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bizzyliz

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Everything posted by bizzyliz

  1. Here are a few links to articles on certain aspects of French grammar: Using the preposition de: http://www.helium.com/knowledge/129691-using-french-preposition The passive voice: http://www.helium.com/tm/806731/sentences-structure-subject-object Verbe avoir: http://www.helium.com/tm/806684/avoir-meaning-common-french Also one on French proverbs: http://www.helium.com/tm/805348/learning-foreign-language-understand
  2. These are links to articles on some aspects of French grammar: Forming questions in French: http://www.helium.com/tm/798335/there-essentially-three-question Using the negative in French: http://www.helium.com/tm/798258/negative-means-saying-french The French pronouns y and en: http://www.helium.com/tm/802725/pronoun-pronoun-french-there
  3. No idea about the Lyon one, but as for Agen, is pruneau slang for a bullet?
  4. I took a guess on the drug addict one - hadn't come across it before!
  5. I think you'll find, as Tourangelle pointed out, that -tion is a feminine ending; -ation is certainly feminine (nation, natation, etc.) Other endings usually feminine are -ade, -ance, ère, and erie (names of shops, such as la boulangerie, la charcuterie, l'épicerie, etc.) One or two other endings that are normally masculine are -eau (except for l'eau), -ier, -in (but not la fin) and -ing (le poing, etc.) But the only real answer is to learn the gender when you learn the word!
  6. Sorry, I meant to give the web-page address. It's http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4338028.stm
  7. The BBC news website currently has a French quiz complete with 'classroom-style' audio. (It apparently works without the audio too.) There are twelve questions, mostly on language. I got caught out on a question about the French Monopoly game.
  8. I've only just discovered this thread and have never taught in France, but wondered if my experiences in the UK would be relevant at all. I have been able to earn a living through private tuition (in a small town) by offering more than one subject - French, English and Maths - and by teaching all ages, from four to sixty-four. I began several years ago by registering with three private tuition agencies, and later switched to advertising in the Yellow Pages, which is where most of my students now come from. Some students come through personal recommendations as well. It has been a gradual process and I did need to have a part-time job in the early stages to supplement my income. I remember reading about five months ago in 'Le Monde' that private tuition for schoolchildren in France was becoming increasingly in demand, and that families can claim tax relief if their children are having extra tuition. This makes it seem that there must be potential for earning a living in that way, but I have found that advertising is the key. The cost has proved well worth it for me.
  9. Blistering barnacles, if my memory serves me correctly.
  10. In answer to 'merci', you can say 'De rien' or 'Pas de quoi', as well as 'Je vous en prie'. (I have never heard 'pas rien'.) They are the French equivalents of 'Not at all', 'You're welcome', etc.
  11. Thanks Julie for the feedback on B3. Even if it does just provide revision and further practice, it would be very useful for learners in the UK who don't have the opportunity to practise their French everyday. As far as more advanced books go, a few years ago I bought hugo's 'Advanced French Course' by Jacqueline Lecanuet and Ronald Overy, ISBN 0852853777. It is defined as 'bridging the gap between GCSE and A level'. There are apparently four audio cassettes that accompany the book, but I can't honestly remember seeing either the book or the cassettes in shops recently.
  12. That is a pretty comprehensive list of learning materials, to which I would add 'La grammaire en clair' by Paul Rogers and Jeremy Long, published by Nelson, ISBN 0174444206. I have used it alongside 'The French Experience', which some people feel does not concentrate enough on grammar. The exercises in 'La grammaire...' are of varying difficulty on each topic, but the humour in them lightens things up. The vocabulary that is brought in differs quite a bit from the usual coursebook content, and tends to appeal to learners who already have a basic grounding in French. Some people shy away from 'La grammaire...' completely, but have found 'Learn French the Fast and Fun Way' a useful beginners' book. It has its failings and is very much geared towards the tourist, but learners have commented that they appreciate the fact that the pages are not dense and the grammar explanations are usually clear and straightforward. Unfortunately it does not give enough practice exercises. I have not used 'Breakthrough French' but have read good reviews of it. I have some students who are approaching the end of 'French Experience 2' and was wondering if 'Breakthrough French 3' would be a good follow-on course.
  13. Could it be because 'Il fait meilleur qu'hier' is actually short for 'Il fait meilleur temps qu'hier'?
  14. Yes, Christine, it's confusing! 'C'est mieux qu'hier' makes sense because 'est' is a verb, but 'Il fait meilleur qu'hier'........? That doesn't follow the rule. As you said, we need Vraititi. I haven't heard of 'Speaking Better French' before. Will have a look for that one.
  15. I am sure I can't explain as well as Vraititi, but basically meilleur is an adjective (therefore used with nouns) and mieux is an adverb (used with verbs). So meilleur and mieux both mean better, and le meilleur and le mieux both mean the best. For example you would say 'Ce livre est meilleur que les autres' (because livre is a noun), but you would say 'Elle chante mieux que les autres' (because chante is a verb). Hope that helps!
  16. A few years ago I completed L120 and Envol (which was then a 30 point course) by the APEL route (Accreditation for Prior Experiential Learning), which is cheaper and time saving. I don't know if the OU still offer that possibility, but it would be worth finding out if you could complete L120 in that way. It involved completing one written and one spoken assignment I think, and then there was an oral exam conducted over the phone. I'm afraid I don't know anything about the cost of studying in France, but you can enquire by email via the OU website (I did so recently and received a reply about a week later).
  17. What a wonderful website! Merci mille fois, Vraititi.
  18. I too heartily agree with Linnorton and Harvey. A tutor travelling to a student's house usually does so for a session lasting only one hour, then goes on to another student for just one hour, and so on....... Travel costs would be prohibitive if an allowance was not made for them. In addition there is obviously the amount of time involved. The situation is not at all comparable to a commuter travelling to London for seven or eight hours work.
  19. I am afraid I am merely intrigued, and too far away from my youthful days when I might have worried about living down failure! I too live in Blighty, so I cannot turn to the mayor or the village idiot.
  20. Okay Vraititi, I feel some clarification is needed here. When you say the only verb used AT the infinitive, do you mean the only verb used IN the infinitive? Or is that all part of the conundrum? You can't be allowed to get away with this so easily..........
  21. Yes, of course, I'm waiting and wondering what Vraititi will come up with! Can there possibly be a word with six accents?
  22. Thanks for those..... I can't imagine there are words with more than five accents! Interesting to see that the longest French word is shorter than the longest English word.
  23. A nine-year-old British girl has challenged me to find the French word with the greatest number of accents. I can find several with three - éphémère, évêché and épiphénomène. Can anyone go one better? or two..... or more?
  24. And how about donc? I had the impression that this was the equivalent of like in English in the way it slips in all over the place with no (usually) apparent meaning. You've very cunningly avoided it so far!
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