LC French study plan
LC French · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Listening comprehension (Aural) & Language and grammar awareness
Transcribe 12 short authentic French audio clips (news briefs, 60-90 seconds) and mark every liaison and enchaînement you hear
Build a personal error log of 20 recurring listening traps (nasal vowels, silent endings, numbers, contractions like qu'il/qui l')
Drill passé composé vs imparfait and pronoun placement (y, en, le/la/les) with 40 transformation sentences
Shadow one 2-minute podcast daily, recording yourself to compare rhythm and intonation
Your checkpoint
A listening journal with 12 transcripts, self-corrections, and a one-page liaison/enchaînement cheat sheet
Listening comprehension (Aural) & Reading comprehension
Answer 30 multiple-choice listening questions on short dialogues and announcements, timing yourself at exam pace
Read 6 short press articles (300-400 words) and identify main idea, tone, and implied meaning in one sentence each
Compile 50 connecteurs logiques and discourse markers (cependant, en revanche, d'ailleurs, donc) with example sentences
Practise scanning skills: locate specific facts in a text in under 90 seconds
Your checkpoint
A scored listening set (30 items) plus a reading log of 6 articles with main-idea summaries
Reading comprehension & Language and grammar awareness
Analyse 8 longer texts (500-700 words) for author stance, register, and inference questions
Master subjunctive triggers (il faut que, bien que, pour que) with 30 original sentences
Review agreement rules for past participles with avoir/être and pronominal verbs
Paraphrase 15 difficult sentences from your reading to prove comprehension without translating
Your checkpoint
A reading analysis sheet for 8 texts plus a 30-item grammar self-test with corrections
Written production: composition and language tasks & Reading comprehension
Write 3 argumentative essays (200-250 words) with clear thesis, two supporting points, and conclusion
Memorise and reuse 25 formal connectors and essay formulas in your own writing
Self-edit each essay against a checklist (agreement, tense sequence, register, spelling)
Read 4 model-style opinion pieces and extract their structure without copying wording
Your checkpoint
Portfolio of 3 essays with a before/after revision showing corrected errors
Written production: composition and language tasks & Language and grammar awareness
Complete 6 exam-style writing tasks (formal letter, informal message, article, summary) in 25 minutes each
Target accuracy on articles, prepositions, and verb endings by rewriting 20 faulty sentences
Expand register range with 15 subjunctive and conditional structures used in written production
Build a 40-item personal spelling and accent checklist and test yourself twice
Your checkpoint
Six timed writing tasks graded against a rubric you write yourself, with a list of top 10 recurring errors
Oral examination: conversation and discussion & Listening comprehension (Aural)
Record 4 three-minute monologues on exam-style topics and review fluency, hesitation, and pronunciation
Practise 3 role-play conversations with a partner or language exchange, focusing on turn-taking and repair phrases
Drill 20 phrases for expressing opinion, agreeing, disagreeing, and buying time politely
Listen to 5 authentic interviews and summarise each aloud in 60 seconds
Your checkpoint
Four recorded monologues with self-assessment notes and a one-page opinion-phrase bank
Oral examination: conversation and discussion & Cultural and topical knowledge of the French-speaking world
Prepare and rehearse a 5-minute presentation on a current French-speaking world topic, with a 3-minute follow-up Q&A
Learn key facts on 6 francophone regions (France, Québec, Sénégal, Côte d'Ivoire, Belgique, Maroc) and their cultural debates
Debate two topical issues, arguing both sides for 2 minutes each
Read 6 current-affairs articles and note 3 usable facts and 5 topic-specific words each
Your checkpoint
A rehearsed 5-minute presentation with notes, plus a Q&A log of 10 questions you answered
Listening comprehension (Aural) & Reading comprehension & Language and grammar awareness & Written production: composition and language tasks & Oral examination: conversation and discussion & Cultural and topical knowledge of the French-speaking world
Complete 2 full timed mock exams covering all sections and score each against official-style criteria
Review your error log and redo the 20 items you got wrong most often
Record one final 4-minute conversation simulation and one 250-word essay under time pressure
Consolidate a one-page revision sheet of grammar, phrases, and cultural facts
Your checkpoint
Two scored mock exams with a written diagnostic of strengths and remaining gaps
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 60% on the 30-item listening set and correctly identify main idea in 5 of 6 reading articles
Week 4: Write a 200-250 word argumentative essay in 30 minutes with no more than 8 language errors and clear structure
Week 6: Sustain a 3-minute unscripted monologue with no more than 3 long pauses and understandable pronunciation
Week 8: Reach at least 65% overall on both mock exams with no domain below 50%