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French Phonics Collection�

SSC [qu]

Artwork by: Chloé Motard

Date updated: 31/08/22

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SSC [qu]

phonétique

Introduction

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qu

?

question

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [qu] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”question” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to raise one’s eyebrows and look intently, as if querying something.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [qu] sound, pronouncing ”question” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

question [144].

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

question

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qu

?

question

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

[to explain]

manquer

[to miss/be missing]

musique

unique

[unique; only]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:

1. Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [qu] and then the source word again ‘question’ (with gesture, if using).�2. Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.

�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �quarte [283]; musique [1139] expliquer [252]; manquer [583]; unique [402]; question [144].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

manquer

musique

unique

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

manquer

musique

unique

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

expliquer

musique

requête

manquer

Secondes

60

0

DÉBUT

équipement

Phonétique

lire / parler

équipe

quantité

quatre

[request]

[to miss]

[quantity]

4

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 5 minutes for three slides

Aim: automatisation of oral production of SSC [qu] at word level.

Procedure:

Tell students that they are going to take turns to say all the words within a given time, building up speed. They call in any order they like but are not allowed to repeat the one they said in their last turn.
Click on début to start the timer on the screen.
The listening students checks that the speaking student does not pronounce [qu] the English way. If they do, they must repeat the word correctly three times.
Students swap roles. Restart the timer.
Click to check pronunciation of the words.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �musique [1139], équipe [814], équipement [1704], quantité [1680], requête [3750], manquer [583], expliquer [252], quatre [253]�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique

Secondes

45

0

DÉBUT

Phonétique

lire / parler

Phonétique

expliquer

musique

requête

manquer

équipement

Phonétique

équipe

quantité

quatre

[request]

[to miss]

[quantity]

4

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

Secondes

30

0

DÉBUT

Phonétique

lire / parler

Phonétique

expliquer

musique

requête

manquer

équipement

Phonétique

équipe

quantité

quatre

[request]

[to miss]

[quantity]

4

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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SSC [qu]

phonétique

Consolidation [1]

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qu

?

question

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [qu] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”question” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to raise one’s eyebrows and look intently, as if querying something.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [qu] sound, pronouncing ”question” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

question [144].

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

question

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qu

?

question

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

[to explain]

manquer

[to miss/be missing]

musique

unique

[unique; only]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:

1. Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [qu] and then the source word again ‘question’ (with gesture, if using).�2. Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.

�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �quarte [283]; musique [1139] expliquer [252]; manquer [583]; unique [402]; question [144].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

manquer

musique

unique

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

manquer

musique

unique

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Dictée – ‘q’ ou ‘c’ ?

6

5

4

2

1

7

8

9

10

quand

comprendre

cadeau

3

sympathique

question

parc

chaque

quatre

combien

caisse

Dictée – ‘q’ ou ‘c’ ?

écrire

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Phonétique

secondes

60

0

DÉBUT

quitter

quantité

qualifier

qualité

qualification

conséquence

équipement

tranquille

fréquent

séquence

équivalent

liquide

Lots of French words containing [qu] come from other languages!

Attention! They are still pronounced the ‘French’ way!

Phonétique

parler

Timing: 5 minutes

Aim: oral production of a unknown cognate words containing SSC [qu]

Procedure

1. Teacher explains to students that although these words have the same or similar meanings to the English words they recognise, the pronunciation is not the same.

2. Teacher clicks ‘début’.

3. Student A reads the list of words out loud to student B. Student B listens carefully to their partner’s pronunciation, and stops Student A if the [qu] sound is pronounced the English way. They only stop their partner if the [qu] is pronounced incorrectly. If another mispronunciation is noticed, the listening student should note this and correct it at only the end of the round.

4. Students count how many words Student A managed to say correctly.

5. Students swap roles. The student with the most points at the end is the winner.

6. After two rounds, the teacher plays the correct pronunciation by clicking on the audio. Students repeat.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

conséquence [617], qualité [606], quitter [507], qualification [4004], liquid [3520], qualifier [1283], équivalent [2476], sequence [3099], quantité [1680], tranquille [2555], fréquent [2684], équipement [1704]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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SSC [qu]

phonétique

Consolidation [2]

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qu

?

question

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [qu] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”question” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to raise one’s eyebrows and look intently, as if querying something.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [qu] sound, pronouncing ”question” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

question [144].

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

[to explain]

manquer

[to miss/be missing]

musique

unique

[unique; only]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:

1. Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [qu] and then the source word again ‘question’ (with gesture, if using).�2. Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.

�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �quarte [283]; musique [1139] expliquer [252]; manquer [583]; unique [402]; question [144].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Des groupes consonantiques

Coche chaque fois que tu entends une des SSCs [th], [ch] ou [qu].

th	ch	qu	phrase
			Mathieu est athlète.
			Il cherche des marathons au Québec…
			…parce qu’il est enthousiaste.
			Son chat, Thibaut, mâche du thon québécois.
			Son chien, Véronique, est chez Monique.

1

2

3

4

5

Ma__ieu est a__lète.

Il __er__e des mara__ons au __ébec…

…parce __’il est en__ousiaste.

Son __at, __ibaut, mâ__e du __on __ébecois.

Son __ien, Véroni__e, est __ez Moni__e.

écouter / écrire

Mathieu is an athlete.

He looks for/is looking for marathons in Quebec…

…because he is enthusiastic.

His cat, Thibaut, chews/is chewing tuna from Quebec.

His dog, Véronique, is at Monique’s place.

Timing: 8 minutes

Aim: Aural recognition of SSCs [th], [ch], [qu] in longer contexts. Raising awareness of cross-linguistic differences in the pronunciation of these consonant clusters through use of cognate words.

Procedure:

1. Click on the buttons to play the audio.

2. Students listen and tick or transcribe the target SSCs.

3. Click to reveal answers (with more advanced classes, skip this step and move to step 4 to challenge students to translate the sentences through listening alone).

4. Students use the answers to try to translate the sentences into English, noticing the cognate words that they have transcribed.

5. Click to reveal answers.

6. Ask students to identify other SSCs in the sentence that sound identical to [th] and [qu] ([t] and hard [c] in enthousiaste and Québec).

Transcript:

1. Mathieu est athlète.

2. Il cherche des marathons au Québec…

3. …parce qu’il est enthousiaste.

4. Son chat, Thibault, mâche du thon québécois.

5. Son chien, Véronique, est chez Monique.

Word frequency of cognates used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

athlète [4722], marathon [>5000], enthousiaste [4287], groupe [187], consonantique [<5000]

Word frequency of unknown words used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

mâcher [>5000], thon [>5000]

Source: Lonsdale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Phonétique

Charles va chez Thérèse chaque dimanche.

Personne A lit la phrase. �Personne B coche chaque fois qu’il/elle entend [th, [ch] ou [qu].

	th	ch	qu	en anglais
1				Charles goes to Thérèse’s place every Sunday.
2
3
4

écouter / écrire

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 8 minutes. This is slide 1/7. [note only 6 slides include SSC [qu]]

Aim: Oral production and aural recognition of SSCs [th], [ch], [qu].

Procedure:

1. Students prepare for the activity by sketching the grid pictured on this slide. Use the sentence on this slide as an example to model steps 2-6 below.

2. Students work in pairs. Student A faces the board. Student B turns away.

3. Student A reads the sentence from the board. Student B has their back to the board and ticks the SSCs they hear.

4. Student B turns back to the board to check the answer, revealed on clicks.

5. Students use their knowledge of cognates to guess the English meaning of the sentence, revealed on a further click. At more advanced levels, the listening student could try to do this as part of step 3.

6. Both students practice saying the sentences at increasing speeds to increase fluency of production. Click on the numbers 1-3 to hear the sentences read aloud at different speeds. Students listen and repeat.

7. Repeat steps 2-7 for the remaining sentences.

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Phonétique

Michel le mammouth explique qu’il vient de Belgique.

écouter / écrire

Michel the mammoth explains that he comes from Belgium.

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

Frédérique choisit la musique catholique.

écouter / écrire

Frédérique chooses Catholic music.

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

Les quatre chats sympathiques cherchent quatre chaises chaudes.

écouter / écrire

The four nice cats are looking for four warm chairs.

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

Les dimanches, Agathe va au théâtre, aux champs, et à la bibliothèque.

écouter / écrire

On Sundays, Agathe goes to the theatre, to the fields, and to the library.

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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Phonétique

Dominique a des questions sur les méthodes chinoises de maths.

écouter / écrire

Dominique has some questions about Chinese maths methods.

1

2

3

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

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SSC [qu]

phonétique

Consolidation [3]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

32 of 37

qu

?

question

Timing: 1 minute

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:�1. Present the letter(s) and say the [qu] sound first, on its own. Students repeat it with you.�2. Bring up the word ”question” on its own, say it, students repeat it, so that they have the opportunity to focus all of their attention on the connection between the written word and its sound.

3. A possible gesture for this would be to raise one’s eyebrows and look intently, as if querying something.�4. Roll back the animations and work through 1-3 again, but this time, dropping your voice completely to listen carefully to the students saying the [qu] sound, pronouncing ”question” and, if using, doing the gesture.

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French):

question [144].

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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qu

?

question

quatre

expliquer

[to explain]

manquer

[to miss/be missing]

musique

unique

[unique; only]

Material licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 4.0�

Rachel Hawkes

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To introduce/consolidate SSC [qu]

Procedure:

1. Introduce and elicit the pronunciation of the individual SSC [qu] and then the source word again ‘question’ (with gesture, if using).�2. Then present and elicit the pronunciation of the five cluster words.

�The cluster words have been chosen for their high-frequency, from a range of word classes, with the SSC (where possible) positioned within a variety of syllables within the words (e.g. initial, 2^nd, final etc.). Additionally, we have tried to use words that build cumulatively on previously taught SSCs (see the Phonics Teaching Sequence document) and do not include new SSCs. Where new SSCs are used, they are often consonants which have a similar symbol-sound correspondence in English.�

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �quarte [283]; musique [1139] expliquer [252]; manquer [583]; unique [402]; question [144].�Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Mots qui finissent par -que

écouter / écrire

This week you are learning two French words ending with -que.

fantastique (fantastic)

historique (historic)

The only spelling difference is the word ending.

In French it’s -que, in English it’s -c. How are these endings pronounced?

Notice that they are spelled similarly in English and French and have the same meaning. They are cognates.

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Mots qui finissent par -que

	French	English
	catholique	catholic
	risque	risk
	marque	mark
	rythmique	rhythmic
	critique	critic
	scientifique	scientific
	attaque	attack
	plastique	plastic

écouter / écrire

1

2

4

5

6

8

C’est quoi en anglais ?

Use your knowledge

of French words ending in -que to predict the English.

7

3

French words ending in -que often end in -c, -ck or -k in English.

Timing: 5 minutes

Aim: Oral production of words containing SSC [qu]; application of English-French word patterns.

Procedure:

1. Students translate the French words into English, applying the knowledge of French-English word patterns covered in the last slide.

2. Click on the audio button to hear the words pronounced by a native speaker.

3. Students repeat and then say the English translation aloud, focusing on the pronunciation of –(i)c/-(i)que.

4. Click to bring up the bubble with information about the range of English spelling variations equivalent to the French -que.

Transcript:

catholique
risque
marque
rythmique
critique
scientifique
attaque
plastique

Word frequency of cognates used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

catholique [1578], risque [640], marque [1344], rythmique [>5000], ], critique [909], scientifique [950], attaque [1655], plastique [2191]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Mots qui finissent par -que

écouter / écrire

As you know, we can translate the French word ending -que with the English word endings -c, -ck and –k.

fantastique (fantastic OR fantastical)

historique (historic OR historical)

We can also translate French word ending -ique with the English ending -ical:

magique (magic OR magical)

The only difference in these cognates is the word ending.

In French it’s -ique, but in English it’s -ical. How are these endings pronounced?

Note: fantastic (great) and fantastiscal (strange, unreal) have different meanings.

Timing: 2 minutes

Aim: To revise and expand knowledge of the French word ending –que and its English equivalent equivalents; to introduce the English ‘-ical’ ➜ French ‘-ique’ word pattern and connect these with SSCs [i] and [qu].

1. Click to reveal the explanation.

2. Remind students that SSC [i] sounds different in English and French. Practise pronouncing the endings French ‘-ique’ and English ‘-ical’, focusing on the [i] pronunciation and the [qu] spelling.

3. Click on the French word to hear it said by a native speaker. Students repeat, and then say the English.

Transcript:

fantastique

historique

magique

Word frequency (1 is the most frequent word in French): �magique [3530]

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.

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Mots qui finissent par -ique

	English	French
	statistical	statistique
	political	politique
	physical	physique
	economical	économique
	technical	technique
	logical	logique
	typical	typique
	classical music	musique classique

écrire / parler

1

2

3

4

6

8

5

7

C’est quoi en français ?

Timing: 5 minutes

Aim: Oral production of words containing SSC [qu]; application of English-French word patterns.

Procedure:

1. Students translate the English words into French, applying the knowledge of French-English word patterns covered on the previous slide.

2. Click to reveal answers.

3. Click on the audio button to hear the words pronounced by a native speaker.

4. Students repeat and then say the English translation aloud, focusing on the pronunciation of –ic(al)/-ique.

Transcript:

statistique
politique
physique
économique
technique
logique
typique
musique classique

Word frequency of cognates used (1 is the most frequent word in French):

statistique [1901], politique [128], physique [1146], économique [261], technique [592], logique [1107], typique [4178], classique [1845],

Source: Londsale, D., & Le Bras, Y. (2009). A Frequency Dictionary of French: Core vocabulary for learners London: Routledge.