French conversation course for advanced learners

Practical information

CEF

A1	At the end of the course, you can understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and basic phrases in areas of immediate need. You can also read and write short, simple texts. You can interact in a simple way provided the other person speaks slowly and clearly and is willing to help. You can for example introduce yourself and you can ask and answer questions on very familiar topics.
A2	At the end of the course you can understand phrases related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. personal and family information, shopping, employment, ...). You can read and write short, simple notes and messages and find information in everyday material such as advertisements and timetables. You can communicate in simple and routine situations on familiar, everyday topics. You can describe in simple phrases some aspects of your background, your close surroundings and your immediate needs.
B1	At the end of the course you can understand the main points of standard communication on familiar matters regularly encountered. You can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar and you can connect phrases in a simple way. You can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest and you can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2	At the end of the course you can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. You can even follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. You can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. You can understand the main points of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics and you can understand technical discussions related to your field. You can write clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and you can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue expressing the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1	At the end of this course you can better understand native speakers, even when they talk very fast. You learn how to express yourself fluently and spontaneously without any preparation and without much obvious searching for expressions. You can understand more difficult and longer texts, like those you will encounter during your studies. You can also recognize implicit meaning. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. You can write clear, well-structured, detailed texts about complex subjects, logically structured, coherent and well connected.
C2	At the end of the course you have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken or written language. You can summarize spoken or written language and reconstruct arguments and presentations coherently. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously and convey finer shades of meaning precisely, even in more complex situations.

Course hours

Prices		Summer
Commercial student This is the standard price for this language course. If you are not entitled to a discount, this is the price you will need to pay.		€315
Student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you take a course this academic year (or the summer before). Not registered yet? Check out the FAQ discount for future UGent students. PhD students benefit from the staff rate.		€210
Scholarship student UGent You are registered as a UGent student and you have a scholarship from the Flemish Community this academic year. Send us a proof of your scholarship via this form, together with your registration.		€170
Incoming exchange student UGent You are registered as an incoming exchange student of UGent. You will receive an extra discount for a Dutch course. For more info, see the FAQ discount for incoming exchange students.		€210
Outgoing exchange student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€65
Outgoing exchange scholarship student UGent As an outgoing exchange student of UGent you receive an extra discount. You pay the student fee first and after your departure (after you upload the confirmation of arrival) your discount will be settled automatically.		€50
Staff member UGent As a staff member of UGent, you receive a discount, independent of the paying method used for the course. PhD students fall under this category as well.		€280

Hours per week

zomer 5x3

Books by

UCT

Objectives and content

This course mainly aims to improve your speaking skils. Via listening or reading exercises, new structures are discussed and practised in concrete situations. You will gain self-confidence and you will learn to speak in a more fluent and correct way. Grammatical items that are important when speaking and which cause trouble for the particpants (e.g. si-sentences, le/lui, the use of le subjonctif, etc.) will be addressed.

Speaking skills: There will be pair work as well as group and class assignments. We will discuss and apply structures in specific contexts. Every participant will also give a presentation on a topic of their choice, whill will be follow by a group debate.
Listening skills: You will listen to authentic material to familiarise yourself with the rythm of French speakers.
Reading skills: You will familiarise yourself with authentic texts.
Writing skills: This skill will be focused on the least.
Specific grammatical items: You will learn how to ask questions, how to form and use le conditionnel, les pronoms personnels, les temps et les modes, les phrases ‘si’, les prépositions, etc.

Topics: how to introduce yourself and others, how to make phone calls, the house, the concept of 'luxury', how to talk about vacation and holiday, how to give instructions and tips, how to form an opinion, the appearance and characteristics of a person, how to talk about clichés and prejudices, the future, the past, how to express feelings, different linguistic registers, local language variants, art, culture, current affairs, etc. Outside of the classroom, participants can practice their language proficiency further by means of language practicals.

Required prior knowledge

You studied French in secondary school, as a second or third language. When French speakers address you, you understand almost everything they say. You can speak quite fluently but you sometimes feel a bit insecure because you sometimes need to look for the right words and you do not always use 'le mot juste'. In short, you want to expand your vocabulary and you want to revise the most important grammatical items briefly. You need a good command of French for your studies, work, job applications, etc. but you do not often have the possibility to practice your French.

Tests

There is a placement test and a final test.
Before registering, you take the online orientation test. This test refers you to the course that matches your level best. To have a full and accurate idea of your level, you will take an oral orientation test during the first session as well. Based on the outcome of this orientation test, you may be referred to another course because it is more suitable for you.

Course materials

UCT course book. You will receive this book from your language teacher in class. Recommended books:

Bescherelle (2019): La grammaire pour tous, Paris: Hatier
Bescherelle (2019): La conjugaison pour tous, Paris: Hatier
Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Frans-Nederlands – Utrecht: Van Dale
Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands-Frans – Utrecht: Van Dale

If you buy one of these books at Standaard Boekhandel Shopping Zuid, Woodrow Wilsonplein 4, 9000 Gent (in the campus shop next to the shop), you will receive a discount of 10% on the official price. Make sure to mention that you take a language course at the UCT.

Are you already registered for this course? Check out our FAQ ‘What to do after my registration?’.

Schedule and subscribe

It is not yet possible to register for this course. Keep an eye on our website for new course dates

University Language Centre