brushing up French - advice please

[basildonbond]

I've just got back from an unscheduled stop in Paris courtesy of the volcano - and amazed my dc by speaking to the locals in French "that lady understood you, mummy!"

I did A-level French a very long time ago (did rather well, ) and at one time was pretty fluent, but have now forgotten huge swathes of vocab, but rather more importantly have enormous black holes where my knowledge of French grammar used to be.

Can anyone recommend any resources to help me brush up my skills - I'm not going to be able to commit to a regular class so something self-directed would be good - books/online etc

thanks

bumping this - I'd like to know too.

I got a personal tutor when I wanted to do this. Came to my house once a week. Improved it a lot (am probably back to pre-tutor level now, however)

I'm not sure if this would be a bit low-level for you, but when I wanted to brush up my French (Only got to O-Grade, many years ago) I got a copy of this set of CDs - but it's definitely conversational French rather than covering anything about grammar.

start reading French newspapers online and listening to their radio - it will soon all come back.

link here

A long while back I signed up to Champs-Elysees for a year, and it was very good - lots of current affairs programmes and stuff that they collected together, with a useful little booklet/magazine to go with it. Obviously if you have access to French telly etc then wouldn't need this, but it's quite nice to have "on tap", and definitely got me into the groove before heading contintentwards...

I would also get hold of a nicely set out grammar book for all those things when you think - ooh yeah there was something funny about that, subjunctive was it? - and can't remember what it was (if you're anything like me!)

continentwards (like it's even a word anyway...)

stickyfingers do you have such a grammer book to recommend?

and an English spelling book (with possible English grammar too!!)

Although it's aimed at children, the Galore Park French textbooks are good - very academic/grammar-based way of teaching. They are called "So You Really Want to Learn French" and there are 3. They wouldn't get you to A level standard but cover present, perfect, imperfect, both futures.

Don't have a link but Schaum used to do a good French grammar - lots of tedious useful exercises to reinforce everything. They cover pretty much all the grammar you are likely to need!

I've found this grammar book very useful, and the dictionary in the same series.

I've been doing an evening class for about 8 months after holidaying in France 'en famille' last summer. I'd last done French at school about 25 years ago, but found it did come back surprisingly easily (with a bit of help from a trusty phrase book!). I lacked the self confidence to speak it at school (my northern accent and acute teenage embarrasment didn't help!) but now I don't really care as long as I'm understood!

I'm really enjoying getting reacquainted with the French language (pluperfect tense anyone?) so I'd also appreciate any recommendations for websites, etc.

Enjoy it basildonbond!

The BBC languages website is really good. Also if you have an iPod there are some brilliant free podcasts you can download. I use Learn French by Podcast.

I still had my old A-level grammar (which I liked - it was "for dummies" (like me!) and listed out the faux-amis and all the various traps for the unwary. TBH, there are so many on the market I would flick through them in a bookshop (and then buy the one you like cheap online! Sorry, of course I would support the bookshops...) to see what suited you.

DeidreB I found Fowler's modern English usage invaluable when I was doing TEFL.

thanks everyone - lots of good suggestions - will have a browse