French speaking practice tips

While reading and listening can sometimes be challenging, these aspects of French are usually simple enough to put into practice. Speaking, on the other hand, isn’t always as straightforward, especially when you don’t have a conversation partner or a strong vocabulary.

That’s why we’ve asked our French teachers Alexa and Charlotte what advice they would give to those looking to improve their French pronunciation, conversational skills and speaking in general.

Alexa recommends ‘regular and active conversation’ where possible. In Charlotte’s opinion, ‘the best way to improve speaking practice is by being confident. It’s quite daunting to speak another language, so it’s important to realise that the only thing that holds us back is ourselves. Our French speaking practice masterclasses are a great way to start and ease into speaking a foreign language. They’re well-rounded, groups are small, and everyone can feel safe in this virtual classroom.’

The verdict is: of course! While ‘it’s quite hard to improve speaking without anyone’, acknowledges Charlotte, she recommends Alexa’s YouTube dialogue series ‘Speak French With Me’. A good idea is to record yourself speaking, listen to the recording at the end of the video and see if your pronunciation matches Alexa’s. Alexa herself recommends reading aloud to practise your pronunciation and get a feel for the language.

‘Absolutely’, says Charlotte. ‘As I said, everyone starts from the same level and everyone has the same fears and worries. I like to believe that I instil trust from the first lesson. I encourage students to make mistakes, and I would never point out when they make one. Instead, I make sure to correct mistakes as a class so no one feels targeted and every participant can take it on board.’

Even as a beginner, it’s never too early to practise speaking. ‘Simple phrases, introductions, and everyday conversation are great starting points,’ says Alexa. ‘As you advance, you can incorporate more complex grammar and vocabulary.’ Our level 1 masterclass starts from A0 level - total beginner - although it’s recommended that you have at least a little knowledge of French. ‘Ideally,’ says Charlotte, ‘having completed the A1 of Alexa’s Complete French Course would be good as you might have to conjugate verbs that are taught in the A1 level.’

According to Alexa, confidence is more important initially because it allows you to practise more frequently without fear of making mistakes. The more you practise, the more your accuracy will naturally improve. As a beginner, it’s more beneficial to focus on communicating your message rather than being 100% accurate. Over time, accuracy will come with exposure and learning.’

Charlotte agrees: ‘I would say confidence is best when speaking another language. You will make mistakes; I still do even though I’ve been living in England for almost a decade, but as long as you can carry across your idea, then it’s all good. You’ll realise the mistakes you made afterwards and you will make sure to learn from them for the next conversation.’

Simply by following these tips, says Charlotte, you should be able to find ways to improve pronunciation. ‘Listen to French music, watch French movies, get a French podcast going whenever you can - this will all make it easier for you. It’ll help with your listening skills but also with your pronunciation in the long run. And of course, joining a masterclass with us as we put the emphasis on pronunciation too.’