Grade by Grade
C–D. Reading and Writing · Reading and Writing in French: Voices, Stories and Communities

L'affiche : Reading a Festival Poster and Using the Future After quand

C1.2 C2.1 C2.2 D1.2 D1.3About 70 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can identify the purpose, audience and persuasive features of a media text (a poster).
  • I can explain how layout, images, slogans and commands work together to get attention.
  • I can describe cultural activities from a francophone festival, including a Métis tradition, from what I read.
  • I can form the futur simple of regular and irregular verbs.
  • I can use the future after quand, lorsque, dès que, and the present after si, and recognize the futur antérieur.

Words to know

un texte médiatique
A media text: a poster, ad, website, video or post made to reach an audience.
une affiche
A poster.
le slogan
A short, catchy phrase people will remember.
l'appel à l'action
The call to action: what the poster wants you to do (Rejoignez-nous ! Inscrivez-vous !).
le public cible
The target audience.
le futur simple
The future tense: nous ferons, tu verras.
le perlage
Beadwork. Métis beadwork, often with floral designs, is a living art form.
la gigue
A lively step dance, done to fiddle music in many francophone and Métis communities.

Stop and look!

A poster has about three seconds to catch your attention as you walk by. Every choice on it, from the font size to one word in the slogan, is made on purpose. In this lesson you'll read a festival poster like a media analyst, and you'll practise the tense posters love: the future.

Remember from Grade 7: you learned the futur simple in a time-capsule letter (je serai, j'aurai, j'irai). In Grade 9 you'll learn a rule that surprises English speakers: after quand (when), French uses the future, not the present.

Worked example

Let's read a festival poster like a media analyst

FESTIVAL PLEIN HIVER 2027 (a made-up festival in a made-up town, written for this lesson) « Sortez, bougez, fêtez ! »

Val-des-Pins (Ontario) · Du vendredi 12 au lundi 15 février 2027 · Longue fin de semaine du jour de la Famille · Entrée gratuite !

Au programme :

  • Vendredi, 19 h : Ouverture officielle avec chocolat chaud
  • Samedi : Concours de sculptures sur neige (inscrivez votre équipe avant le 5 février !)
  • Samedi, 14 h : Atelier de perlage avec une artiste métisse de la région
  • Dimanche : Tire d'érable sur la neige et glissade géante
  • Lundi : Spectacle de violon et de gigue

Rejoignez-nous ! Programme complet : scannez le code QR. #PleinHiver2027

Le mot de l'organisatrice : « Cette année, plus de trente équipes participeront au concours de sculptures. Quand vous arriverez, nos bénévoles vous accueilleront avec un chocolat chaud. Dès que la nuit tombera, le parc s'illuminera. S'il fait trop doux, la glissade sera fermée, mais il y aura toujours de la musique ! Nous vous attendrons avec vos tuques et vos sourires. »

Glossaire : bouger = to move · fêter = to celebrate · le jour de la Famille = Family Day · un concours = a contest · s'inscrire / inscrivez = to sign up / sign up · la tire d'érable = maple taffy (used in Québec and other parts of Canada) · une glissade = a slide · un(e) bénévole = a volunteer · s'illuminer = to light up · doux = mild (weather) · une tuque = a winter hat (used in Québec and other parts of Canada)

  1. Purpose: to inform (what, when, where, price) and to persuade people to come.
  2. Target audience (public cible): families. Clues: Family Day weekend, free entry, a slide, a hot chocolate welcome.
  3. Attention-grabbers: a big title in capitals; a three-verb slogan in the imperative, Sortez, bougez, fêtez !, with a rhythm of three; Entrée gratuite ! in bold.
  4. Organization: a short program by day and time, so readers find information quickly (they scan, like in Lesson 1).
  5. Calls to action: Inscrivez votre équipe ! Rejoignez-nous ! Scannez le code QR. A hashtag invites people to share online.
  6. Culture: maple taffy on snow, fiddle music and step dancing, and a beadwork workshop with a Métis artist from the region: the festival reflects both francophone and Métis traditions that are alive in Ontario communities today.
  7. Tense spotting in the organizer's message: participeront, arriverez, accueilleront, tombera, s'illuminera, sera, y aura, attendrons: all futur simple. Exception: S'il fait trop doux (present after si).

The poster's purpose is to inform and persuade families. It uses a big title, a catchy imperative slogan, bold key facts, a scannable program and several calls to action. The organizer's message uses the futur simple, including after quand and dès que.

FESTIVAL PLEIN HIVER« Sortez, bougez, fêtez ! »12 au 15 février 2027Val-des-Pins · Entrée gratuiteAu programme :sculptures sur neigeatelier de perlage métismusique et gigueRejoignez-nous !#PleinHiver2027le titrele sloganl'imagedate et lieule programmel'appel à l'actionle code QRgros caractères
The parts of a poster. Big type and an image catch the eye; the date, place and program inform; the slogan and call to action persuade.

Métis culture in Ontario

The Métis are one of the three groups of Indigenous peoples recognized in Canada's Constitution, with First Nations and Inuit. Métis communities live in Ontario and across the Prairies and other regions. Métis beadwork, with its well-known floral designs, fiddle music and jigging are living traditions that Métis artists practise and teach today. The Métis language Michif mixes mainly Cree and French. When a poster names une artiste métisse de la région, it tells you the workshop is led by a Métis artist from the local community, sharing her own culture.

The futur simple: forming it

Take the infinitive (drop the final -e of -re verbs) and add the endings, which look like avoir: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.

  • participer → je participerai, ils participeront
  • finir → nous finirons
  • attendre → attendr- → nous attendrons

The stem always ends in r. Spelling-change verbs keep their boot change in all persons: acheter → j'achèterai, nous achèterons; appeler → j'appellerai; essayer → j'essaierai (essayerai is also accepted).

InfinitifRadicalExemple
êtreser-la glissade sera fermée
avoiraur-il y aura de la musique
allerir-nous irons au festival
fairefer-vous ferez une sculpture
venirviendr-ils viendront samedi
pouvoirpourr-tu pourras danser
vouloirvoudr-elle voudra essayer
devoirdevr-on devra s'inscrire
savoirsaur-je saurai perler
voirverr-vous verrez le parc
envoyerenverr-nous enverrons le programme
falloir / pleuvoirfaudr- / pleuvr-il faudra une tuque; il pleuvra
Irregular future stems. The endings are always regular: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.

After quand: the future!

In English we say When you arrive, the volunteers will welcome you (present after when). French is more logical: the arrival is in the future, so it uses the future in both parts:

  • Quand vous arriverez, nos bénévoles vous accueilleront.
  • Dès que la nuit tombera, le parc s'illuminera. (dès que = as soon as)
  • Lorsque tu seras prêt, nous partirons. (lorsque = when, more formal)

**But after si (if), never the future. Use si + present → future**:

  • S'il fait trop doux, la glissade sera fermée.

Going further: the futur antérieur. To say something will have happened before another future action, use avoir or être in the future + past participle: Quand tu auras fini ta sculpture, tu pourras prendre une photo. (When you have finished...) You'll use it more in Grade 10.

Le futur après quand… et après siquand / dès que / lorsque + FUTURQuand tu arriveras, tu verras les sculptures.(English: When you arrive...)si + PRÉSENT → futurS'il neige, nous ferons une glissade.(jamais : si + futur)
After quand, lorsque, dès que, the future action takes the future. After si, use the present, and the result goes in the future.
Worked example

Let's write a mini-poster with the future

Create the text of a poster for a winter event at your school (a made-up Journée glace et neige). Include a title, a slogan with three imperatives, the date and place, a three-line program, a call to action, and a short message with one quand + future and one si + present.

  1. Title (short, big): JOURNÉE GLACE ET NEIGE
  2. Slogan (imperatives, rhythm of three): « Glissez, riez, partagez ! »
  3. Date and place (check the weekday!): Le vendredi 29 janvier 2027, dans la cour de l'école. (January 29, 2027 is a Friday.)
  4. Program (scannable): 10 h : course de traîneaux · 12 h : soupe et bannique · 14 h : patinage
  5. Message with quand + future: Quand vous arriverez, vous recevrez un bracelet de couleur.
  6. Message with si + present: S'il fait moins de −25 °C, les activités auront lieu au gymnase.
  7. Call to action: Inscrivez-vous au secrétariat avant le 22 janvier !

JOURNÉE GLACE ET NEIGE · « Glissez, riez, partagez ! » · Le vendredi 29 janvier 2027, dans la cour de l'école · 10 h : course de traîneaux · 12 h : soupe et bannique · 14 h : patinage · Quand vous arriverez, vous recevrez un bracelet de couleur. S'il fait moins de −25 °C, les activités auront lieu au gymnase. · Inscrivez-vous au secrétariat avant le 22 janvier !

(La bannique, bannock, is a bread shared in many First Nations and Métis communities; un traîneau = a sled; avoir lieu = to take place.)

Just for fun

French doesn't say "When I'm 30, I'll be rich." It says "When I will be 30, I'll be rich": Quand j'aurai 30 ans, je serai riche. French grammar is very sure about the future. Your savings account, maybe less.

Hands-on activity

Poster detective and poster maker

You need: two or three real posters or flyers (community centre, library, grocery store bulletin board, school newsletter, or a flyer in your mailbox), paper and markers.

  1. Detective: for each poster, find the title, image, slogan (if any), date and place, and call to action. Who is the target audience? How do you know?
  2. Rate each poster's attention-grabbing power from 1 to 5 and explain your score in one French sentence using a comparative: Cette affiche est plus colorée que l'autre.
  3. Maker: design a French poster for a real or imaginary family event this winter (a skating party, a game night, a winter walk). Include: a title, a three-imperative slogan, the date with its correct weekday, a short program, a call to action, and a 3-sentence message with quand + futur and si + présent.
  4. Hang it on the fridge!

Look for: a clear audience, big readable title, information organized for scanning, and correct future forms.

Your turn

1

What are the dates of the festival, and why is it a long weekend?

2

How much does it cost to get in?

3

Who is the target audience? Give one clue.

4

What will happen on Saturday at 2 p.m.?

5

Quote the slogan and explain why it works.

6

Find two calls to action on the poster.

7

Why is it S'il fait trop doux and not S'il fera?

More practice: warm-up

1

Futur simple of parler with nous.

2

Futur simple of être with je.

3

Futur simple of aller with ils.

4

Futur simple of faire with tu.

5

What is un slogan?

More practice: on your own

1

Complete: Quand tu (venir) ____, nous (voir) ____ le spectacle.

2

Complete: S'il (pleuvoir) ____ demain, nous (rester) ____ à la maison.

3

Futur simple of acheter with nous.

4

Translate: As soon as the night falls, the park will light up.

5

Name two features that make a poster easy to scan.

Challenge

1

Correct the two errors: Quand je suis grand(e), je vais être pilote. Si tu viendras, je serai content(e).

2

Use the futur antérieur: When you have finished your homework, you will be able to go out.

3

A poster for a teen hockey tournament uses tiny text, no date and the slogan Venez si vous voulez. Give three improvements in French or English.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Quand vous ______ au festival, vous recevrez un bracelet.

2.

Si tu ______ au concours, tu gagneras peut-être.

3.

The futur simple of venir with nous is...

4.

On a poster, Inscrivez-vous avant le 5 février ! is...

5.

Which activity on the Festival Plein Hiver poster shares a Métis tradition?

6.

Quand j'______ fini, je t'appellerai. (futur antérieur)

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Your child analyses a media text, its purpose, audience and persuasive features (C2.1, C2.2), reads for cultural information about francophone and Métis traditions (C1.2), and writes a poster using the futur simple, including the quand + future rule (D1.2, D1.3).

How to help:

  • Look at a real poster or flyer together and ask: Who is it for? What does it want you to do?
  • Ask Que feras-tu quand tu auras 18 ans ? and expect two future verbs in the answer.

Common difficulties:

  • Using the present after quand (English habit): Quand j'arrive demain → Quand j'arriverai demain.
  • Using the future after si: Si tu viendras → Si tu viens.
  • Irregular stems (ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-, viendr-, verr-): practise a few each day.

Fact notes: The festival and town are made up. Family Day is the third Monday of February in Ontario (February 15 in 2027). The Métis are one of three groups of Indigenous peoples recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982; beadwork, fiddling and jigging are living Métis traditions. La tire d'érable and aréna are used in Québec and other parts of Canada.