This key facts covers Key sounds to memorise within The é, -er, -ez sound family for GCSE French. Revise The é, -er, -ez sound family in Phonics: French Sounds and Spellings for GCSE French with 10 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 3 of 4 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
📌 Key sounds to memorise
- é [e] — closed, tense "ay" — examples: l'été, le café, l'école, téléphoner
- -er infinitive = [e] — sounds like: same as é — examples: parler, manger, regarder, écouter
- -ez (vous form) = [e] — sounds like: identical to é — examples: vous parlez, vous regardez
- è [ɛ] — open, relaxed "eh" — examples: le père, la mère, très, après
- ê [ɛ] — open, same as è — examples: être, la tête, la fenêtre, la forêt
- -et = [ɛ] — open; final t silent — examples: le poulet, le billet, le jouet
- et = [e] — exception: the conjunction «et» (and) is closed [e], not open
- est = [ɛ] — the verb «est» (is) is open [ɛ]: contrast with «et» [e]
Practice questions for The é, -er, -ez sound family
Which statement is TRUE about the spellings é, -er (infinitive ending), and -ez (vous ending) in French?
How is the word 'le marché' pronounced?
Quick recall flashcards
le bébé — identify the sounds
'bay-BAY' — two é sounds giving the closed 'AY' twice. A true cognate with English 'baby'.
le café — identify the é sound
'ka-FAY' — the final é gives the closed 'AY' sound. Both syllables end cleanly. 'Café' is a true cognate — same word in English.