PREFACE For many years Chardenal's Complete French Course has been the most popular and the most successful of the many textbooks for elementary instruction in French. Its success is owing largely to its simplicity and its thoroughness. In revising the book for a new edition the editor has endeavored to retain both of these excellent qualities, and to make the book still more acceptable by the following changes. The order of presentation has been altered so as to secure from the outset greater variety in the exercises. Among many other changes may be mentioned the early introduction of verbs and their presentation by tenses instead of by conjugations; the treatment of verbs in -oir as regular verbs of the third conjugation and those in re as regular verbs of the fourth; the early introduction of personal pronouns, together with the rule for the agreement of the past participle used with the verb avoir. The practical value of the vocabulary has been increased by the insertion of many words and phrases of frequent occurrence in ordinary conversation. The sentences for translation have been made lively and colloquial. To many of the lessons there have been added whole exercises consisting of questions only. These questions are intended as a basis for conversational work in the classroom, and may all be answered from the material furnished by the preceding lessons. To stimulate conversation still further, a list of expressions for classroom use has been prepared. While as a rule one topic at a time has been presented, every subject will be found completely summarized in a single lesson, 395005 The editor's thanks are due to Professor Charles H. Grandgent, of Harvard University, and to many others, for valuable criticisms and suggestions. DECEMBER, 1907. PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION SINCE the admirable revision made by Mr. Brooks, Chardenal's Complete French Course has won many new friends and has attained an ever increasing popularity and success. In this new edition, the arrangement, the method, and the scope of the book remain unchanged. The exercises for translation have been somewhat changed with a view to furnishing additional material for conversational work. All of these exercises, including those marked for oral drill, may, however, be used for written work, if preferred. The vocabulary remains exactly as before. A number of fresh and amusing stories for easy reading have been added at the end of the book. The carefully selected illustrations add much to its attractiveness. FEBRUARY, 1916. CONTENTS 2. Avoir : Present Indicative, Affirmative 3. Avoir Present Indicative, Interrogative 4. Être: Present Indicative, Affirmative 5. Être: Present Indicative, Interrogative. |