review & speak
You made the effort of going through the story — this is what makes it stick before the next one washes it out: engage with the words and patterns, then produce them out loud.
Beginner · en→fr
1 · Vocabulary — the story's new words
The words this story used that are new at its level, sorted by meaning (Ctrl/Cmd+F to search). Save any of them to your word list — 50 new words here.
2 · Grammar — patterns from the story
copula — être (to be, identity / state / origin)Subj. + être + noun / adj.
Elle «est» médecin.
She is a doctor.
existence — il y a (there is / there are)il y a + noun
«Il y a» du pain sur la table.
There is bread on the table.
impersonal subject — on (one / we / people)on + verb (3rd-sg.)
«On» parle français ici.
French is spoken here.
comparison (split) — plus … que (more … than)plus + adj. + que + B
C'est «plus» cher «que» l'autre.
It's more expensive than the other one.
identification — c'est (it is / this is)c'est + noun / adj.
«C'est» mon livre.
This is my book.
purpose — pour + infinitive (in order to)… + pour + infinitive
J'étudie «pour» apprendre le français.
I study in order to learn French.
possession — avoir (to have)Subj. + avoir + noun
J'«ai» deux frères.
I have two brothers.
necessity — il faut + infinitive (one must / it is necessary to)il faut + infinitive
«Il faut» payer à la caisse.
You need to pay at the register.
negation (split) — ne … pas (not)ne + verb + pas
Je «ne» parle «pas» espagnol.
I don't speak Spanish.
reflexive — se / me / te (verb acts on the subject)me / te / se + verb
Elle «s'»appelle Marie.
Her name is Marie.
morphology — passé composé past participle (-é, -i, -u)avoir/être (conjugated) + [participe in -é / -i / -u]
J'ai «mangé» au restaurant.
I ate at the restaurant.
morphology — present tense of regular -er verbsstem + [-e / -es / -e / -ons / -ez / -ent]
Je «parle» un peu français.
I speak a little French.
desire — vouloir + infinitive (want to)vouloir (conjugated) + infinitive
Je «veux» apprendre le français.
I want to learn French.
near future — aller + infinitive (going to)aller (conjugated) + infinitive
Elle «va» acheter du pain.
She is going to buy bread.
3 · Practice A — build your own sentence
Use each pattern on your own life. Say it out loud, then peek at one valid version.
être + noun/adjective
Say pétanque is a very popular traditional game in France.
plus + adjective + que
Say you must throw your balls closer to the jack than the opponent's.
il faut + infinitif
Say you must throw the balls as close as possible to the target.
avoir + participe passé
Say the player who has won scores a point.
aller + infinitif
Say pétanque is going to celebrate one hundred and fifty years of tradition.
4 · Practice B — translate, then check
Your language → the language you're learning, using the story's words and patterns.
5 · The speech — say it out loud
A ~1-minute speech, not a monologue — the arc (open → explain → example → opinion → contrast → close) is what makes it sound human. Study the one help bank first; then pick an angle and say each line in the language you're learning, out loud — no cues next to the lines on purpose. ✨ = new for these speeches; everything else is review from the story.
help bank · key vocabulary
help bank · connectors — the glue, in talk order
help bank · grammar patterns
IS / ARE (être)être + adjective / noun (description)
La pétanque est un jeu traditionnel très apprécié en France.— Pétanque is a very popular traditional game in France.
THERE IS / THERE ARE (il y a)il y a + noun
Il y a des terrains de pétanque dans presque chaque village.— There are pétanque courts in almost every village.
ONE / PEOPLE (on)on + verb (3rd-person singular)
On joue avec des boules en métal sur un terrain en gravier.— People play with metal balls on a gravel surface.
MORE THAN (plus…que)✨plus + adjective + que
Le but est de lancer ses boules plus près du cochonnet que celles de l'adversaire.— The goal is to throw your balls closer to the jack than the opponent's.
MUST / HAVE TO (il faut)✨il faut + infinitif
Il faut lancer les boules le plus près possible de la cible.— You must throw the balls as close as possible to the target.
PAST (passé composé)✨avoir / être + participe passé
Le joueur qui a gagné marque un point pour chaque boule plus près du cochonnet.— The player who has won scores one point for each ball closer to the jack.
GOING TO (aller + infinitif)✨aller (present) + infinitif
La pétanque va fêter bientôt ses cent cinquante ans de tradition.— Pétanque is soon going to celebrate one hundred and fifty years of tradition.
now perform it — pick an angle · all 5 use the one bank above, no new words
Explain what pétanque is and where it comes from.
the speech — say each line in the language you're learning
① Open — introduce your topic
1.Today I want to talk about pétanque.
2.Pétanque is a very popular traditional game in France.
② Explain — where and how it is played
3.There are pétanque courts in almost every village.
4.People play with metal balls on a gravel surface.
③ Example — a classic Sunday scene
5.For example, on Sundays the elders play in the village park.
6.And also, young people want to learn to play with their grandparents.
④ My opinion — why pétanque is special
7.I think pétanque is a wonderful tradition.
8.It is a game for everyone, from children to the elderly.
⑤ But — not just for old people
9.But pétanque is not only for old people.
10.Young people also play it today.
⑥ Close — question and wrap-up
11.So, have you ever tried playing pétanque?
12.Thank you, everyone!
⚠ stuck? model answers — try first, peek last