How do you practice French writing?

There are a few different ways that you can practice French writing:

One way is to find French-language newspapers or magazines and write down articles that interest you.
Another way is to keep a French journal, where you write about your daily life or thoughts.
You can also look for French-language websites and forums where you can post messages and respond to others in French. And above all, don’t be afraid to make mistakes! You can’t know all the HORRIBLE mistakes the French make when they write their own language! What you need to do is practice.
Finally, one of the best ways to practice French writing is to take a French-language class, which will give you regular opportunities to write in French.

We will see all this in detail.

How do you write well in French?

As a French teacher, I often get asked by my students how to write well in french. There is no easy answer to this question, as writing proficiency depends on many factors, such as vocabulary knowledge, grammar mastery, and communication skills. However, there are some general tips that can help you improve your writing skills in french.

Well, there’s no one answer to that question! Just like with any language, practice makes perfect. The more you write in French, the better you’ll become at it. There are a few things you can do to help yourself along the way, though.

First, make sure you know your grammar rules inside and out. This will help you to form proper sentences and avoid making mistakes.
Next, take the time to proofread your work. This will ensure that you catch any errors before sending it off.
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed – there’s no shame in admitting that you need some assistance.

By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to writing good French in no time!

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Why is French spelling so weird?

ël, ö, ü… What is going on with French spelling? It sure seems like the French enjoy making things difficult for students! 🙈

But why do the rules of French spelling seem so weird and inconsistent?

Many English speakers find French spelling to be quite strange. After all, how can one justify spelling the word oui as “wi“?

And why does the letter “e” have so many different pronunciations?

The truth is that French spelling is not nearly as random as it may seem at first glance. In fact, there are several reasons why French words are spelled the way they are.

First of all, French has a much higher percentage of vowel sounds than English. As a result, letters like “e” and “i” are often used to indicate a particular vowel sound, even when that sound is not actually pronounced.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the French language has undergone a lot of changes over the centuries, and many of these changes are reflected in the spelling of words. For example, the silent letters in words like hôpital and psychologie were once pronounced, but they have since fallen out of use.

Finally, it’s worth noting that French spelling is actually more consistent than English spelling.

While there may not be a perfect correspondence between sounds and letters, the vast majority of French words are spelled according to fairly straightforward rules.

So next time you find yourself wondering why a particular word is spelled the way it is, remember that there’s probably a good reason for it.

It is impossible to detail here all the spelling rules that exist in French. And even if I wrote them all down, it wouldn’t make sense for you because it’s almost impossible to memorize them all!

What you need to do first is to establish a hierarchy among all the rules of French spelling:

Which ones are really important?
Which ones are very frequent and you will find them every time you write?

Let’s see how you can improve your French skills.

📌 But how do the French write by hand? What is this handwriting??

Very often my students told me that they couldn’t read a text that a Frenchman had written by hand. And it wasn’t even a doctor who had written it! 😆

I don’t know if it’s the same in your country, but in France, doctors have a handwriting that is almost illegible.

This comes from elementary school where children are taught a particular calligraphy. And this calligraphy will remain anchored and will be found throughout the life of the French.

Another thing that gives charm to France 🤩

How can I improve my French writing skills?

The verb and its subject in the French sentence

What I advise my students to do is to first focus on the verb-subject pair.

If your verb conjugation is correct:

Grammatical tense used that matches
Correct endings according to the subject

You will have already corrected the biggest possible errors in your text.

But for that, you absolutely have to get into the habit of :

Reread your text quietly and without worrying about the ideas but paying attention only to the spelling
Practice finding the verb and the subject in a sentence.

It’s very easy to train. You go on the website of a big French newspaper:

You choose an article at random and practice finding the verb and its subject.

You can do the exercise in about ten sentences and then you move on to a different article.

You don’t understand what the verb means? It doesn’t matter! Unless you are a complete beginner in French, by deduction you will know when you are dealing with a verb. All you have to do is look for the subject.

And when you have found the verb and the subject, you try to understand why the verb is written like that:

What is the tense of the verb? Past compound? Present tense? Future tense? Subjunctive ? etc.
Is the subject male, female, singular or plural?

–> And observe how the verb is written!

Trust me, I have been a DELF examiner for more than 8 years, and even for a B2 level (advanced) it remains the best training to improve your written French.

So there you have it, my top five ways to improve your French writing skills. I hope you find these tips helpful and that they help you achieve the level of fluency you desire.

But most importantly, have fun with it! The best way to learn is to enjoy what you’re doing, so don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. And above all, keep practicing! The more time you spend writing in French, the better you’ll become.

Thanks for reading and bon courage à vous tous!

How do you write well in French?

Why is French spelling so weird?

How can I improve my French writing skills?

The verb and its subject in the French sentence

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