FRE102 Self-Study – Grammar Task
Note: a checklist is provided at the end to keep track of your work.
Section A - Introduction to Grammar Learning
Grammar learning is to understand how words can be put together in order to
make phrases and sentences. It is an essential part of language study. Some of
you think that grammar is difficult and boring and have been struggling with it a lot. You may learn
grammar mainly by doing grammar exercises and yet still make a lot of grammatical mistakes in
writing and speaking. This section outlines some ideas on learning grammar systematically. Below
are some strategies for grammar learning.
1. Set a learning objective
2. Learn the form, functions and usage
3. Look for and understand examples in context
4. Test your understanding of the grammar feature
5. Write a reflection about your learning experience
Section B - Grammar Task
The grammar tasks below will give you an opportunity to try the strategies suggested in Section A
and to explore some on-line grammar resources. It will also enable you to identify your weaknesses
in grammar.
Step 1 – Set a learning objective
You could first visit a website offering some kind of diagnostic test or test practice. Then, decide on
a grammar objective according to your difficulties. For French, you could start looking at the CIEP
website about the French external examination “le DELF”: http://www.ciep.fr/delfdalf/index.php
Focus on one grammar topic at a time. Choose from the grammar topics which have been introduced
in class to consolidate what you have learned. Here are some examples:
Subject/Verb
Agreement
Conjunctions
Demonstrative
pronouns
Infinitives
Prepositions
Nouns
Tenses (the Present,
for example)
Relative clauses
Adjectives
Proper nouns
Note 1: Choosing a completely new topic is also possible, but remember that it must be in step with
your learning. For example, the conditional tense is not advisable at beginner level. Refer to the
online grammar references in Step 2 below for more grammar topics.
Note 2: You may also want to select a grammar feature which you have discovered in the course of
doing in the Listening task (for example by doing the listening exercises on the BBC French
language website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/).
© CEAL (Additional Languages)
Step 2 – learn the form, functions and usage
Once you have decided your learning objective, find out the form and functions/usage of the
grammar topic. Consult good grammar references which not only explain the rule, but also give
plenty of examples to illustrate the functions and usage of the grammar topic.
Fill in the following Grammar Task Record 1 and find at least one grammar exercise related to your
objective. Upload both documents onto your e-Portfolio. To choose your grammar exercise(s), you
can make use of the online grammar resources suggested below.
GRAMMAR Task Record 1
Grammar feature chosen (specify)
Learning objective (what you want to
achieve). Be specific.
Type and name of material used to
meet learning objective
(do at least one exercise)
Learning outcome (what you learned
from this exercise)
Online French Grammar Resources:
 Grammaire interactive (Softissimo)
http://grammaire.reverso.net/
 Grammar: learn to conjugate verbs
http://www.leconjugueur.com
 Another conjugator site:
http://machaut.uchicago.edu/conjugator
 French grammar explained at Austin University, Texas
http://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/gr/v1.html
 Any questions, try About.com:
http://french.about.com/library/writing/bl-capitalization.htm
 Very precise questions, try WordReference.com:
http://www.wordreference.com/fren/voulu
 French-English Dictionary
http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/dictionary/
 Hong Kong University’s website :
http://www.hku.hk/french/dcmScreen/lang2043/index.htm
Online dictionaries:
 http://www.wordreference.com/
 http://french.about.com/library/pronunciation/bl-audiodico.htm
Step 3 – Look for examples in context
Choose an article on the internet or from the following websites and try to identify two sentences that
contain the grammar feature that you chose as your learning objective. Fill in Grammar Task
Record 2.
© CEAL (Additional Languages)
GRAMMAR Task Record 2
Grammar feature (it
should be the same as
for Task Record 1):
Source of article
(URL)
Title of article
Sentence 1
(underline grammatical
feature)
Sentence 2
(underline grammatical
feature)
For example, you can use the following addresses of « journaux et magazines »:

Le Monde (a very serious source of news in France): http://www.lemonde.fr/

Journal français, news edited in the U.S.A.: http://www.france-amerique.com/

Le magazine hebdomadaire Télérama (includes the TV weekly programme and many very
interesting cultural features): http://www.telerama.fr/techno/madame-bovary-sur-lenet,41942.php

TV5 Monde: www.tv5.org
A very interesting and rich site which proposes all kinds of activities including: radio and TV
online; songs; interactive dictations; online dictionaries, press articles, quizzes, etc. In
particular, log on to the programme called 7-jours sur la planète
(http://www.tv5.org/TV5Site/7-jours/index.php?id_dossier=131) which gives a summary
(audio and written) of news each week and proposes various exercises linked to each item
of news to students.

Did you know that Lingnan library also carried a number of French periodicals and NEW
electronic periodicals?
Check the links available on the CEAL website for French Periodicals and ePeriodicals at:
http://www.ln.edu.hk/ceal/usefullinks/addlinks.php
Don’t forget to upload relevant documents (e.g. record sheets or copies of selected texts or copies of
exercises) and a written reflection onto your Mahara FRE102 ePortfolio to provide evidence of
learning.
Grammar checklist
If you have chosen the Grammar task to be part of the Self-Study module assessment, you need to
have completed:
Grammar task record One + 1 online grammar exercise
Grammar task record Two
Written reflection
© CEAL (Additional Languages)
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