Equipment and facilities in school (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Equipment and facilities in school
This topic covers essential vocabulary for describing school buildings, equipment, and facilities in French, along with key grammar rules for using adjectives correctly.
Essential vocabulary
Understanding the names of school buildings, equipment, and facilities is crucial for discussing education in French. Here's the core vocabulary you need to master:
When learning French vocabulary, always memorise words with their gender markers (le, la, l'). This will help you apply adjective agreements correctly later.
School buildings and spaces
| French | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| le bâtiment | building | masculine |
| la bibliothèque | library | feminine |
| le bureau | office | masculine |
| la cour | playground | feminine |
| la salle | room | feminine |
| le terrain | pitch, sports ground | masculine |
Equipment and learning materials
| French | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| l'équipement | equipment | masculine |
| l'ordinateur | computer | masculine |
| le cahier | exercise book | masculine |
| le sac | bag | masculine |
| le projet | project, plan | masculine |
School activities and roles
| French | English | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| le cours | lesson | masculine |
| le directeur | headteacher | masculine |
| le spectacle | show | masculine |
| la recherche | research | feminine |
| la rentrée | start of school year | feminine |
Useful descriptive words
| French | English |
|---|---|
| scolaire | school (adjective) |
| utile | useful |
| moderne | modern |
| grand(e) | big |
Notice how "grand(e)" is written with parentheses around the 'e'. This indicates that the adjective adds an 'e' when describing feminine nouns: grand (masculine) → grande (feminine).
Grammar focus: irregular adjectives
French adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe, but some follow irregular patterns that you need to memorise. Here are the two most important irregular patterns for school-related vocabulary.
Adjectives ending in -if
Critical Grammar Rule: -if → -ive
When adjectives ending in -if describe feminine nouns, they change to -ive. This is an essential irregular pattern that appears frequently in French.
Pattern: -if → -ive
| Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|
| actif | active | active |
Worked Example: Using "actif/active"
- Les élèves sont actifs (The pupils are active - masculine/mixed group)
- Les élèves sont actives (The pupils are active - all female group)
- On peut faire des activités sportives au collège (You can do sports activities at school)
Notice how "actif" becomes "active" when describing the feminine noun "activités".
The adjective "long"
Special Pattern: Consonant Doubling
The adjective "long" (meaning long) becomes "longue" when describing feminine nouns. This follows a pattern where some adjectives double the final consonant and add -e for the feminine form.
Worked Example: Using "long/longue"
La journée scolaire est longue (The school day is long)
Here, "journée" is feminine, so "long" becomes "longue".
Expressing opinions about school equipment
You can discuss both positive and negative aspects of school facilities. Here's how to express negative opinions about equipment using a specific French structure.
Worked Example: Expressing Negative Opinions
Structure: Un aspect négatif de [noun] est qu'il est [adjective]
Example: Un aspect négatif de tout l'équipement est qu'il est lourd
Translation: A negative aspect of all the equipment is that it is heavy
This structure allows you to give balanced opinions about school facilities, which is particularly useful in speaking and writing tasks.
Using vocabulary in context
When describing your school, try to use varied vocabulary and connectives to create more sophisticated responses. Consider mentioning:
- The buildings and facilities available
- The equipment you use for different subjects
- Activities you can participate in
- Your personal opinions about different aspects
Worked Example: School Description
French: Mon collège est grand et assez moderne. Nous avons beaucoup de salles avec des ordinateurs où on peut faire des recherches. On a aussi fait construire un nouveau bâtiment de musique que j'adore.
English: My school is big and quite modern. We have lots of rooms with computers where we can do research. We've also had a new music building built which I love.
Notice the use of connectives like "où" (where) and "que" (which/that) to create more complex sentences.
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercises
French to English:
- La bibliothèque de notre collège est très moderne.
- Les ordinateurs sont utiles pour faire des recherches.
English to French: 3. The playground is big and the pupils are active. 4. The school equipment is heavy but useful.
Answers:
- The library at our school is very modern.
- The computers are useful for doing research.
- La cour est grande et les élèves sont actifs.
- L'équipement scolaire est lourd mais utile.
Pronunciation tips
Key Pronunciation Points:
- Remember that final consonants are often silent in French (eg. grand sounds like "grahn")
- The 'qu' in "équipement" makes a 'k' sound
- "Bibliothèque" has the stress on the final syllable: "bee-blee-o-TEHK"
- "Scolaire" rhymes with "Claire": "sko-LAIR"
Key Points to Remember:
- Adjectives ending in -if change to -ive for feminine nouns (actif → active)
- The adjective "long" becomes "longue" for feminine nouns
- Use "qu'il est + adjective" to express negative opinions about equipment
- Learn vocabulary with gender markers - this helps with adjective agreements
- Practice using connectives like "où" and "que" to create more complex sentences about your school