[Perfect and Imperfect Tenses]

Here is a link on tips for choosing between the perfect and imperfect tenses:

http://www.helium.com/tm/180934

It also deals with how the present tense is used in French to say 'I have been doing....... since/for ....(date/time).

[Gender of French Nouns]

This is a link to an article giving tips for learning the gender of French nouns:

http://www.helium.com/tm/164012/english-language-comes-gender

There is a list of typical feminine endings followed by a list of typical masculine endings. Examples of each are given plus exceptions where appropriate.

[How to say sorry]

There again, Collins-Robert dictionary (5th edition, not the current one I know!) gives 'Je m'excuse' as 'I'm sorry', followed by one asterisk. The solitary asterisk denotes language used by all educated people in a relaxed situation but not suitable for formal occasions when you wish to impress. (For comparison, in English it gives one asterisk for phrases such as 'take it easy' or 'let's get cracking'.)

I wouldn't want to be the one to deny the importance of colloquial language. I learned very formal French in England back in the sixties, and it took me a while to become familiar with everyday conversation when I went to live in France.

[How to say sorry]

My conclusion is that excusez-moi is better, but je m'excuse is still correct.

I just feel that it doesn't always work to translate things too literally. After all, je me suis mariée doesn't mean I married myself!

[How to say sorry]

There is an interesting webpage on apologising at www.chilton.com/paq/archive/PAQ-97-283.html. It says ' "Je m'excuse", ça va, c'est correct', but does also say that "excusez-moi" or "Je vous prie de m'excuser", etc., are more polite.

[How to say sorry]

Okay Domy, merci !

[How to say sorry]

I've always understood that "Je m'excuse" means "I'm sorry."

[Whats the best method to learn French?]

If you want a grammar book, I can thoroughly recommend 'La Grammaire en Clair' by Jeremy Long and Paul Rogers (Nelson, ISBN 0174444206). It's a workbook with explanations and cartoons, lots of humour which is a thing I have never come across in other grammar books. It does help! I imagine it would be a good accompaniment to Michel Thomas CDs, which focus on spoken language.

[How to say sorry]

If you're apologising for taking up someone's time or having interrupted them, you could say "Je m'excuse de vous avoir dérangé."

[Future and Future Perfect forms of the subjunctive]

No, there are no future forms of the subjunctive. You can use the present subjunctive instead.

[Help, translation for d'EPS?]

Hi Gail

He would be a PE and sports teacher. I'm pretty sure EPS stands for education physique et sportive.