la plage / en ville ? etc

    9. Describe and draw. Choose a magazine picture of your favourite film or popstar. In pairs - describe what he or she is wearing and your partner should draw what you describe. Compare pictures afterwards.

    10. Question time. Work in pairs to ask and answer these questions from atantôt

Fashion Commentary

  1. Study this vocabulary for describing what people are wearing in a fashion parade

  2. Atantôt KS3 La Mode

    1. In groups of 4 plan your fashion presentation, deciding on which outfits you want to model and working together on how to describe them, using the vocab and help from the atantot website. Write out the commentary, have it checked by your teacher and learn one full description each. Choose a person in your group to film, another to choose the music and think about any effects you might like to add to your film.

Buying Clothes

  1. Atantôt KS 4 Les Vêtements

    1. How to have a conversation with the shop assistant in a French clothes shop - vocab

    2. When shopping for clothes you might need to ask 'Which (item of clothing)?' and respond with 'this or that (item of clothing'. See how to do this in French by studying this document

  2. DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES

    1. French to Go 2 p44 Ex 1 ce / cet / cette / ces? (this + nouns)

    2. If you want to talk about a particular clothes item you need to use DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS. Watch this video up as far as 1min46

  1. Practise with your partner referring to 'this one' or 'that one' using clothing items - eg) Tu veux celui-ci? Non, je préfère celui-là

  2. Often you are shopping with a friend and he or she asks you for your advice. Find out how to give your opinion here

  3. Prepare a roleplay in a clothes shop where you are advising your friend on his or her choice of clothes

    1. French to Go 2 p47 Au magasin de chaussures - roleplay this conversation with your partner. P48 Ex 6 Comprehension questions, Ex 7 Write your own dialogue

    2. French to Go 2 p48-9 Ex 1-2 Do a little bit more research on French sizing by going to La Redoute, an online shopping website

    3. When it comes time to pay for your item, you should ask: Ça fait combien? or Ça coûte combien?

  4. Review high numbers so that you can understand how much to pay for your clothes. French to Go 2 p45-7 Combien coûte...? French to Go 2 p45-7 Ex 2-5 Numbers / prices

  5. OBJECT PRONOUNS - To say you would like to take 'it' or 'them' you need to use a pronoun. Study this table and then try this exercise

Masculine

le

Feminine

la

Plural

les

eg) - le pull - Je LE prends

- la jupe - Je LA prends

- les gants - Je LES prends

Film

If you like this topic, try to see the film Coco Before Chanel, starring Audrey Tautou

Summative Test

Listening test - week 4

Speaking test - week 4 - Task sheet