🕵️ Detective Stories
Anglais 5ème LV1 · UF53 · Niveau A2
📋 Contrat 3 — Fin Janvier–Mars
⚠️ Crime vocabulary — La loi et le crime
🦹
criminal / a crime
criminel / un crime
break the law
🏦
robbery / robber
braquage / braqueur
rob a bank
☠️
murder / murderer
meurtre / meurtrier
serious crime
🏠
burglary / burglar
cambriolage / cambrioleur
💎
theft / thief
vol / voleur
steal (stole)
👤
kidnapping
enlèvement
kidnap a person
🔫
shooting / shoot
fusillade / tirer
gun → gunshot
👮
police officer
policier
arrest criminals
⚖️
judge / trial
juge / procès
guilty / innocent
🏛️
prison / jail
prison
go to prison
💼
lawyer
avocat
I need a lawyer!
⛓️
handcuffs
menottes
put in handcuffs
🔍
evidence / clue
preuve / indice
👆
fingerprint
empreinte digitale
👤
witness / suspect
témoin / suspect
📋
alibi
alibi
prove your alibi
🔍 Detective equipment — Le matériel
🔍
magnifying glass
loupe
📰
newspaper
journal
🪄
pipe
pipe
📷
camera
appareil photo
👣
footprints
empreintes de pas
🎖️
detective badge
insigne de détective
🧳
suitcase
valise
🔦
torch
lampe de poche
📒
notebook
carnet
🪪
ID card
carte d’identité
✅ Quick check — Vocabulary
1. Someone who breaks into a house is a…
2. « Evidence » means…
3. A person who saw the crime is a…
🔴 Simple Past — Le prétérit (verbes irréguliers)
Pour raconter une histoire au passé, on utilise le Simple Past (prétérit). Les verbes irréguliers ne prennent pas -ed — il faut les apprendre par cœur !
✅ Affirmative : Sujet + forme irrégulière
❌ Negative : Sujet + didn’t + base verbale
❓ Question : Did + Sujet + base verbale ?
❌ Negative : Sujet + didn’t + base verbale
❓ Question : Did + Sujet + base verbale ?
💡 Attention ! Avec didn’t / Did, le verbe principal reste à la base verbale :
❌ She didn’t stole → ✅ She didn’t steal
❌ She didn’t stole → ✅ She didn’t steal
📋 Verbes irréguliers — Detective stories
| Infinitif | Simple Past | Traduction | Exemple detective |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | was / were | être | He was at the crime scene. |
| have | had | avoir | She had an alibi. |
| go | went | aller | The detective went to the museum. |
| steal | stole | voler | Someone stole the diamond! |
| find | found | trouver | She found a fingerprint. |
| run | ran | courir | The thief ran away. |
| hide | hid | se cacher | He hid in the warehouse. |
| break | broke | casser | The burglar broke the window. |
| see | saw | voir | I saw the suspect at midnight. |
| shoot | shot | tirer | He shot at the officer. |
| write | wrote | écrire | Conan Doyle wrote 60 stories. |
| say | said | dire | « Elementary, » he said. |
| think | thought | penser | Holmes thought carefully. |
| become | became | devenir | He became a detective. |
| spend | spent | passer (du temps) | He spent his childhood in the countryside. |
| know | knew | savoir/connaître | Holmes knew the answer immediately. |
📖 Sherlock Holmes biography (extrait)
Source : document de classe UF53 (liveworksheets)
This is the story about Sherlock Holmes. He was born on 6th January 1854. He was not raised in London. He spent his childhood in the countryside. When he finished high school, he studied at London University and became a consulting detective. He moved to London permanently and lived at 221B Baker Street.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote many Sherlock Holmes stories. He described how Sherlock smoked a pipe and played the violin. Holmes worked with his loyal friend, Doctor Watson.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote many Sherlock Holmes stories. He described how Sherlock smoked a pipe and played the violin. Holmes worked with his loyal friend, Doctor Watson.
💡 Tous les verbes en gras sont au Simple Past : certains sont réguliers (-ed), d’autres sont irréguliers. Peux-tu les identifier ?
✅ Quick check — Prétérit irrégulier
Clique sur « Nouvelle question » !
🟣 The Passive Voice — La voix passive
On utilise la voix passive quand l’action est plus importante que celui qui la fait, ou quand on ne sait pas qui a agi.
Voix active : Sujet + verbe actif + objet
Voix passive : Objet → nouveau sujet + BE + participe passé
+ by (par) si on mentionne l’auteur
Voix passive : Objet → nouveau sujet + BE + participe passé
+ by (par) si on mentionne l’auteur
| Temps | BE conjugué | Exemple passif |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | am / is / are | The diamond is stolen every year. |
| Simple Past | was / were | The diamond was stolen last night. |
| Present Continuous | am/is/are being | The suspect is being questioned. |
🔄 Actif → Passif : exemples
Active: The thief stole the diamond.
Actif : Le voleur a volé le diamant.
Passive: The diamond was stolen (by the thief).
Passif : Le diamant a été volé (par le voleur).
Le diamant = nouveau sujet · was stolen = BE (was) + pp (stolen)
Active: The police arrested the criminal.
Actif : La police a arrêté le criminel.
Passive: The criminal was arrested by the police.
Passif : Le criminel a été arrêté par la police.
Passive: The stories were written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Passif : Les histoires ont été écrites par Arthur Conan Doyle.
Passive: The man was arrested for committing a robbery at the bank.
Passif : L’homme a été arrêté pour avoir commis un braquage à la banque.
Exercice UF53 Practice on Crime Vocabulary 2
Passive: A lot of evidence was found at the crime scene.
Passif : Beaucoup de preuves ont été trouvées sur la scène de crime.
📋 Participes passés utiles
| Infinitif | Participe passé | En contexte passif |
|---|---|---|
| steal | stolen | was stolen |
| arrest | arrested | was arrested |
| find | found | was found |
| write | written | was written |
| kill | killed | was killed |
| send | sent | was sent to prison |
| shoot | shot | was shot |
| accuse | accused | was accused of… |
✅ Quick check — Voix passive
1. « The suspect ___ by the police. » (arrest — past)
2. Actif → Passif : « Conan Doyle wrote the story. » → « The story ___ »
🔵 Relative pronouns — Les pronoms relatifs
Les pronoms relatifs relient deux phrases. Ils servent à donner des informations supplémentaires sur un nom.
| Pronom | Remplace | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| WHO | une personne | Sherlock Holmes is a detective who solves crimes. |
| WHICH | une chose / un animal | The clue which Holmes found was a footprint. |
| THAT | personne ou chose | The story that he wrote became famous. |
| WHERE | un lieu | Baker Street is the place where Holmes lives. |
Phrase 1 + WHO / WHICH / THAT + complément
💬 Examples — Detective context
Sherlock Holmes is a detective who uses logic to solve crimes.
Sherlock Holmes est un détective qui utilise la logique pour résoudre les crimes.
who = remplace « a detective » (personne)
The fingerprint which was found on the window led to the arrest.
L’empreinte digitale qui a été trouvée sur la fenêtre a conduit à l’arrestation.
which = remplace « fingerprint » (chose)
A criminal is someone who breaks the law.
Un criminel est quelqu’un qui enfreint la loi.
The alibi which proved he was innocent saved his life.
L’alibi qui prouva son innocence lui sauva la vie.
He is a detective who works for Scotland Yard.
Il est un détective qui travaille pour Scotland Yard.
💡 WHO → personne 👤 · WHICH → chose 🔍
On peut souvent remplacer who et which par that, sauf dans les propositions non-essentielles.
On peut souvent remplacer who et which par that, sauf dans les propositions non-essentielles.
✅ Quick check — Pronoms relatifs
1. « A witness is a person ___ sees a crime. » (who/which ?)
2. « The clue ___ Holmes found was a golden button. » (who/which ?)
3. « Baker Street is the place ___ Holmes lives. » (who/where/which ?)
🟢 Comparatives — Les comparatifs
Pour comparer deux personnes ou choses, on utilise les comparatifs.
| Type | Formation | Exemple detective |
|---|---|---|
| Supériorité more… than | more + adj + than (adjectifs longs ≥2 syll.) | Poirot is more famous than most detectives. |
| Supériorité adj-er than | adj + -er + than (adjectifs courts) | Holmes is taller than Watson. Holmes is cleverer than the criminal. |
| Infériorité less… than | less + adj + than | The criminal is less intelligent than Holmes. |
| Égalité as… as | as + adj + as | Miss Marple is as clever as Sherlock Holmes. |
⚠️ Irréguliers :
good → better than · bad → worse than · far → further than
good → better than · bad → worse than · far → further than
🔧 Règles de formation
| Adjectif | Comparatif | Règle |
|---|---|---|
| tall | taller than | court → + -er |
| clever | cleverer than | court → + -er |
| thin | thinner than | CVC → doublement consonne |
| decisive | more decisive than | long (≥2 syllabes) → more |
| famous | more famous than | long → more |
| thorough | more thorough than | long → more |
| good | better than | irrégulier ! |
| bad | worse than | irrégulier ! |
💬 Compare the detectives!
Holmes is taller than Watson.
Holmes est plus grand que Watson.
court adj → -er than
Poirot is more methodical than Columbo.
Poirot est plus méthodique que Columbo.
long adj → more…than
Miss Marple is as intelligent as Sherlock Holmes.
Miss Marple est aussi intelligente que Sherlock Holmes.
égalité → as…as
The criminal is less careful than the detective.
Le criminel est moins prudent que le détective.
infériorité → less…than
Watson is a better doctor than he is a detective!
Watson est un meilleur médecin qu’il n’est détective !
irrégulier : good → better
✅ Quick check — Comparatifs
1. Holmes is ___ than the criminal. (intelligent — supériorité)
2. Poirot is ___ Holmes. (famous — égalité : as…as)
3. Watson is a ___ friend. (good → comparatif, irrégulier)
🟤 Physical appearance — Décrire l’apparence
| Aspect | Vocabulaire anglais | Traduction |
|---|---|---|
| Taille | tall / short / medium height / standing over six feet | grand / petit / de taille moyenne / mesurant plus de 1m80 |
| Corpulence | thin / slim / well-built / muscular / stocky | mince / svelte / costaud / musclé / trapu |
| Yeux | sharp / piercing / tired / bright | perçants / vifs / fatigués / brillants |
| Visage | strong / square / oval / round chin / thin nose | menton fort / carré / ovale / rond / nez fin |
| Caractère | alert / decisive / clever / thorough / brilliant / methodical | alerte / décisif / intelligent / minutieux / brillant / méthodique |
| Mains | stained with ink / delicate / strong | tachées d’encre / délicates / fortes |
💡 Structure pour décrire :
He/She is + adj (taille/caractère) · He/She has (got) + adj + nom (parties du corps)
Ex: He is tall and thin. He has sharp, piercing eyes.
He/She is + adj (taille/caractère) · He/She has (got) + adj + nom (parties du corps)
Ex: He is tall and thin. He has sharp, piercing eyes.
📖 Sherlock Holmes as seen by Watson (extrait)
Adapté de A Study in Scarlet, Arthur Conan Doyle · Document UF53
He was tall, standing over six feet, and so thin that he seemed even taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, except when he seemed tired, and his thin nose gave him a look of being alert and decisive. His chin was strong and square, showing his determination. His hands were always stained with ink and chemicals, but he had a delicate touch, especially when he used his fragile scientific instruments.
💡 Les mots en rouge sont des adjectifs qui décrivent l’apparence de Holmes. Peux-tu les classer par catégorie (taille, visage, yeux, mains, caractère) ?
💬 Describe a detective — Modèles de phrases
He is tall and thin, with sharp, piercing eyes.
Il est grand et mince, avec des yeux perçants et vifs.
She is more thorough than most detectives who work in London.
Elle est plus minutieuse que la plupart des détectives qui travaillent à Londres.
comparatif + pronom relatif = combinaison !
He has a strong, square chin and his nose is thin.
Il a un menton fort et carré et son nez est fin.
Holmes is a detective who is cleverer than anyone else in the room.
Holmes est un détective qui est plus intelligent que quiconque dans la pièce.
✅ Quick check — Apparence physique
1. « Sharp and piercing » describe…
2. « He ___ tall and thin. » (structure correcte)
🔍 Score bilan
0 / 0
🎯 A — Toutes notions (MCQ)
Clique sur « Nouvelle question » !
📖 B — Sherlock Holmes biography (prétérit irrégulier)
🔍 Fill in the blanks — Simple Past
Sherlock Holmes (be) born in 1854. He (spend) his childhood in the countryside. He later (become) a consulting detective and (move) to London. He (live) at 221B Baker Street. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (write) exactly 60 stories about him.
✅ Solutions : 1. was · 2. spent · 3. became · 4. moved · 5. lived · 6. wrote
⚠️ was, spent, became = irréguliers ! moved, lived = réguliers (-ed)
⚠️ was, spent, became = irréguliers ! moved, lived = réguliers (-ed)
🔄 C — Active → Passive
Réécris ces phrases à la voix passive :
1. The police arrested the suspect.
→ The suspect by the police.
2. Someone stole the crown jewels.
→ The crown jewels .
3. Conan Doyle wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
→ The stories by Conan Doyle.
4. The police found a lot of evidence.
→ A lot of evidence .
1. The police arrested the suspect.
→ The suspect by the police.
2. Someone stole the crown jewels.
→ The crown jewels .
3. Conan Doyle wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
→ The stories by Conan Doyle.
4. The police found a lot of evidence.
→ A lot of evidence .
✅ 1. was arrested · 2. were stolen · 3. were written · 4. was found
🔵 D — WHO or WHICH?
Complète avec who ou which :
1. Sherlock Holmes is a detective ___ solves impossible crimes.
2. A fingerprint is a clue ___ can identify a criminal.
3. A criminal is someone ___ breaks the law.
4. The magnifying glass ___ Holmes used belonged to his father.
1. Sherlock Holmes is a detective ___ solves impossible crimes.
2. A fingerprint is a clue ___ can identify a criminal.
3. A criminal is someone ___ breaks the law.
4. The magnifying glass ___ Holmes used belonged to his father.
✅ 1. who (detective = personne) · 2. which (fingerprint = chose) · 3. who (someone = personne) · 4. which (magnifying glass = chose)
🟢 E — Comparatifs (MCQ)
Clique sur « Nouvelle question » !
💬 F — Comprehension : « Where were you yesterday? »
🎭 Dialogue 41 — document de classe
Detective: Now, Mr Briggs… where were you yesterday? At two o’clock?
Briggs: I was at home.
Detective: You weren’t at home, you were in central London.
Briggs: No, I wasn’t! Ask my girlfriend! She was with me!
Detective: Where were you on January 12th?
Briggs: I was in prison in January.
Detective: Oh!