French Knowledge For Nothing

A great example of how the internet can save you a fortune when it comes to learning languages can be found at About.com. Their French learning site has a plethora of brilliant French learning materials including interactive games, blogs and forums in English and French, top learning tips and much more!

Once you’ve got over the cluttered layout, which is packed with rather annoying ads for other sites and services, you will find some very accessible, fun activities. I like the way in which the site is fronted by their resident French expert, Laura K Lawless, whose quirky little quibbles on the intricacies of the French language fascinated me and boosted my learning because I really wanted to understand the finer points of French.

French Games Galore

From quizzes and puzzles to fun interactive activities, About.com seems to have things pretty much covered when it comes to learning French. The site offers an insight into common errors which students make, and I found myself laughing at some of the more “delicate” mistakes – thank heavens I realised before I said the same thing! You can test your own French knowledge and see which areas you need to improve.

Keep in mind though, this site is not a dedicated individual learning package, your learning very much depends upon whatever is on offer that day, and you may find that some of the material is way beyond you! However, material for beginners is mixed in with the more complex stuff, and it’s worth persevering. For dedicate individual learning – check out the French learning software product reviews on the right hand side.

About.com French also features a lot of cultural information which will really get you into the French way of living and thinking – it even tells you the Saints’ days and gives background on the national and local holidays. This is something which is sadly lacking in many other French websites, and I felt as though I had a much better understanding of France thanks to About.com.

The Tough Stuff!

The “Language Lab” allows you to listen and respond to conversations which have been well chosen to represent typical real-life situations, and grammar and vocabulary are covered in various formats. If you need a quick reference tool for conjugating verbs, for example, you can just type in the word you’re looking for and get an immediate response.

As an online reference tool with some excellent learning materials and good links to other French learning sites and programs, About.com is a great free option. However, if you’re looking for a package which takes you through the French language from beginner to expert, you’ll be frustrated by the nature of this site as it doesn’t really link from one part to the next.

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