1 All cats are gray in the dark. 2 Where there’s a will, there’s a way. La nuit, tous les chats sont gris.1 Vouloir, c’est pouvoir.2 Les sons et les lettres Semi-vowels French has three semi-vowels. Semi-vowels are sounds that are produced in much the same way as vowels, but have properties in common with consonants. Semi-vowels are also referred to as glides because they glide or transition from or into the vowel they accompany. hier chien soif nuit The semi-vowel that occurs in the word bien is very much like the y in the English word yes. It is usually spelled with an i or a y (pronounced ee), then glides into the following sound. This semi-vowel sound is also produced when ll follows an i. nation balayer bien brillant The semi-vowel that occurs in the word soif is like the w in the English words was and we. It usually begins with o or ou, then glides into the following vowel. trois froid oui Louis The third semi-vowel sound occurs in the word nuit. It is spelled with the vowel u, as in the French word tu, then glides into the following sound. lui suis cruel intellectuel Prononcez Répétez les mots suivants à voix haute. 1. oui 4. fille 7. minuit 10. juillet 2. taille 5. mois 8. jouer 11. échouer 3. suisse 6. cruel 9. cuisine 12. croissant Articulez Répétez les phrases suivantes à voix haute. 1. Voici trois poissons noirs. 4. Aujourd’hui, Matthieu et Damien vont travailler. 2. Louis et sa famille sont suisses. 5. Françoise a besoin de faire ses 3. Parfois, Grégoire fait de devoirs d’histoire. la cuisine chinoise. 6. La fille de Monsieur Poirot va conduire pour la première fois. Dictons Répétez les dictons à voix haute. 1 2 3 Unité 3 Chez nous cent quarante et un 141 Communicative Goal Pronounce words with semi-vowels correctly pronounce words with semi-vowels correctly. I CAN EXTRA PRACTICE GAME Audio 141 Les sons et les lettres Section Goals In this section, students will learn about semi-vowels. 1 Suggestions • Model the pronunciation of the example words and have students repeat them after you. • Ask students to provide more examples of words with these sounds from this or previous lessons. Examples: essuyer, évier, moi, minuit, juillet. 2 Suggestion Remind students that many vowels combine to make a single sound with no glide. Examples: ai and ou 3 Suggestions • Dictate five familiar words containing semi-vowels, repeating each one at least two times. Then write them on the board or on a transparency and have students check their spelling. • Students may not be familiar with the expression All cats are gray in the dark. Tell them that it is a very old proverb that has appeared in literature across the centuries. Discuss its meaning with students and have them research the history of the saying and its contexts. Mini-dictée Use these sentences with semi-vowels for additional practice or dictation. 1. Nous balayons bien la cuisine. 2. J’ai soif, mais tu as froid. 3. Une fois, ma fille a oublié son parapluie. 4. Parfois, mon chien aime jouer entre minuit et trois heures du matin. Tongue-twisters Teach students these French tongue-twisters that contain semi-vowels. 1. Trois petites truites non cuites, trois petites truites crues. 2. Une bête noire se baigne dans une baignoire noire. Have a contest to see who can say these sentences without making a mistake. Language Comparisons
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