Which French fruit word do you already know? Someone in this room almost certainly knows one. Shout it out if you do, even if you are only half sure.

Your teacher will tap each fruit on the board. Listen, then say it back together, twice. Watch the little word in front: most take le or la; l'orange takes l' (it is still feminine). There is no easy rule, so learn the little word as part of the fruit name.

You will meet them in two mini-sets of four, with a quick recall game in the middle.

First, say all eight fruit phrases together one more time with your teacher.

Then look at the market stall on the board. When it is your turn, say the full phrase out loud (little word and fruit), then choose the label. Everyone else whisper-says it in your place.

After the labels are on, your teacher will model a real market request and pin two frames on the board for later:

• Je voudrais la pomme, s'il vous plaît (I would like the apple, please). Pronunciation: zhuh voo-DRAY lah POM, seel voo PLAY
• Je prends … (I'll take …), you will practise this fully when you buy fruit

The class repeats the Je voudrais line once together. Both frames stay on the board until the end of the lesson.

Quick reset first: your teacher says a fruit in English; call back the French with its little word.

Column key:

• le = masculine (boy words)
• la or l' (from la) = feminine (girl words)

Worked examples (sort these together on the board):

• la pomme → feminine, because of la
• le citron → masculine, because of le
• l'orange → feminine: l' is hiding la because orange starts with a vowel

Now sort the rest. When it is your turn at the board, say the full phrase, then drag it into the masculine or feminine column. Everyone else whisper-says the phrase with you.