Course Levels

No knowledge of French at all.

Apart from a few words and very basic grammar, you have very little knowledge of the French language.

You can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. You can introduce yourself and others. You can ask and answer questions of a personal nature such as: Where do you live? How old are you? You can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

You can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (eg: very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). You can communicate about routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information involving familiar matters. You can use simple terms to describe aspects of your background, your environment and matters of immediate need.

You can understand the main points of matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. You can deal with most language situations likely to arise whilst traveling in an area where the French language is spoken. You can produce simple connected dialogue based  on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. You can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for projects or ideas.

You can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in your field of specialisation.
You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity which makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantage and disadvantages of various options.

You can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and comprehend implicit meaning. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for words. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You can express yourself clearly and grammatically on complex subjects, describe or report something showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

You can easily understand virtually everything you hear or read in French. You can report information from different spoken and written sources and summarise these coherently. You can express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning with regard to complex situations.