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Contraction of Pronouns Before a Vowel

FoundationHigherAQA

Master Contraction of Pronouns Before a Vowel for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Me, te, le, la and se shorten to m', t', l' and s' before a vowel or silent h.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

Several pronouns shorten before a vowel or silent h, and the shortened form is compulsory rather than optional.

Je becomes j', so j'ai and j'habite. Me, te, se, le, la become m', t', s', l', so je m'appelle and je l'aime. Ne becomes n', giving je n'ai pas. De becomes d' and que becomes qu'.

The silent h counts as a vowel for this purpose. J'habite is correct because the h is not pronounced, even though it is written. A small group of words have an aspirate h that blocks the elision — le héros keeps its full form — but these are rare and can be learned individually.

Revision notes

Which words shorten

Je becomes j'. Me, te, se, le, la become m', t', s', l'.

Ne becomes n'. De becomes d'. Que becomes qu'. Ce becomes c'. The elision is compulsory, not a stylistic choice.

The silent h

A silent h counts as a vowel for elision.

J'habite, l'hôtel, l'heure. The h is written but not pronounced, so the word effectively begins with a vowel sound and the elision applies.

The aspirate h exception

A small group of words have an aspirate h that blocks elision.

Le héros, le hockey, la haine. These keep the full form. They are rare and are best learned individually as they arise.

Key points

  • Elision is compulsory before a vowel.
  • Je becomes j'.
  • Me, te, se, le, la become m', t', s', l'.
  • Ne becomes n'.
  • A silent h counts as a vowel.
  • A few words with aspirate h block elision.

Worked examples

Example 1

Write the correct form: Je + ai. [2 marks]

Working

J'aishorten je to j' before the vowel
The elision is compulsory before any vowel soundexplain the requirement

Example 2

Write the correct form: Je ne ai pas. [2 marks]

Working

Je n'ai passhorten ne to n' before the vowel
Ne becomes n' before a vowel, while je stays because ne follows itexplain which word shortens

Example 3

Explain why j'habite is correct despite the h. [2 marks]

Working

The h in habite is silent and not pronouncedstate the pronunciation
so the word effectively begins with a vowel sound and the elision appliesexplain the consequence

Common mistakes

  • Treating elision as optional.

    It is compulsory before a vowel sound.

  • Not eliding before a silent h.

    J'habite, not je habite.

  • Eliding before an aspirate h.

    Le héros keeps its full form.

  • Forgetting ne shortens too.

    Je n'ai pas, not je ne ai pas.

Exam tips

  • Apply elision automatically before any vowel.
  • Treat a silent h as a vowel.
  • Learn the aspirate h words as they arise.
  • Check ne as well as the pronoun.

Key terms

Elision
Shortening a word before a vowel sound.
Silent h
An h that is written but not pronounced.
Aspirate h
An h that blocks elision.
Apostrophe
The mark replacing the dropped vowel.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.