Articles and Gender: Le, La, Les, Un, Une
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Lesson overview
How French nouns take gender, and the articles that agree with them.
Go to lesson quiz →Exam guidance · WAEC WASSCE Paper 1 + Paper 2 Lens
Pacing
Objective speed on Paper 1 + structured step-by-step method marks on Paper 2 Theory/Practical.
How WAEC marks this
Examiners award method marks (M1) for stating the formula/definition and accuracy marks (A1) ONLY when SI units are written.
Watch out for
Writing bare numbers without working or omitting SI units loses up to 50% of Paper 2 marks even when the final value is right.
Lesson content
Overview — Articles and Gender: Le, La, Les, Un, Une
How French nouns take gender, and the articles that agree with them. This lesson is at the beginner level — by the end, you'll be able to recognise this question type, apply a reliable method, and avoid the traps that cost marks.
Key Concept
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and its article must agree: 'le' (the, masculine singular), 'la' (the, feminine singular), 'les' (the, plural), 'un' (a/an, masculine), and 'une' (a/an, feminine) — a grammatical feature English does not have.
Why It's Tested This Way
WAEC/JAMB test noun gender and article agreement first because nearly every French sentence depends on it — adjectives, pronouns, and past participles later in the syllabus all must agree with a noun's gender, making this the foundation the rest of French grammar builds on.
Method
When answering, memorise a new noun together with its article (learn 'le livre,' not just 'livre') since gender is not usually predictable from a word's meaning, and a wrong article is marked as an error even if the noun itself is correct.
Worked Example
Worked example: 'Le stylo' (the pen) is masculine, taking 'le,' while 'la table' (the table) is feminine, taking 'la' — there is no reliable rule predicting this from the object's nature, so each noun's gender must simply be learned alongside the word itself.
Second Worked Example
Second worked example: In the plural, gender distinction disappears for the definite article: both 'le livre' and 'la table' become 'les livres' and 'les tables' — 'les' is used for all plural nouns regardless of gender, unlike the singular articles.
Common Traps
Common trap: assuming a noun's gender can be guessed from its ending or meaning — while some patterns exist (many words ending in '-e' are feminine), WAEC tests specific nouns where candidates must simply know the correct article from having learned it, not from a rule.
Lesson Summary
Remember: (1) identify what is being asked, (2) apply the WAEC strategy, (3) check against the traps. Complete the 10-question quiz below to unlock the next lesson — you need at least 60% to pass.
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