📚 Tous les chapitres SuivantCh. 02 — Speaking: Everyday Life

1. Understanding classroom instructions

Comprendre les consignes de classe. En Seconde, la première compétence d'écoute à maîtriser est de comprendre les instructions données par le professeur à l'oral. Ces consignes reviennent constamment en classe d'anglais et doivent être reconnues instantanément, sans traduction mentale.

Common classroom instructions
  • Listen and repeat. — Écoutez et répétez.
  • Look at the board / the picture. — Regardez le tableau / l'image.
  • Work in pairs / Work in groups. — Travaillez à deux / en groupes.
  • Underline the correct answer. — Soulignez la bonne réponse.
  • Circle the odd one out. — Entourez l'intrus.
  • Fill in the blanks. — Remplissez les blancs / complétez.
  • Match the sentences with the pictures. — Associez les phrases aux images.
  • Put the words in order. — Remettez les mots dans l'ordre.
  • Take out your notebooks. — Sortez vos cahiers.
  • Hand in your homework. — Remettez vos devoirs.
  • Raise your hand before speaking. — Levez la main avant de parler.
  • Open your books at page... — Ouvrez vos livres à la page...
Mini-dialogue: teacher / student

Teacher: Good morning, everyone. Open your books at page twelve, please.
Student: Sorry, Miss, which page?
Teacher: Page twelve. Now, listen and repeat after me: "Where do you live?"
Students: Where do you live?
Teacher: Very good. Now work in pairs and underline the correct answer in exercise three. You have five minutes.
Student: Can you repeat the instructions, please?
Teacher: Of course. Work with your partner, read the sentences, and underline the correct answer.

2. Intonation, stress and tone

L'intonation, l'accentuation et le ton. À l'oral, une phrase ne se comprend pas seulement par les mots employés mais aussi par la façon dont elle est prononcée. L'intonation (la mélodie de la voix), le stress (l'accent tonique sur certains mots) et le tone (le ton employé) transmettent des informations essentielles : il s'agit d'une question ou d'une affirmation, d'une surprise, d'une colère, ou au contraire d'une demande polie.

Rising vs falling intonation
  • Rising intonation (intonation montante, ↗) : utilisée pour les questions fermées (Yes/No questions), pour exprimer la surprise, ou pour rendre une phrase plus polie.
  • Falling intonation (intonation descendante, ↘) : utilisée pour les affirmations, les ordres, et la plupart des questions ouvertes (Wh-questions : what, where, when, why, who, how).
  • Le stress (accent tonique) placé sur un mot différent peut changer le sens ou l'insistance d'une phrase : "I didn't say that." (ce n'est pas moi) vs "I didn't say that." (je ne l'ai pas dit, mais peut-être écrit).
  • Le tone (ton de la voix) permet de reconnaître une émotion : une voix qui monte brusquement et fort exprime souvent la colère ou l'étonnement ; une voix douce et posée exprime la politesse.
Rising ↗ or falling ↘ ?

"You're coming to the party?" ↗ (question / surprise — l'ami n'est pas sûr et est étonné)
"You're coming to the party." ↘ (affirmation simple)
"Could you close the door, please?" ↗ (demande polie)
"Close the door!" ↘ (ordre, ton ferme voire en colère)
"Where do you live?" ↘ (Wh-question, intonation descendante)
"Do you live in Brazzaville?" ↗ (Yes/No question, intonation montante)

3. Telephone conversations — formal and informal

Les conversations téléphoniques formelles et informelles. Au téléphone, le registre de langue change selon que l'on parle à un ami (informal) ou à une administration, une entreprise, un professeur (formal). Il faut savoir reconnaître et utiliser les expressions adaptées à chaque situation : décrocher, se présenter, demander à parler à quelqu'un, patienter, prendre un message, raccrocher.

SituationFormalInformal
Answering the phone (décrocher)"Good morning, Edutech Congo, how may I help you?""Hello?"
Introducing yourself (se présenter)"Hello, this is Sarah Kimbembe speaking.""Hi, it's me, Sarah!"
Asking for someone (demander à parler à qqn)"Could I speak to Mr. Obenga, please?""Is Paul there?"
Asking to wait (faire patienter)"Hold on please, I'll put you through.""Wait a sec." / "Hang on."
Taking a message (prendre un message)"Can I take a message?""Do you want to leave a message?"
Ending the call (raccrocher)"Thank you for calling, goodbye.""Okay, bye! See you!"

4. Understanding talks, speeches and picture descriptions

Comprendre des exposés, discours et descriptions d'images. À l'oral, un locuteur peut faire un exposé (a talk), un discours (a speech) ou décrire une image (a picture description). Pour bien comprendre, il faut repérer les mots-clés, les connecteurs logiques (first, then, in addition, finally) et les mots de localisation spatiale utilisés pour décrire une image (in the foreground, in the background, on the left/right, next to).

Transcript: a short talk with a picture description

"Good afternoon, everyone. Today I'd like to talk to you about the importance of reading. First, reading helps us learn new words and improve our vocabulary. Second, it develops our imagination. And finally, it helps us relax after a long day at school.

Now, look at this picture. It shows a group of students in a library. In the foreground, two girls are sitting at a table, reading books and taking notes. In the background, you can see tall shelves full of books. On the left, a boy is standing near the window, choosing a book. Everyone looks calm and focused. This picture reminds us that reading is a wonderful habit to build, both at school and at home."

5. Requests, permission, offers, invitations, condition, prohibition

Demandes, permissions, offres, invitations, conditions et interdictions à l'oral. Ces fonctions communicatives s'expriment surtout grâce aux modaux (can, could, may, would, shall, must). Savoir les reconnaître à l'oral permet de comprendre exactement ce que demande, propose ou interdit un locuteur.

Modals and their function
  • Can I...? / Could I...? — demander une permission (informal → formal) : "Can I open the window?"
  • May I...? — demander une permission de façon très formelle/polie : "May I leave the classroom?"
  • Would you mind + V-ing? — faire une demande très polie : "Would you mind closing the door?"
  • Shall we...? / Would you like to...? — proposer, inviter : "Shall we go to the cinema tonight?"
  • If... , ... / Unless... — exprimer une condition : "If it rains, we'll stay at home."
  • Must not / mustn't / You're not allowed to... — exprimer une interdiction : "You mustn't use your phone during the exam."
Listen and identify the function

"Could you open the window, please?" → request (demande)
"May I leave the classroom?" → permission
"Would you mind lending me your pen?" → polite request
"Would you like to come to my birthday party?" → invitation
"If you study hard, you'll pass the exam." → condition
"You must not use your phone during the exam." → prohibition

6. Reacting appropriately

Réagir correctement à l'oral. Pour montrer que l'on suit une conversation, il faut savoir réagir de façon appropriée : accepter, confirmer, demander une clarification, exprimer l'accord ou le désaccord.

English expressionTraduction française
Yes / YeahOui
Okay / All rightD'accord
FineTrès bien / D'accord
Sorry, what did you say?Pardon, qu'avez-vous dit ?
Could you repeat that, please?Pourriez-vous répéter, s'il vous plaît ?
I don't mind.Ça m'est égal / Je n'y vois pas d'inconvénient.
I agree. / I disagree.Je suis d'accord. / Je ne suis pas d'accord.
That's true. / That's not quite right.C'est vrai. / Ce n'est pas tout à fait exact.
No problem.Pas de problème.
I'm afraid not.Je crains que non.

🎯 L'essentiel à retenir

  • Les consignes de classe (Listen and repeat, Work in pairs, Underline...) doivent être reconnues immédiatement, sans traduction.
  • L'intonation montante ↗ marque les Yes/No questions, la surprise et la politesse ; l'intonation descendante ↘ marque les affirmations, les ordres et les Wh-questions.
  • Au téléphone, le registre change : formal ("This is X speaking", "Could I speak to...?") vs informal ("Hi, it's me", "Is X there?").
  • Dans un exposé ou une description d'image, repérer les connecteurs logiques (first, then, finally) et les mots de localisation (in the foreground, in the background, on the left/right).
  • Les modaux (can/could/may/would/shall/must) permettent d'exprimer requête, permission, offre, invitation, condition et interdiction.
  • Réagir à l'oral, c'est savoir confirmer (Okay, Fine), demander une clarification (Sorry, what did you say?) et exprimer l'accord/le désaccord (I agree / I disagree).
1

Match the classroom instructions

Facile

Associez chaque consigne anglaise à sa traduction française.

  1. Listen and repeat.
  2. Work in pairs.
  3. Underline the correct answer.
  4. Fill in the blanks.
  5. Hand in your homework.

a. Complétez les blancs — b. Remettez vos devoirs — c. Écoutez et répétez — d. Soulignez la bonne réponse — e. Travaillez à deux

Correction
  1. Listen and repeat. → c. Écoutez et répétez.
  2. Work in pairs. → e. Travaillez à deux.
  3. Underline the correct answer. → d. Soulignez la bonne réponse.
  4. Fill in the blanks. → a. Complétez les blancs.
  5. Hand in your homework. → b. Remettez vos devoirs.
2

Rising ↗ or falling ↘ intonation?

Moyen

Pour chaque phrase, indiquez si l'intonation est montante (↗) ou descendante (↘), et justifiez en une phrase.

  1. Are you free tonight?
  2. What time does the film start?
  3. Close the window, please!
  4. You forgot your bag?
  5. She lives in Pointe-Noire.
Correction
  1. Are you free tonight? ↗ — Yes/No question.
  2. What time does the film start? ↘ — Wh-question.
  3. Close the window, please! ↘ — ordre / impératif.
  4. You forgot your bag? ↗ — surprise, question implicite.
  5. She lives in Pointe-Noire. ↘ — affirmation.
3

Complete the telephone dialogue

Moyen

Complétez ce dialogue téléphonique formel avec les mots suivants : speaking, message, through, calling, please, afraid.

— Good morning, Edutech Congo, how may I help you?
— Good morning, this is Grace Loubaki ___(1)___. Could I speak to Mr. Nkounkou, ___(2)___?
— I'm ___(3)___ he's in a meeting right now. Can I take a ___(4)___?
— Yes, please. Could you ask him to call me back this afternoon?
— Of course. Thank you for ___(5)___.

Correction
  1. speaking — "this is Grace Loubaki speaking" (se présenter au téléphone)
  2. please — "Could I speak to Mr. Nkounkou, please?"
  3. afraid — "I'm afraid he's in a meeting" (regret poli)
  4. message — "Can I take a message?"
  5. calling — "Thank you for calling."
4

Identify the communicative function

Difficile

Pour chaque phrase entendue, identifiez la fonction communicative exprimée : request, permission, offer, invitation, condition ou prohibition.

  1. "Would you like some tea?"
  2. "May I use your dictionary?"
  3. "If you finish early, you can go home."
  4. "Would you mind turning off your phone?"
  5. "You are not allowed to park here."
  6. "Shall we meet at the library tomorrow?"
Correction
  1. "Would you like some tea?" → offer (offre)
  2. "May I use your dictionary?" → permission
  3. "If you finish early, you can go home." → condition
  4. "Would you mind turning off your phone?" → request (demande polie)
  5. "You are not allowed to park here." → prohibition
  6. "Shall we meet at the library tomorrow?" → invitation
🎓

Niveau Bac — Full telephone conversation

Bac

Lisez attentivement la transcription suivante d'un appel téléphonique, puis répondez aux questions.

Receptionist: Good morning, Lycée Savorgnan de Brazza, how may I help you?
Caller: Good morning. This is Mrs. Nzila speaking, I'm calling about my son's enrolment. Could I speak to the headmaster, please?
Receptionist: I'm afraid he's not available at the moment, he's in a meeting. Would you like to leave a message?
Caller: Yes, please. Could you tell him that I'll call again tomorrow morning, around nine o'clock?
Receptionist: Of course. Can I have your phone number, please?
Caller: Yes, it's 06 542 87 91.
Receptionist: Thank you. I'll make sure he gets the message. Is there anything else?
Caller: No, that's all. Thank you very much.
Receptionist: You're welcome. Have a nice day. Goodbye.
Caller: Goodbye.

Questions :

  1. Who is calling, and why?
  2. Is this a formal or an informal conversation? Justify with two expressions from the text.
  3. Why can't the caller speak to the headmaster directly?
  4. What message does Mrs. Nzila leave?
  5. Find the sentence used by the receptionist to ask for a message. What is its communicative function?
Correction
  1. Mrs. Nzila is calling about her son's enrolment at school (elle appelle au sujet de l'inscription de son fils).
  2. C'est une conversation formelle : expressions comme "This is Mrs. Nzila speaking" et "Could I speak to the headmaster, please?" montrent la politesse et le registre soutenu propres à un appel administratif.
  3. Because the headmaster is in a meeting ("he's not available at the moment, he's in a meeting").
  4. She asks the headmaster to be told that she will call again the next morning around nine o'clock, and she leaves her phone number.
  5. "Would you like to leave a message?" — sa fonction communicative est une offer (offre / proposition polie).

🎯 Testez vos connaissances

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Question 1/10

What does "Underline the correct answer" mean?

Question 2/10

Which sentence has a rising intonation ↗?

Question 3/10

On the phone, "Could I speak to Mr. Obenga, please?" expresses...

Question 4/10

Which is an informal way to answer the phone?

Question 5/10

"Would you mind closing the window?" is an example of...

Question 6/10

Which expression asks for clarification?

Question 7/10

"You mustn't use your phone during the exam" expresses...

Question 8/10

What does "Work in pairs" mean?

Question 9/10

"Shall we go to the cinema tonight?" is...

Question 10/10

On the phone, "Hold on please, I'll put you through" means...

0/10