French Workbook For Dummies (For Dummies (Language & Literature)): Fantastic resource for French learners AND teachers! As a private French instructor, one of my constant challenges is in identifying and bringing together resources that will be helpful for my students, often to address particular needs or meet them where they are most comfortable. Laura’s strength is in creating content that is so comprehensive and yet so approachable that learners of French can use it as their one and only resource. Laura covers not just the basics but also the nuances and particularities of this rich and often challenging language. I recommend my students to her site, and I now also recommend this book to them. I highly recommend it to all of you as well! This is the best resource for a solid foundation in everything French, a remarkable and brilliant work that is perfect for true beginners, but also a great review of the fundamentals for more advanced students. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this work for review, however this doesn't influence my opinion. I am a native French teacher and have used many workbooks that are more or less good/helpful, but I can assure you that you can never go wrong with Laura Lawless. She never disappoints, and she definitely stands out as the best resource out there for French learners and French teachers alike. She has an impressive understanding and mastery of the French language and culture. She makes French accessible, almost logical, and dare I say fun! Her methods and explanations are encouraging, easy to grasp, to the point, effective, and get you ready to interact in French AND with the French. Indeed, beyond getting you comfortable with grammar, the author gives helpful advice to steer you away from easy-to-make cultural and social faux pas. I haven't found a single mistake. The content is accurate and up-to-date, and it even incorporates revised French spelling (in addition to traditional spelling, both being correct), which only about 10% of the French are aware of, even though most use them spontaneously. There is useful and relevant vocabulary. A bilingual dictionary is a useful tool, but only if you know how to use it properly, because you can quickly get into trouble (for example, the word “baiser” refers to something quite different whether it's a noun or a verb). Thankfully, the author thoughtfully gives you an easy overview of grammar (if it was not your strong suit, this book will be a game changer) and of dictionaries' abbreviations, so as to enable readers to use a bilingual dictionary accurately and effectively. This book is well organized, with lots of useful lists of common grammatical words, vocabulary, phrases, etc., so you don't have to memorize everything but can easily retain the essentials. This book is also flexible: you can enjoy it from front to back, or pick and choose the section you're most interested in. All the ground work is done by the author, so you can enjoy in bite-sized portions all the relevant info to be functional in French reading, writing, and speech. Whether you're a French learner or instructor, or just a francophile, or if you're about to visit a francophone country, this book is a must!
You must log in to post a comment.