Copyright

Published by Collins

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Westerhill Road

Bishopbriggs

Glasgow G64 2QT

First edition 2017

© Paul Noble 2017

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Source ISBN: 9780008135867

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Acknowledgements

Images from Shutterstock.

MANAGING EDITOR

Maree Airlie

CONTRIBUTORS

Alice Grandison

Jennifer Baird

Laurence Larroche

FOR THE PUBLISHER

Gerry Breslin

Holly Tarbet

Kevin Robbins

Vaila Donnachie

Find out more about HarperCollins and the environment at

www.harpercollins.co.uk/green

HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication.

People who feel confused by the way languages are normally taught

People who are amazed by just how closely grammar books resemble furniture assembly instructions

People who studied French at school

People coming back to the language after a break

People who’ve listened to one of Paul Noble’s audio courses

People who haven’t listened to one of Paul Noble’s audio courses

Who is this book for?

People curious about whether they can learn a language

People who didn’t study French at school

People who didn’t like how languages were taught at school

People learning French for the first time

People who think they can’t learn a foreign language

People who know no French at all

People who know some French already

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction | Did you know you already speak French?
Chapter 1 | I spent the weekend in Paris … and it was lovely.
Chapter 2 | I booked a table, ordered dinner and then paid the bill. What did you do?
Chapter 3 | I’m scared of flying, so I’m planning to take the Eurostar.
Chapter 4 | You need help, mate!
Chapter 5 | I was just about to order a taxi when you called me.
Chapter 6 (1) | I was in the middle of preparing dinner when you arrived, so I was a bit distracted. (part 1)
Chapter 6 (2) | I was in the middle of preparing dinner when you arrived, so I was a bit distracted. (part 2)
Chapter 7 | I’m moving to France this July because of you! Because of me? You mean thanks to me!
Chapter 8 | When you talk about Paris, you’re so enthusiastic.

Footnotes

About the Publisher

Did you know you already speak French?

Did you know you already speak French?

Did you know you already speak French? That you speak it every day? That you read and write it every day? That you use it with your friends, with your family, at work, down the post office – even in the shower when you read the label on the shampoo bottle?

Were you aware of that fact?

Well, even if you weren’t, it’s nevertheless true.

Of course, you might not have realised at the time that what you were reading / saying / writing was actually French but I can prove to you that it was. Just take a look at these words below:

Have you read through them? Yes? Good.

Now, answer me this, are they:

A: English words

B: French words

C: Both

Well, if you’re reading this book then you’re clearly already a highly intelligent person with good judgement, so you will have correctly chosen “C”.

Yes, these are words that we have in English but they have come into English from French and they are, of course, still in use in French today. And these are by no means isolated examples of French words in English but rather they are merely the tip of a truly enormous iceberg.

In fact, around half of all English words have come into our language via French. Yes, that’s right, half!

If we begin using these words, together with an extremely subtle method that shows you how to put them into sentences in a way that’s almost effortless, then becoming a competent French speaker becomes really quite easy.

The only thing that you will need to do to make this happen is to follow the three simple rules printed on the following pages. These rules will explain to you how to use this book so that you can begin unlocking the French language for yourself in a matter of hours.

Well, what are you waiting for? Turn the page!

Rule Number 1:

Don’t skip anything!

Using this book is extremely simple – and highly effective – if you follow its three simple rules.

If you don’t want to follow them, then I recommend that, instead of reading the book, you use it to prop up a wobbly coffee table, as it won’t work if you don’t follow the rules. Now get ready – because here’s the first one!

Each and every little thing in this book has been put where it is, in a very particular order, for a very particular reason. So, if the book asks you to read or do something, then do it! Who’s the teacher after all, you or me, eh?

Also, each part of the book builds on and reinforces what came before it. If you start skipping sections, you will end up confused and lost. Instead, you should just take your time and gently work your way through the book at your own pace – but without skipping anything!

Step by Step

Rule Number 2:

Don’t try to memorise anything!

Trying to jam things into your head is boring and it doesn’t work. People often cram for tests and then forget everything the moment they walk out of the exam. Clearly, we don’t want that happening here.

Instead, I have designed this book so that any word or idea taught in it will come up multiple times. You don’t need to worry about trying to remember or memorise anything because the necessary repetition is actually already built in. In fact, trying to memorise what you’re learning is likely to hinder rather than help your progress.

So, just work your way through the book in a relaxed way and, if you happen to forget something, don’t worry because, as I say, you will be reminded of it again, multiple times, later on.

Rule Number 3:

Cover up!

No, I’m not being a puritan grandmother and telling you to put on a long-sleeved cardigan. Instead, I’m asking you to take a bookmark or piece of paper and use it to cover up any blue text that you come across as you work your way through the book.

These blue bits are the answers to the various riddles, challenges and questions that I will pose as I lead you into the French language. If you read these answers without at least trying to work out the solutions first, then the book simply won’t work for you.

So, make sure to use something to cover up the bits of blue text in the book while you have a go at trying to work out the answers. It doesn’t matter if you sometimes get them wrong because it is by trying to think out the answers that you will learn how to use the language.

Trust me on this, you will see that it works from the very first page!

Take a look at the page on the right to see how to use your bookmark or piece of paper to cover up correctly.

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