French
Levels A1 to C1
Whether you are a complete beginner or looking to improve your current language level, we offer French evening courses that suit your needs and aims.
Course length
Each level lasts for 10 weeks. You will have one 2-hour class each week.
Moving to the next level
Once you have finished your 20 hours of learning (one term), you will be ready to move up to the next level.
Choosing the right level for you
We know that everyone learns languages differently. You might have lived abroad, practiced with family, or studied in the past without getting a formal certificate.
Because of this, our entry requirements are guidelines rather than strict rules. We want you to feel comfortable and confident in your class, so please choose the level that feels right for your experience.
Understanding course levels
Each of our courses is roughly based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The CEFR levels listed below are approximate. They are intended to give you a general idea of the course difficulty rather than a formal qualification.
Prerequisite for entry
For complete beginners or those who have had only very little contact with the language.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students to function at a basic everyday survival level (basic vocabulary, grammar, morphology, syntax and phonetics). Students should be able to communicate in and understand French on a number of practical everyday matters. Language learning skills, including autonomous learning and how to approach some authentic material will be enhanced. Some transferable skills will also be covered.
Functions
- Greetings, introducing yourself and others.
- Meeting people
- Talking about yourself and your family
- Likes/dislikes
- Describing a person
- Describing your home (living room/bedroom)
- Shopping in a clothes shop
- Ordering/buying drinks in a café
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- First contacts around nationality
- Politeness (formal or informal/familiar)
- Introduction of closer acquaintances (family, friends)
- Occupation and centres of interest
- The family
- Numbers, days of the week, months
- Home (objects, furniture)
- The clothes, colours
Linguistic Structures/Phonetics
Basic rules of the pronunciation of spoken French
Grammar
- Gender and number of French nouns/some adjectives
- Negative and interrogative structures
- Definite and indefinite articles
- Prepositions + countries/cities
- Possessive and demonstrative adjectives
- Present tense of regular verbs in –er
- Basic prepositions and linking words
- Present tense of a few irregular verbs (être, avoir, aller)
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 1. Hachette (Up to lesson 8).
- Tutor’s material
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Basic knowledge of French (completion of level 1, or GCSE a long time ago.) This course is not suitable for complete beginners.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students to function at a basic everyday survival level (basic vocabulary and grammar). Students should be able to communicate in and understand French on a number of practical everyday matters. Language learning skills, including autonomous learning and how to approach authentic material will be enhanced. Some transferable skills will also be covered.
Functions
- Describing your home/area
- Asking the way and giving directions
- Locating a place in a map
- Describing a touristic place
- Booking a hotel room
- Asking for/telling the time
- Buying a train ticket
- Talking about daily routine / leisure activities
- Buying food, talking about your eating habits/preferences
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- Home/area
- Time
- Work
- Holidays and spare time activities
- The routine
- The human body, health
- The food
Linguistic Structures/ Phonetics
Basic rules of the pronunciation of spoken French.
Grammar
- Present tense of a few irregular verbs ( prendre, partir, faire, lire, écrire, boire)
- Reflexive verbs
- The imperative
- Disjunctive pronouns (pronoms toniques)
- Prepositions of place
- Prepositions and contracted articles
- Gender of nouns
- The indefinite subject pronoun “on”
- The adverb “y”
- Interrogative structures
- Faire (de), jouer (à) + sport
- Partitive article ( du, de la, des) and its negation
- The expression: “ Il faut”
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 1. Hachette (lessons 9-17).
- Tutor’s material
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 1+, or a low GCSE grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to give students an opportunity to revise their survival skills and acquire more sophisticated ways of dealing with practical matters. This includes revision and consolidation of vocabulary, grammar, morphology, syntax and phonetics. Cultural awareness will be developed.
Functions
- Relating stories and events in the past
- Expressing tastes and preferences
- Asking and expressing an opinion
- Giving advice
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- Talking about your past (memories)
- Talking about habits at work
- Talking about your living environment
- Talking about leisure, holidays…
- Talking about recent future plans
Phonetics
Basic rules of the pronunciation of spoken French
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Passé composé
- Direct pronouns: le,la,l’,les
- Indirect pronouns : lui, leur
- Pronouns (en, ça)
- Negative structure (ne…plus)
- Use of trop/assez + adjective, trop de/assez de + noun.
- Use of tout, toute, tous, toutes
- Reflexive verbs in the imperative, present and past
- il faut + infinitive
- Futur proche
- Use of pour + infinitive to express a goal
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 1. Hachette (lessons 18-26)
- Exercise book: Grammaire Progressive du Français, Niveau débutant, Maïa Grégoire, Clé International
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 2, or a low GCSE grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students with a good knowledge of basic French to reach an intermediate level and to communicate in and understand French on many practical everyday matters related to various aspects of French culture. Language learning skills, including autonomous learning and how to approach authentic material, will be enhanced.
Functions
- Expressing tastes and preferences
- Relating stories and events (present, past, future)
- Asking and expressing an opinion
- Making plans (probability, certainty…)
- Expressing a condition
- Expressing hypothesis
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- Talking about your living environment
- Talking about leisure, holidays…
- Discussing French symbols
- Talking about your past (memories) and future (plans)
- Describing the weather
Phonetics
Revision of basic rules of the pronunciation of spoken French
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Reflexive verbs in the imperative, present and past
- L’imparfait
- The recent past (venir de + infinitive)
- Contrasted use of passé composé and imparfait
- Use of pour + infinitive to express a goal
- The future (other irregular verbs)
- Condition and hypothesis (si + présent + futur)
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 1. Hachette (lessons 27-36)
- Exercise book: Grammaire Progressive du Français, Niveau débutant, Maïa Grégoire, Clé International
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 2+, or a high GCSE grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students with a good basic knowledge of French to develop the four skills (speaking, understanding, reading and writing) to an intermediate level. Students should be able to communicate in French in most common situations. Cultural awareness will be developed. Language learning skills, including autonomous learning and how to approach authentic material will be enhanced.
Functions
- Describing activities
- Expressing what you would like to do in the future
- Comparing different way of living
- Talking about hypothetical situations
- Expressing and justifying your point of view
- Extracting information from written or oral material
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- Social and family life
- Places and accommodation
- French geography and culture
Phonetics
Difficult sounds in French
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Structure of the questions
- Relative pronouns (qui, que, où, dont)
- Demonstrative pronouns
- Conditional present
- Comparatives and superlatives
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 2, units 1-3. Hachette
- Exercise book: Grammaire Progressive du Français, Niveau débutant, Maïa Grégoire, Clé International
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 3, or a high GCSE grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students with a good basic knowledge of French to converse reasonably fluently with native speakers and discuss personal, social and current issues using appropriate structures. Cultural awareness will be further developed through an extended use of authentic material. Some transferable skills will also be covered.
Functions
- Describing your way of living
- Giving advices, expressing restriction
- Describing past events
- Explaining and defending your personal opinions
- Understanding the gist and detailed information of recording and written texts
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- Health
- Work
- Free time
Phonetics
More difficult sounds in French
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Hypotheses
- Adjectives and pronouns indefinite
- Pronouns 'en' and 'y'
- Subjunctive
- Adverbs
- Expressing causality
- Gerund
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 2, units 4-6. Hachette
- Exercise book: Grammaire Progressive du Français, Niveau débutant, Maïa Grégoire, Clé International
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 3+, or a low A-level grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students who already have a good knowledge of French to acquire an advanced level. Students will be able to communicate in all situations within French speaking countries, converse with native speakers and follow debates on a wide range of issues as well as express themselves with more complex and linguistically accurate structures. Cultural awareness will be further developed and raised within European/global context. Various transferable skills will be covered.
Functions
- express consequences
- express probabilities and certitudes
- make previsions
- Expressing a wide range of opinions and reactions
- reporting someone’s speech at the present
- describe memories
- describes trips abroad
- Doubting, hoping
- Agreeing/disagreeing, accepting/refusing
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
- New technologies
- Travelling
- Press and media
- Education
- Multicultural societies
- Social behaviours
- Values in life
- Political life and commitments
Phonetics
Introduction to the various registers/accents.
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Personal pronouns (all)
- Future tenses and time indicators
- Time and duration indicators in the past
- Using the subjunctive to express feeling, wishes and doubts.
- Expressing consequence in different ways (using adverbs, adjectives…)
- Expression of concession and opposition
Learning resources
Books
- Course book: Le nouveau Taxi 2, units 7-9. Hachette
- Exercise book: Grammaire Progressive du Français, Niveau débutant, Maïa Grégoire, Clé International
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
- Monolingual Dictionary: Petit Robert
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 4, or a low A-level grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students who have an advanced knowledge of French to acquire a better fluency in the language. Students will be able to follow discussions and debates on current issues (world wide) as well as communicate in all situations using complex and linguistically more accurate structures (different types of discourses, registers etc…). Cultural awareness will be further developed. Various transferable skills will be covered.
Functions
- Talking about one’s image
- Describe people and behaviours
- expressing different feelings
- Talking about one’s relationship to money
- Giving warnings
- Taking part in a debate, presenting one’s ideas clearly and efficiently
- Describing an educational and professional experience
- Reporting a conversation
- Recognising and using various registers
- Getting familiar with dialectical/regional accents.
- Improving reading and listening skills using variety of authentic material, involving more complex and critical discourse
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
The content of this course will be based around a reflection on the nature of contemporary society and current affairs. The topic may include the following (as appropriate, depending on students’ interests):
- New technologies, Internet
- Money and consuming
- Advertising
- Learning experience/ education
- The origins and variety of French
Phonetics
Recognising/understanding various register/accents.
Grammar and linguistic structures
- Les pronoms relatifs composés
- Reported speech in the past
- Past tenses and agreement of past participles
- Mise en relief (ce qui, ce que, ce dont…)
- Subjunctive
- Adverbs
- Different ways of expressing concession and opposition (using the subjunctive, indicative…)
- Structuring (logical structures)
- Linking devices (lexical, grammatical)
- Stylistic levels, formal registers and their usage
Learning resources
Books
- The course book will be confirmed by the tutor at the start of the course
- Authentic material such as French newspapers and magazines, recent publications, television programs, films etc.
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
- Monolingual Dictionary: Petit Robert
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 4+, or a high A-level grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students who have a solid advanced knowledge in French to become as fluent as possible in the language. Students will be able to follow and participate in any discussion or debate as well as communicate in any given situation using linguistically complex and accurate structures (different types of discourses, registers etc…). Cultural awareness will be further developed. Various transferable skills will be covered.
Functions
The content of this syllabus will be similar to the content of level 4+, but students will work at an even higher level of linguistic accuracy and complexity. Ability to master all previously studied functions in appropriate spoken and written register will be enhanced.
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
As in level 4+, the content of this course will be based around a reflection on the nature of contemporary society and current affairs including an analysis of the cultural dimension. The topic may include various current issues (as appropriate, depending on students’ interests).
Phonetics
- Recognising/understanding various register/accents
- Recognising/understanding any kind of discourse.
Grammar and linguistic structures
Here again the content of this syllabus will follow that of level 4+ but at an even more complex and more accurate level.
- All tenses
- Structuring (logical structures, connectors)
- Linking devices (lexical, grammatical)
- Stylistic levels, formal registers and their usage
- Lexical accuracy
Learning resources
Books
- The course book will be confirmed by the tutor at the start of the course
- Authentic material such as French newspapers and magazines, recent publications, television programs, films etc.
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
- Monolingual Dictionary: Petit Robert
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 5, or a high A-level grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students who are fluent (or nearly fluent) in French to practice their linguistic skills through a variety of activities (debates, games, oral comprehension etc…). Students will be able to follow any debate, discussion or conversation as well as communicate in all situation using complex and linguistically accurate structures (different types of discourses, registers etc…). Cultural awareness will be further developed. Various transferable skills will be covered.
Functions
In this course students will have the chance to revise and perfect all previously studied functions.
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
As in level 5, the content of this course will be based around a reflection on the nature of contemporary society and current affairs. Since the students in this course will be fluent or nearly fluent in the language, the syllabus will remain quite flexible and various topics may be studied, depending on their interests (contemporary literary extracts, science, new technologies, cinema and art exhibitions, corporate life…)
Phonetics
- Recognising/understanding various register/accents
- Recognising/understanding any kind of discourse.
Grammar and linguistic structures
Perfecting all the grammar points previously studied according to students’ need (tenses, reported speech....)
Learning resources
Books
- The course book will be confirmed by the tutor at the start of the course
- Authentic material such as French newspapers and magazines, recent publications, television programs, films etc.
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
- Monolingual Dictionary: Petit Robert
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
Prerequisite for entry
Completion of level 5, or a high A-level grade or equivalent.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students who are fluent in French to practice their linguistic skills through a variety of activities (debates, games, oral comprehension etc…). Students will be able to follow any debate, discussion or conversation as well as communicate in all situation using complex and linguistically accurate structures (different types of discourses, registers etc…). Cultural awareness will be further developed. Various transferable skills will be covered.
Functions
In this course students will have the chance to revise and perfect all previously studied functions.
Course content
Main topics/themes to be covered
The content of this course will be based around a reflection on the nature of contemporary society and current affairs. Since the students in this course will be fluent in the language, the syllabus will remain quite flexible and various topics may be studied, depending on their interests (contemporary literary extracts, science, new technologies, cinema and art exhibitions, corporate life…)
Phonetics
- Recognising/understanding various register/accents
- Recognising/understanding any kind of discourse.
Grammar and linguistic structures
Perfecting all the grammar points previously studied according to students’ needs (tenses including present and past subjunctive, reported speech....)
Learning resources
Books
- The course book will be confirmed by the tutor at the start of the course
- Authentic material such as French newspapers and magazines, recent publications, television programs, films etc.
- Bilingual French/English Dictionary (Collins/Robert) Pocket Edition
- Monolingual Dictionary: Petit Robert
Useful websites
In addition, there is a range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre (SAC).
CPD accreditation
All UCL Evening Language Courses have been accredited by the CPDCS.
The CPD Certification ServiceQueries about these courses?
You can get in touch with the team to ask any questions you have.
Our normal working hours are 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays and when UCL is closed over Christmas and Easter.
