French words he has already learnt. Vocabularies are added containing only the simpler words of the reading lessons. The exercises are arranged so as to develop systematically the portions of French accidence and syntax usually learnt by beginners. In French grammars there are many terms employed which are not found in English grammars. I have avoided these as far as possible, and in the verbs I have put the English names for the tenses, as found in Mason's Grammar, side by side with the French names. The Appendix contains the Regular Verbs conjugated in the form of useful phrases. There are also many of the common Irregular Verbs, for it is certainly unwise not to impart at once the knowledge of verbs which occur in every page of a French book. That I may not seem to rely too much upon my own knowledge of a foreign tongue, I have submitted the whole of the book to a French teacher of many years' experience with English pupils, from whom I have received many valuable suggestions. The value of the work as a school book has been already tested, for the proof sheets have been used in my own school both by myself and others. In consequence it is hoped that it will be found comparatively free from error. The reading lessons may be used simply as reading lessons apart from the rest of the book; and it will probably be found desirable to use some other reading book as well while the pupils are mastering the exercises; but as there are so many good French reading books, it was not worth while to increase the size of the volume by introducing other matter of the same kind. WOODFORD, September 1, 1884. Lesson 1. LESSON IN PRONUNCIATION. Vowels a e é è io u Sounded ah eh ay* ayt ee o There is no sound in English answering to the French u. Let the pupil close his lips tightly round a cedar pencil, and then withdraw it without moving his lips. He will then easily make the sound. ka ke ké kè ki qu=k qua que qué què qui ce cé cè ci pronounce c like s J ko ku quo co cu ch=sh cha che ché chè chi cho chu Let this table be repeated till the pupils can make every sound perfectly. El le a dé chi ré sa ro be. * Letters printed thus (t) are not to be sounded. These six sentences should be read aloud and afterwards copied out, to ensure correct spelling. They should then be committed to memory and repeated, the pupils giving the French for each English word. Afterwards they should be written from dictation. Lessons 3 to 7 should be done in the same way. Words of two or more syllables are divided into syllables. When the last syllable ends in e mute, it is well to pronounce that syllable by itself first, and afterwards join it to the preceding. |