Study guides
Clear methods for French and the humanities
The advice I give most often in lessons, gathered here so you can read it before an essay, a commentary or an exam session.
How to Write a French Literary Commentary (Commentaire Composé)
The commentaire composé explained in English: close reading, literary devices, a real literary question, a plan that follows the text, and paragraph writing.
Read the guide →How to Write a Philosophy Essay: The French Dissertation Method
From analysing the question to the conclusion: a clear method for the French philosophy dissertation, with a full worked example.
Read the guide →French Authors Every Student Should Know
From Molière to Camus: the writers you will meet on any French literature syllabus, what each one stands for, and how to use them in an essay.
Read the guide →How to Revise for Your French and Humanities Exams
A realistic revision plan built on spaced repetition and active recall rather than re-reading notes.
Read the guide →Time Management in Exams and Study Sessions
How to divide up exam time, avoid the blank page, and study without losing focus.
Read the guide →How to Prepare for the DELF and DALF Exams
What the DELF and DALF actually test, how the four papers are marked, how to choose your level, and how to prepare each skill with a realistic timetable.
Read the guide →IB French: How to Prepare for Paper 1, Paper 2 and the Oral
How IB French B and French A are assessed, what examiners reward in each component, and how to prepare the written papers and the individual oral.
Read the guide →How to Improve Your Spoken French as an Adult Learner
Why understanding French is easier than speaking it, and a practical method for adults: daily speaking practice, useful vocabulary, pronunciation and real conversation.
Read the guide →How to Prepare for the French Bac Oral Exam
A clear method for the linear analysis, grammar question and interview on your chosen work in the French Bac oral exam.
Read the guide →Would you like personal guidance?
These methods make full sense when applied to your own essays and exam papers.
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