French possessive adjectives can be difficult for anglophone learners since the gender of the adjective corresponds to the noun that is possessed, rather than the noun that does the possessing. In the sentence “John ate his lunch”, for example, “his” corresponds in gender to “John” in English, but to “lunch” in French. Creating a visual representation of the two nouns in question can help students better grasp this conceptual shift.
In this activity, students will create a six-cell storyboard illustrating a sentence that uses a possessive pronoun. Students should include one possessive pronoun for each of the six personal pronoun categories in French.
| MA / MON / MES | Je lis mon livre. |
|---|---|
| TA / TON / TES | Jean, est-ce que c'est ton frère là-bas? |
| SA / SON / SES | Le directeur téléphone à sa femme. |
| NOTRE / NOS | Nous faisons nos devoirs. |
| VOTRE / VOS | Madame Michelot, où achetez-vous vos chaussures? |
| LEUR / LEURS | Les élèves mangent leur repas. |
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Student Instructions
Create a six cell storyboard to practice possessive adjectives with each pronoun. The people and objects in your scene must be consistent in number and gender with the text of your sentence.
Start your lesson with a lively story or scenario that uses French possessive adjectives, such as describing students' favorite objects. This helps students connect the grammar to their own lives and makes learning more memorable.
Write sample sentences on the board, emphasizing how the possessive adjective matches the noun (not the owner) in both gender and number. Point out differences with English to prevent confusion.
Have students select objects or people from their lives and write sentences using each French possessive adjective. Encourage creativity and peer sharing to reinforce understanding.
Ask students to swap sentences and check each other’s work for correct gender and number agreement. This practice builds confidence and reinforces attention to detail.
End your lesson with a game like 'Possessive Pronoun Bingo' or a matching activity where students link owners to objects using the correct adjective. Games boost engagement and retention.
French possessive adjectives show ownership, but unlike English, their form matches the gender and number of the noun possessed, not the owner. For example, "son livre" can mean "his book" or "her book," depending on the context, because "livre" (book) is masculine.
Use visual aids and storyboards to help students connect each possessive adjective with the noun it describes. Having students create sentences and illustrations for each pronoun category (mon, ton, son, etc.) reinforces the concept.
'Son' is used before masculine singular nouns, 'sa' before feminine singular nouns, and 'ses' before plural nouns, regardless of the owner's gender. The adjective matches the noun possessed.
Yes! Example sentences: Je lis mon livre. (I read my book), Jean, est-ce que c'est ton frère? (Jean, is that your brother?), Les élèves mangent leur repas. (The students eat their meal).
Storyboard activities, sentence-writing with illustrations, and group games where students match pronouns to the correct possessive adjectives are effective and engaging ways to practice.