- During the European war old pupils of the authors, in service in France, repeatedly wrote for copies of the former edition of this book, that they might furbish up their rusty knowledge of French from its familiar pages.
- Others reported finding grimy copies passing from hand to hand in the bomb- proofs of the first-line trenches. Such continued loyalty from former pupils has given the greatest satisfaction to the authors of this book. These friends, and the many others who as teachers or pupils have used " Elementary French " since it was published fifteen years ago, have encouraged them to prepare this new edition, entirely rewritten and containing several new features of promise.
- The general plan of the former volume, which has commended itself so widely, is rigorously retained. As before, the work in content covers the elementary French requirement as generally understood. The book is adapted either to serve in a secondary school or to constitute the nucleus of the first year's work in a college course that does not demand French for entrance. Pupils in the third year of high school or at a more advanced stage can complete the work in a single year and have sufficient time left for the reading of simple French texts.
- The modifications that characterize this revision lie along three lines. By further subdividing certain topics, especially at the start and when dealing with critical subjects, and by postponing certain exceptions in syntax to later supplemental pages, the ground covered by separate lessons is reduced. The admission into the Models of a larger and more varied vocabulary, especially of everyday words and phrases, permits much greater flexibility and vividness in the French employed. Pictures and other forms of illustration, drawn to an unusual degree from scenes of daily life, bring to the pupil the characteristic atmosphere of the vivacious and intellectual people whose language he is learning. Special attention is called to the following features, most of which this edition shares with its predecessor: .
- 1-Unity and system are secured by grouping the successive lessons in natural relations around a common topic, such as the verb, the pronoun, etc.
- 2. The statement of principles of grammar is adapted to the point of view of the English-speaking pupil, without assuming, however, that he is a master of English syntax.
- 3. The French text of each lesson consists of a connected paragraph, narrative or descriptive, v dealing more and more, as facility increases, with the situations of everyday life.
- 4". Each Model is the center of abundant exercises, which continually emphasize the essential points of the lesson. These are set in a great variety of forms, including exercises for thorough drill and in supplying omitted words and in making the substitutions that are today considered so valuable, and also giving a considerable amount of connected discourse. Every task propounded has a definite aim. Plenty of material is offered for constant and effective review.
- 5. A serious effort is made to teach the inflection of the verb by developing it from the principal parts. For the use of those who prefer to memorize from visualizing, the paradigms and the irregular verbs are given in full in the Appendix.
Elementary French; the essentials of French grammar
Author: Fred Davis Aldrich
- Publication date:1922
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