Grade 9 Core French: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 9 core french in the Ontario Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Listening to French and responding to it builds understanding, one step at a time.
- Speaking and interacting in French uses familiar words and sentence patterns.
- Reading a range of French texts builds comprehension and an eye for how texts are put together.
- Writing in French for different purposes and audiences uses the conventions of the language.
- Learning French opens a window on French-speaking communities in Canada and around the world.
Easy ways to practise core french at home
- Practise a few minutes a day: greetings, numbers, then simple sentences about yourself.
- Say your answers out loud in French, even if you are not sure. Speaking is how it sticks.
- Watch French videos with subtitles and spot words that look like English (cognates).
- Look up a Francophone festival or community in Canada and share one thing you learned.
What each unit covers
Past, present, future
Using past, present and future time frames: the passé composé, the imparfait for habits, and the near future.
Asking questions
Three ways to ask questions (intonation, est-ce que, inversion) and question words.
Putting events in order
Sequence words that show the order of events (premièrement, d'abord, ensuite, finalement).
Needs and opinions
Expressing simple needs, asking politely, and sharing opinions about familiar topics.
Comparing amounts
Comparing adjectives (aussi… que) and amounts (plus de, moins de, autant de… que).
Describing things and places
Describing items, people, places and personal interests, with adjectives that agree in gender and number.
Types of texts
How letters, emails, recipes and advertisements differ in format, audience, register (tu or vous) and purpose.
Traditions and expressions
Francophone celebrations such as Noël, Mardi gras, la Saint-Jean-Baptiste and poisson d'avril, and common idiomatic expressions.
Stories: problem and resolution
Understanding key elements, time and place in short French stories, and narrating events in order.
Identity and creative works
How Francophone creative works express culture, how French connects with Indigenous communities in Canada, and how learning French shapes our view of our own identity.
Culture and respect
The ethics of cultural appropriation and plagiarism: asking permission, giving credit and learning respectfully.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Level 1
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Level 2
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Level 3
- Has it! Level 3 is the provincial standard. Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Level 4
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Ontario report card guide.
Common questions
How can I help my Grade 9 child with core french?
Practise a few minutes a day: greetings, numbers, then simple sentences about yourself. Say your answers out loud in French, even if you are not sure. Speaking is how it sticks. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
What does my child learn in Grade 9 core french in Ontario?
The Ontario Curriculum Grade 9 core french units include past, present, future, asking questions, putting events in order, needs and opinions, comparing amounts, describing things and places.
Free printable Grade 9 core french practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.