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Focus On Form:: Passé Compose vs. Imparfait

The document provides an introduction to a lesson focusing on the proper use of the passé composé and imparfait tenses in French. It discusses how both tenses can be used to refer to the past but describe different aspects. The lesson will help students understand when to use each tense and distinguish between them. It also references several principles of language learning, such as focusing first on time markers or sentence endings rather than verbs. Sample sentences are then provided to illustrate the tenses, followed by exercises to help students identify the difference between a completed action/change of state (passé composé) and an ongoing action/description (imparfait).

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71 views

Focus On Form:: Passé Compose vs. Imparfait

The document provides an introduction to a lesson focusing on the proper use of the passé composé and imparfait tenses in French. It discusses how both tenses can be used to refer to the past but describe different aspects. The lesson will help students understand when to use each tense and distinguish between them. It also references several principles of language learning, such as focusing first on time markers or sentence endings rather than verbs. Sample sentences are then provided to illustrate the tenses, followed by exercises to help students identify the difference between a completed action/change of state (passé composé) and an ongoing action/description (imparfait).

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api-534210365
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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FOCUS ON FORM:

PASSÉ COMPOSE VS. IMPARFAIT

MARTA FERNANDEZ VELASCO


INTRODUCTION TO THE MODULE
• I am focusing on the utilization of the passé composé and the imparfait in French. I have chosen these two structures of the
past-tense because learning how to use them and distinguish them appropriately from each other can be a problem for most
students of French. Both forms are used for past-tense, as I have already stated, but they can appear and be used in many
ways depending on the context. That is why it can be difficult to use them properly sometimes.
• For this lesson, the students will have already learned how both structures are formed from a previous class. Therefore, this
lesson has the finality of helping students to understand when to use these structures and differentiate them from one
another when they are used separately or together.
• According to the Sentence Location Principle (Lee &Van Pattern), students will focus initially on the first/ last item said in
the sentence, since it is easier to remember them, but the middle item is processed last, so it is highly probable that it is
going to be forgotten.
• Also, students focus on markers of time like ce matin, hier, demain, il y a trois jours, etc., before they are able to process
the appropriate verb structure by itself (imparfait/ passé composé). This is called the Lexical Preference Principle in which
students focus on these words that give a more direct meaning to the sentence without really understanding the
grammatical structure of the verb. Therefore, students should be led to pay attention to the verb structure in order to
understand the tense.
• Based on what I just exposed, the Preference for Nonredundancy Principle is also applicable to this situation, since the
verb will become redundant if the sentence already includes a time marker. Also, in sentences with PC and IMP, the
Availability of Resources Principle could come into play. Depending on the context, the overall sentential meaning could
drain the processing resources of beginning learners.
SAMPLE MODULE
Structure’s Presentation
À minuit, nous sommes rentrés chez nous.
J’ai mangé un croissant ce matin.
Mon père mettait toujours la voiture dans le garage.
Lundi soir, elles sont allées au cinema.
Aurelie étudiait pour son examen quand son petit ami a téléphoné.
Mes amis et moi, nous sommes allés manger une pizza.
Il pleuvait quand nous sommes sortis du restaurant.
Quel est le sens des verbes à l’imparfait?
Qu’est-ce qu’indique le passé composé?
Structure’s Presentation
Un jour, je suis allée chez le docteur avec ma mère.
Elle était un peu malade.
Après le rendez-vous, on a mangé au restaurant à côté de l’hôpital.
On a commandé des moules.
Elles étaient délicieux!
On est allées à la pharmacie pour acheter des médicaments.
Mais, comme il pleuvait beaucoup, nous somme rentrées à la maison bientôt.
Ma mère était très fatiguée et elle a dormi toute l’après-midi.

Quelle est la différence entre le passé composé et l’imparfait?


Structured Input 1
• J’allait toujours à la plage quand j’étais petit. • Vous regardiez la télé chez Amélie.
• J’ai acheté un livre. • Hier, je suis allé avec ma mère au marché.
• Le film a commencé à dix heures. • Ma grand-mère travaillait souvent dans le jardin.

Actions Complètes/Changements d’état Actions en Cours/Descriptions


Hier, je suis allé avec ma mère au marché. Vous regardiez la télé chez Amélie.
J’ai acheté un livre. J’allait toujours à la plage quand j’étais petit.
Le film a commencé à dix heures. Ma grand-mère travaillait souvent dans le jardin.
Structured Input 2
Structured Output 1
Structured Output 2
Structured Output 3

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