“Practice makes perfect” is the old saying and is so true! Consistent work and interaction with a new language or skill is the key to become proficient in it and get good results.

There will of course be times when motivation is low, or you may struggle to find time to focus but it is certainly not impossible!

Do you have an advanced French test coming up? Are you well versed with the study methodology for working towards acing these exams?

It is important to implement a solid preparation strategy and our proven tips for advanced French Test Prep can be your answer to helping you stay ahead!

 5 Tips for French Language Test Prep

• Do not Procrastinate. Start Early!
• Set a timetable
• Learn from Native speakers
• Take mock tests
• Get feedback

If you are in the process of preparing for these exams, then working with a private tutor has its advantages. A Native French tutor with bilingual skills can guide you through the preparation process and help you with grammar, pronunciation, phrases, words etc. With one-on-one interaction, your tutor will be quick to recognize any areas of improvement that you need and help you overcome your areas of weakness.  Identifying your strengths too can simplify your preparation work.

So, do not wait till the last moment, plan ahead and start early!

Understanding fluency in speech is also vital and with time, your ears will be trained to recognize fast speech spoken in the way a native speaks! Some words can be tricky, and you may have to say the word several times for you to get an accurate pronunciation.  Make a list of these words and practice them regularly for better performance. 

While learning a new language, Grammar can be hard! But it need not be so, and practice is the way around it!  French grammar, for example, has gender, lots of conjugation and exceptions to rules.  Often, the sentence structure can get confusing to a new learner.

Just doing old exam questions multiple times is not enough. Knowing what went wrong is also important, so that the next practice attempt is even more successful. Formulating your practice sessions must be in a correct fashion and the right approach must be taken.

Get started well in time before your exam and make your study stress free!

Whether it is AP, SAT, TOEFL, REGENTS, or any other…… Follow these tips to excel because focused study means a better score!

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Speaking a language fluently is not only to know the words and the grammar of this language. It is also to understand the different meanings of the words and what they can imply both traditionally and non-traditionally. It is also knowing those little things, those little “additions” that come with the words in a conversation.

To begin with, in French, we don’t say “hmm” but rather “heu…“ (phonetic: {ø}). A typically french sound that punctuates many conversations. To use during a pause or an hesitation.

• exemple: J’ai aimé le film mais la fin était… heu… un peu bizarre. (I liked the movie but the end was…hmm… a little weird.)

Then, there are the famous “oulala“, and “ah bon?“, “hein“. Those words that we add to conversations like an extra punctuation.

• example:
  • • Hier, j’ai appris une mauvaise nouvelle… (Yesterday, I got bad news…)
    • Ah bon ? Qu’est que c’est ? (Really? What is it?)
• example: “Tu pourrais quand même faire attention, hein.(\ɛ̃\)” (You should be more careful, really!)

The negation is a complex matter in French. “Ne… pas” is the form that is mainly used but it is important to know that French people tend to forget the “ne” when they speak.

• example: “Fais pas ça!” (Don’t do that!)

To continue with the negation, the sentence that you will hear very often and that can sound surprising is the “Je ne sais pas” (I don’t know) that becomes “Je sais pas” and often “J’sais pas” or even “Ch’sais pas“. Once again, it is good to know about it to understand your interlocutor, but not always as good to use it.

So, here are some little things that you can add to your french (in addition to our list of French Slang“), once you reached an advanced level. Here, I don’t speak about accent, first because there are many francophone accents, there is not one french accent. Then, because your accent will often be your asset, mainly to start a conversation. And as an American would say that the French accent is cute in English, a French will find the American accent “très mignon”.

Feel free to share other examples of those little things that give all his charms to “la langue de Molière”.

The post How to Speak French Like a French Person appeared first on CERCLE FRANCO AMERICAIN.