Language Groups
Pre-Listening
A Lesson for French Speakers
Listen to this story about an embarrassing thing that happened when I went out for a bite.
- Warm-up Questions
- Vocabulary: False Friends
- Grammar: Present Continuous
- Listening Practice
- Word Stress for Longer Words
- Rhythm: Vowel Reduction
- Vowels & Consonants: /ʧ, ʤ/ and /h/ and /r/
- Review: Dictation
Use the search function to find more episodes with the same content.
Warm-Up Questions
Answer these questions. They will help you understand the conversation.
A Few Words
contribute (v) – to be one of the reasons why something happens unnecessarily (adv) – not wanted or needed startled (adj) – surprised and a little scared midsection (n) – the part of the body between the chest and waist shiver (v) – to shake when you’re cold, sick or scared
| contribute (v) – to be one of the reasons why something happens | unnecessarily (adv) – not wanted or needed |
| startled (adj) – surprised and a little scared | midsection (n) – the part of the body between the chest and waist |
| shiver (v) – to shake when you’re cold, sick or scared |
False Friends
There are English and French words that have the same or similar spelling, but they have different meanings. For this reason, they can be confusing if you’re learning English, so let’s practice a few of these words called “false friends” or “faux amis.”
grave (adj) – serious / grave (n) – tomb attend (v) – to go to an event, participate / attendre (v) – to wait grand (adj) – great, magnificent / grand (adj) – big, tall location (n) – place / location (n) – rental jolly (adj) – joyful / joli (adj) – pretty, attractive deceive (v) – to trick, make others believe something that is false / decevoir (v) – to disappoint pretend (v) – to make something appear different than it is / pretendre (v) – to claim envy (v, n) – to want or wanting what someone else has / envie (n) – a wish or desire
| grave (adj) – serious / grave (n) – tomb |
| attend (v) – to go to an event, participate / attendre (v) – to wait |
| grand (adj) – great, magnificent / grand (adj) – big, tall |
| location (n) – place / location (n) – rental |
| jolly (adj) – joyful / joli (adj) – pretty, attractive |
| deceive (v) – to trick, make others believe something that is false / decevoir (v) – to disappoint |
| pretend (v) – to make something appear different than it is / pretendre (v) – to claim |
| envy (v, n) – to want or wanting what someone else has / envie (n) – a wish or desire |
For more false friends, check out this list.
Present Continuous
In French, the present continuous or present progressive doesn’t exist. As a result, French speakers often use present simple when they shouldn’t and have troubling understanding when to use the continuous form.
You can learn how to form the present continuous in Beginner Lesson 4. Here I’ll focus on the difference between present continuous and present simple.
Present Simple Present Continuous Form: Subject + Main Verb (add -s or -es for he/she/it) Form: Subject + Is/Are + Main Verb with -ing For truth or facts
He is thirty years old. For actions happening now.
The sun is shining. For permanent states or things
I don’t like chocolate. For temporary actions
She is studying English this year. For habits or routines
They usually get up at 8. For annoying habits (using “always”)
She’s always talking loudly on the phone! For schedules or timetables
The plane leaves at 11. For future plans already arranged
I am having dinner with her tomorrow.
| Present Simple | Present Continuous |
|---|---|
| Form: Subject + Main Verb (add -s or -es for he/she/it) | Form: Subject + Is/Are + Main Verb with -ing |
| For truth or facts He is thirty years old. | For actions happening now. The sun is shining. |
| For permanent states or things I don’t like chocolate. | For temporary actions She is studying English this year. |
| For habits or routines They usually get up at 8. | For annoying habits (using “always”) She’s always talking loudly on the phone! |
| For schedules or timetables The plane leaves at 11. | For future plans already arranged I am having dinner with her tomorrow. |
Remember that some verbs are usually NOT continuous:
Non-Action Verbs: |
– State of Being (be)– Emotion (love, hate, like, etc.)– Sense (hear, see, taste, sound, look etc.)– Mental Action (agree, guess, understand, know, etc.)– Possession (have, own, belong)– Measurement (cost, weigh, owe) |
Practice: