Alphonse Daudet's story of a boy who did not want to study — until the last lesson.
Want the fuller version? Read this story at B2/C1 level →
Ten words open the story. Do the four short activities. Say your answer out loud first, then click Reveal.
Three words: mother tongue · lesson · village. Say the right word, then reveal.
Read each part. Then answer the questions from memory, and talk about one question.
Franz was late. He was also afraid, because the teacher, Monsieur Hamel, said he would ask questions about grammar that morning — and Franz did not study. It was a beautiful warm day. He could hear birds in the trees and soldiers in the field. "Maybe I can stay outside today," he thought. But he ran to school.
Near the town hall he saw some people in front of the notice board. For two years all the bad news came from that board. Franz did not stop.
Usually, at the beginning of school, there was a lot of noise: desks, voices, the teacher's ruler on the table. But that morning the school was silent — silent like a Sunday. Through the window Franz saw all the children in their seats. He opened the door. His face was red. But Monsieur Hamel was not angry. "Go to your place quickly, little Franz," he said gently. "We are starting without you."
1. Why is Franz afraid that morning?
2. What is strange when he arrives at school? Give two things.
1. He is late, and the teacher will ask questions about grammar, but Franz did not study.
2. The school is completely silent, the children are already in their seats, and the teacher is not angry with him.
Franz saw two more strange things. Monsieur Hamel was wearing his beautiful green coat and his black hat — clothes for special days only. And at the back of the room, on the empty seats, the old people of the village were sitting: old Hauser with a very old book, the old mayor, the postman. They all looked sad.
Then Monsieur Hamel spoke. "My children, this is our last French lesson. There is an order from Berlin: from tomorrow, the schools here will teach only German. The new teacher comes tomorrow. Please listen carefully today."
Franz could not believe it. So that was the news on the notice board! His last French lesson — and he could hardly write! He thought about all the mornings by the river, all the days he did not study. Suddenly his books were not boring. They were like old friends. Then Monsieur Hamel called his name for the grammar. Franz stood up. He could not say one line. He looked at the floor and his heart was beating fast.
1. Who is at the back of the classroom, and why?
2. What is the news, and how does Franz feel?
1. The old people of the village — Hauser, the old mayor, the postman. They came for the last French lesson.
2. From tomorrow the school will teach only German. Franz feels terrible: he wasted his time and now it is finished.
Monsieur Hamel was not angry with Franz. "You are punished enough," he said. "We all say the same thing: 'There is time. I will learn tomorrow.' And then it is too late." Then he said something surprising. "It is my fault too. I sent you to water my garden. I gave you a holiday when I wanted to go fishing."
He talked about the French language. "It is the most beautiful language in the world," he said. "Keep it. Never forget it. When people lose their freedom, their language is the key to the prison." Then he read from the grammar book, and Franz understood everything — it was easy today! After that they wrote. On every page were the words of their country, again and again, in beautiful writing. Everybody worked in silence. At the back, old Hauser was writing with the small children, and his voice was shaking.
At twelve o'clock the church bell rang. Outside, the soldiers' trumpets played. Monsieur Hamel stood up. His face was very white. "My friends," he said, "I —" But he could not finish. He turned to the blackboard, took the chalk, and wrote two words in very big letters: the name of his country. Then he put his head against the wall. He did not speak. He made a small sign with his hand: that is all — you can go.
1. Who does Monsieur Hamel blame?
2. What happens at twelve o'clock?
1. Everybody — the parents, the children, and also himself, because he sent pupils to work in his garden and gave holidays when he wanted to fish.
2. The church bell rings and the soldiers play their trumpets. The teacher cannot speak, so he writes two big words on the blackboard and sends the class home with his hand.
This story is full of one feeling: "I did the wrong thing, and now it is too late." English has an exact structure for that.
Write should or shouldn't in each gap.
1. Franz is late again. He get up earlier.
2. The children talk during the last lesson.
3. If you want to learn a language, you practise a little every day.
1. should 2. shouldn't 3. should
Write three words in each gap.
1. Franz did not study his grammar. He (study) it.
2. He played by the river every morning. He (play) so much.
3. The village did not learn to read. They (learn) years before.
1. should have studied 2. shouldn't have played 3. should have learned
Always three parts: should + have + past participle.
Write the correct form in each gap. Then read the paragraph aloud.
Franz is very sorry today. He (listen) to his teacher. He (waste) so many mornings by the river. The parents (send) their children to school more often. Monsieur Hamel says that he (give) so many holidays, and that he (be) stricter. Now it is too late. But from tomorrow, Franz (study) every day — that is his decision.
should have listened · shouldn't have wasted · should have sent · shouldn't have given · should have been · should study
Look at the last one: it is about tomorrow, so we use should + verb, with no "have".
Keep this structure ready — in the Speak tab you will talk about your own learning.
Daudet wrote this story in 1873, after a war between France and Prussia. The region of Alsace became German, and the schools had to teach in German. French children read this story in school for a hundred years. Remember: it tells one side of the story. In that region, many families spoke German or Alsatian at home too.
This is the most important part of the lesson. Do everything out loud. Use the timer and try to speak for the whole time.
Tell The Last Class in your own words. Follow the steps: the warm morning and the late boy → the notice board → the silent school → the green coat and the old men → the news → Franz cannot say his lesson → what the teacher says → the writing → the bell and the blackboard.
Use at least three sentences with should have and at least five key words (silent, notice, waste, lesson, village, mother tongue, ashamed, respect, learn by heart, put off).
Say what you think and give three reasons. Franz did not study. But his parents sent him to work, and his teacher gave many holidays. Who should we blame? What should each person have done?
Then change sides! Speak for one minute for a different opinion.
Talk about studying, mistakes and languages.
No idea? Choose one of these: