Language skills
The CEFR distinguishes several language activities, all of which need practice.
| Skill | French abbreviation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | CO | understand an announcement, a podcast, a conversation |
| Reading | CE | read an article, an email, a book |
| Speaking (production) | PO | give a talk, tell a story, give your opinion |
| Writing | PE | write a message, a letter, an essay |
| Interaction | — | take part in a conversation or debate |
| Mediation | — | explain, summarise or translate for someone else |
The DELF, DALF, TCF and TEF exams assess these skills, usually in separate papers.
Balancing your time
Many self-taught learners neglect speaking and listening. A balanced approach spends at least as much time listening and speaking as reading and writing.
🇫🇷 Research and writing: My French
This guide was researched and written by the team at my-french.com, a platform for learning French as a foreign language and the owner of learnfrench.wiki. Put theory into practice: lessons from A1 to C2, quizzes, games, a verb conjugator and a community of learners at my-french.com.