The Alphabet

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Pronunciation

It is important to understand the differences between the pronunciation of the alphabet in English and French.

Vowel sounds

A [ah]
E [eh]
I [ee]
O [o]
U [ew]

Vowel sounds (cont.)

Vowel sounds make sure we are understood correctly in French.
Unlike English, all French vowel sounds are short.
Join vowels with consonants to create short words, and practice saying them out loud. For example:
- MA
- ME
- MI
- MO
- MU

Silent letters

There are many silent letters in French.
Silent letters are usually at the end of the words.
- For example, je chante, tu chantes, il/elle chante, ils/elles chantent all sound the same.
- There is no pronunciation of -e -es or -ent.
The letter 'H' is always silent at the beginning of a word.
- For example, hotel = 'otel'.

Silent letters (cont.)

Never pronounce the -s or -z at the end of verbs.
- For example, nous chantons [noo shanton] and vous chantez [voo shanteh].
Never pronounce the -s or -z at the end of plural nouns or adjectives.
- For example, les petits pois [leh pertee pwa].
The consonant is only pronounced in the feminine form when the adjective has an extra -e at the end.
- For example, petit [pertee] petite [pertit], grand [gran] grande [grand]

Pronunciation

It is important to understand the differences between the pronunciation of the alphabet in English and French.

Vowel sounds

A [ah]
E [eh]
I [ee]
O [o]
U [ew]

Vowel sounds (cont.)

Vowel sounds make sure we are understood correctly in French.
Unlike English, all French vowel sounds are short.
Join vowels with consonants to create short words, and practice saying them out loud. For example:
- MA
- ME
- MI
- MO
- MU

Silent letters

There are many silent letters in French.
They tend to be at the end of the words, especially verbs, adjectives or nouns in the plural.
- E.g. je chante, tu chantes, il/elle chante, ils/elles chantent all sound the same, there is no pronunciation of -e -es or -ent.
The letter 'H' is always silent at the beginning of a word, e.g. hotel = 'otel'.

Silent letters (cont.)

Never pronounce the -s or -z at the end of verbs e.g. nous chantons [noo shanton] vous chantez [voo shanteh].
Never pronounce the -s or -z at the end of plural nouns or adjectives either e.g. les petits pois [leh pertee pwa].
With some adjectives ending in a consonant, the consonant is only pronounced in the feminine form when the adjective has an extra -e at the end.
- E.g petit [pertee] petite [pertit], grand [gran] grande [grand]

1Phonics/Alphabet/Spellings

1.1Alphabet & Accents

1.1.1The Alphabet

1.1.2Accents

2Family & Home

2.1Family

2.2Home

2.2.1Where I Live

2.2.2My House

2.2.3Rooms of the House

2.2.4In My House

2.2.5Household Objects

2.2.6Home Activities

2.2.7Chores

2.2.8My Home - Listening

2.2.9My Furniture - Listening

2.3Customs & Traditions in French Speaking Countries

2.3.1Customs & Traditions in French Speaking Countries

2.3.2Celebrating

2.3.3French Celebrations

2.3.4Christmas Traditions

2.3.5Christmas in France - Listening

2.3.6National Holidays - Listening

2.4Relationships

2.4.1Couples

2.4.2Single

2.4.3Weddings

2.4.4Marriage & Divorce

2.4.5Love

2.4.6Cohabitation

2.4.7Good & Bad Relationships

2.4.8Ideal Partners

3Lifestyle

4Education & Future Plans

4.1School

4.1.1'Ne... pas'

4.1.2School Subjects

4.1.3The School Day

4.1.4Describing Your School

4.1.5School Rules

4.1.6School Uniform

4.1.7School Years

4.1.8School Supplies

4.1.9Classroom

4.1.10Classroom Furniture

4.1.11School Bags - Listening

4.2Future Plans

4.2.1Jobs

4.2.2Opinions

4.2.3Places of Work

4.2.4Further Education

4.2.5Reasons Why

4.2.6Ambitions

4.2.7Jobs & Occupations - Listening

4.2.8Aspirations - Listening

5Leisure, Free Time & Media

6Wider World

7Grammar

7.1Present Tense

7.2Perfect Tense

7.2.1Regular ER Verbs in the Perfect Tense

7.2.2Regular IR Verbs in the Perfect Tense

7.2.3Regular RE Verbs in the Perfect Tense

7.2.4Irregular Past Participle With 'Avoir'

7.2.5Irregular Past Participle With 'Avoir' 2

7.2.6Être IR & ER Verbs

7.2.7Être ER Verbs

7.2.8'Venir'

7.2.9'Naître' & 'Mourir'

7.3Imperfect Tense

7.3.1Imperfect Tense - Regular ER Verbs

7.3.2Imperfect Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

7.3.3Imperfect Tense - Regular IR Verbs

7.3.4Imperfect Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

7.3.5Imperfect Tense - Regular RE Verbs

7.3.6Imperfect Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

7.3.7Imperfect Tense - Irregular ER Verbs

7.3.8Imperfect Tense - Être

7.3.9Imperfect Tense - Irregular IR Verbs

7.3.10Imperfect Tense - Irregular RE Verbs

7.3.11When to Use the Imperfect vs the Perfect

7.4Future Tense

7.4.1Immediate Future

7.4.2Future Tense - Regular ER Verbs

7.4.3Future Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

7.4.4Future Tense - Regular IR Verbs

7.4.5Future Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

7.4.6Future Tense - Regular RE Verbs

7.4.7Future Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

7.4.8Future Tense - Irregulars

7.5Conditional Tense

7.5.1Conditional Tense - Regular ER Verbs

7.5.2Conditional Tense - 5 Common ER Verbs

7.5.3Conditional Tense - Regular IR Verbs

7.5.4Conditional Tense - 5 Common IR Verbs

7.5.5Conditional Tense - Regular RE Verbs

7.5.6Conditional Tense - 5 Common RE Verbs

7.5.7Conditional Tense - Irregulars

7.6Passive

7.6.1Present Passive Voice

7.6.2Perfect Passive Voice

7.6.3Future Passive Voice

7.6.4Imperfect Future Passive Voice

7.6.5Avoiding The Passive

7.6.6Making The Passive Active

7.7Imperative

7.7.1Imperatives

7.7.2Irregular Imperatives

8Other Grammar

8.1Nouns

8.1.1The, A

8.1.2Some

8.1.3Masculine

8.1.4Feminine

8.1.5Masculine Plurals

8.1.6Feminine Plurals

8.1.7Irregular Plurals

8.1.8Suffixes

8.2Adjectives

8.2.1Adjectives Must Agree

8.2.2Irregular Agreements

8.2.3No Pattern Irregulars

8.2.4Adjectives Which Change Their Meaning

8.2.5Before the Noun

8.2.6After the Noun

8.2.7Comparing Adjectives

8.2.8Superlative Adjectives

8.2.9Good, Better, Best

8.2.10Patterns

8.2.11Masculine and Feminine

8.3Pronouns

8.3.1Subject Pronouns

8.3.2Direct Object Pronouns

8.3.3Indirect Object Pronouns

8.3.4Reflexive Pronouns

8.3.5Indefinite Pronouns

8.3.6'Y' & 'En'

8.4Adverbs

8.4.1Adding 'ment'

8.4.2Exceptions

8.4.3Good, Badly, Fast

8.5Infinitive Phrases

8.5.1Infinitive Phrases

8.6Conjunctions

8.6.1But, And

8.6.2Then, So

8.6.3Because, While

8.6.4However, For Example

8.7Negatives

8.7.1'Ne...pas'

8.7.2Other Negatives

8.7.3Negative Sentences

8.8Prepositions

8.8.1In, To, Of

8.8.2Verbs That Use 'A' or 'De'

8.9Asking Questions

8.9.1What, Which, Where?

8.9.2How, When?

8.9.3'Est-ce que...'

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