A young girl who heard voices, helped make a king, and became a saint.
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Before we read, let's learn the important words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = C (a peasant) · 2 = G (a voice) · 3 = E (a war) · 4 = A (a king)
5 = D (a battle) · 6 = H (a crown) · 7 = F (a trial) · 8 = B (a saint)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
Joan was born around 1412 in a small village in France called Domrémy. Her family were peasants — poor farmers. She could not read or write. She was just an ordinary village girl.
At that time, France and England were fighting a very long war. They were fighting about land, and about who should be the next King of France. The English army was strong, and many people in France were afraid.
When Joan was about thirteen, something strange happened. She said she could hear voices. She believed they were the voices of three saints. The voices told her she had a special job: she would help France win the war, and she would make the French prince, Charles, the king. Joan believed them completely.
1. Who was Joan, and where was she from?
2. What did the voices tell her she would do?
1. She was a poor peasant girl from a small village called Domrémy in France. She could not read or write.
2. They told her she would help France win the war and make the prince, Charles, the king.
Joan went to meet Prince Charles. She told him: "God has sent me. You are going to be king." Charles was surprised, but he gave her a chance. Joan cut her hair short and put on a soldier's armour. Then she went to a city called Orléans. The English army was all around it.
Joan did not really fight. But she carried a white flag, and she gave the French soldiers something important: hope. Suddenly the soldiers believed they would win — and they did! The English army left the city. It was a great victory, and all of France heard about the brave girl.
Then Joan took Charles to the city of Reims. This was the special city where French kings became king. There, in 1429, Charles became King Charles VII. Joan stood next to him, holding her flag. A poor village girl had helped to make a king.
1. What did Joan do at the city of Orléans?
2. What happened at Reims in 1429?
1. She carried a white flag and gave the French soldiers hope. The soldiers won, and the English army left the city.
2. Charles became King Charles VII. Joan stood next to him with her flag.
But Joan's good luck did not last. In 1430, enemy soldiers caught her in a battle. They sold her to the English. Sadly, King Charles — the king she had helped — did nothing to save her.
The English put Joan on trial in a city called Rouen. They said her voices were not from God, and that it was wrong for her to wear men's clothes. The judges were not fair. In the end, they said she was guilty. On 30 May 1431, Joan died. She was only about nineteen years old.
But the story does not end there. Many years later, in 1456, new judges looked at the trial again. They said the first trial was wrong, and that Joan was not guilty. And in 1920 — almost 500 years after she died — the Church made Joan a saint. Today, she is one of the most famous people in French history.
1. What happened to Joan after enemy soldiers caught her?
2. How do people remember Joan today?
1. The English put her on trial in Rouen. The judges were not fair and said she was guilty. She died on 30 May 1431, aged about nineteen. King Charles did not save her.
2. In 1456 new judges said the trial was wrong. In 1920 the Church made her a saint. She is now very famous in France.
We don't know everything about Joan. So we guess about the past. We use must have, might have, and can't have + the verb to say how sure we are.
1. She was very brave at the end, so she (be) very afraid of death.
2. She helped many people believe, so she (be) a strong leader.
3. Her voices (be) real — but maybe they were only in her mind.
1. can't have been (she was so brave — it does not seem possible)
2. must have been (I am almost sure)
3. might have been (maybe yes, maybe no)
Put must have, might have, or can't have + the verb. Then read it out loud.
Joan could not read or write, so she (study) war in books. She was sure about her voices, so she (believe) in them completely. The king did not save her — maybe he was afraid, or maybe he (forget) her. We are not sure.
can't have studied · must have believed · might have forgotten
We use must have (sure), might have (maybe), and can't have (not possible) to guess about the past.
There is a real podcast about Joan of Arc. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.
From the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by historians, roughly 50 minutes.
Listen on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of Joan of Arc in your own words. Use these steps to help you: a poor village girl → she heard voices → she met the prince → the battle at Orléans → Charles became king → enemies caught her → the trial → she became a saint.
Guess about her as you tell it: what must she have felt? What can't she have known? What might she have hoped? Use some of the key words too (peasant, voice, war, king, battle, crown, trial, saint).
Joan was young and afraid of nothing. She believed in her voices, and she was very brave. Do you know other brave people — from history, films, or your own country? What did they do?
Tell the story of any young person you choose — from history, the news, or your own country — who did something big and important when they were young. What did they do? Why was it special?
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: