Learning to speak French has never been easier, thanks to the plethora of online classes and resources available to students worldwide. As more and more foreign language teachers are looking to teach while traveling, online language courses are becoming increasingly popular. In this article, we go over three subjects taught to increase one’s understanding of the French language. If you’re ready to kickstart your French language skills, here are three subjects to get down pat!
Three Basic Subjects
To learn any language, you need to know the fundamentals of spelling, grammar, and pronunciation. These three areas of focus give you clear insight into the written and spoken aspects of language that make comprehension and communication possible.
When you join an online language course, be ready to dive into these subjects! Click here for online French classes. Let’s break down what you’ll learn in each subject:
Grammar in online french classes
Grammar courses will also be introduced in online french classes, beginning with identifying word types, i.e., (nouns, verbs, pronouns, etc.). In your online french classes, your teacher will also show you similarities between French and English so that you can gain an easier understanding of their connections. Once these basics are covered, you’ll move on to more advanced aspects of grammar in your online french classes. You’ll learn French grammar rules such as writing words in gendered forms and understanding the correct tenses to use in different contexts. In your online french classes, you’ll cover five primary verb forms that describe the three tenses, the present, future, and the past.
The Subject of Spelling
French spelling includes many silent letters that create written words. In addition to receiving a French alphabet chart, you will also touch on orthography or how sound and spelling work together. You will learn the nature of vowels and how they work in relation to French spelling and sound. You will discover the vibrant nature of vowel combinations and sounds, both of which are much more complex than other languages such as Italian or Spanish. You will likely take spelling tests to track your progress as you go about your course.
Pronunciation Makes Perfect
After learning the correct spellings for French words, you will be given notes on alternative spellings used solely for pronunciation purposes. The relevant sounds will be written in bold font to emphasize sound. Parentheses may also indicate guidance on sounds and letter combinations. There are also pronunciation charts that explain how sounds form words. You will see the letter, the sound description, the English sounds, and lastly, relevant examples. For instance, the letters PH make the “f” sound to pronounce, “phone.” In French, you would say, “une pharmacie.” Just as students learn spelling and verb charts, pronunciation charts aid in this aspect of language understanding.
Becoming proficient in French requires mastery of spelling, grammar, and pronunciation. These three components are necessary to speak and write in French. Your online language courses will include these three fundamentals so that you can progress in your language growth correctly. Bonne chance!