PREFACE IN preparing this book, particular attention has been paid to the needs of those beginning the study of a foreign language. The arrangement of the book is designed to combine the inductive and deductive methods of teaching French, and, as far as possible, to eliminate the disadvantages of each. The French vocabulary is based on the reading selection and is presented, not by artificial lists, but according to the natural principle of association of ideas. From the outset, connected passages for reading are given; they include a broad range of everyday, conversational topics, and many incidental allusions to historical and literary subjects that allow further expansion in the oral work of the classroom. The book. readily lends itself to the needs of classes in which the advantages of the direct method are combined with those of the grammatical method. Although the book is not intended to serve as a reference grammar, the essentials of grammar and syntax have been carefully interwoven in each lesson. The lessons are graduated in difficulty, but it is advisable to proceed slowly at first, with frequent drills and reviews, as indicated. In most cases more than one recitation period will be required to complete the work of one lesson satisfactorily. Special attention has been paid to the mechanical arrangement of the lessons, most of which are planned to cover four pages: First, an original or selected passage for reading; second, questions in French on this passage; third and fourth, the inductive development of grammatical principles, followed by a composition exercise. With this arrangement, the teacher is free to lay emphasis upon either the literary or the conversational parts of each lesson, and is able to vary and adapt his work to the needs of varying and diverse classes. The French questions and the composition topics are not exclusive but are intended merely to serve as points of departure for other themes and topics that may suggest themselves to the teacher. For example, if great importance is laid upon the spoken idiom, it is suggested that the French questions in each lesson be given orally by the teacher and that oral answers be required from the pupils. If preferred, written answers to these questions may be required as home work for each advance lesson. A similar latitude of choice exists regarding the composition exercises, which, with young pupils, need not all be used. Dictation exercises- the surest test of the student's knowledge of a foreign language — may be given from the reading selection in each lesson after the latter has been completed. It is hoped that the book will particularly meet the needs of those who believe that a modern language should be taught and learned with all possible spontaneity. EUGÈNE F. MALOUBIER, NEW YORK, April, 1915. CONTENTS Introduction. Pronunciation; Accents; Vowels; Diphthongs; Conso- PAGE 1 tive; 4. La soirée. Past Indefinite; Use of être and avoir as Auxiliaries 5. Le temps. Future of travailler, être, and avoir; Rules of Number 6. Les animaux. Second Conjugation; Verb venir; Gender. Review 7. Le magasin. Third Conjugation; Verb comprendre; Irregular Plurals 8. Les langues. Infinitives; Participles; Verbs of going and coming; 9. Les saisons. Comparison of Adjectives; Endings of Present Tense 10. Le départ. Irregular Comparison; Imperfect Indicative; Forma- Formulas for Telling Time; Cardinal Numbers 12. La Gaule. Past Definite; Ordinal Numbers; Fractions; Dates; 16. La Normandie. Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns; Conditional 17. L'acteur. Demonstrative Adjectives; Demonstrative Pronouns 18. Les Halles. Conjugation of se lever; Verbs savoir and pouvoir; 19. Jeanne d'Arc. Verbs tracer and manger; Disjunctive Pronouns. 21. Mme. de Sévigné. Order of Pronouns before Verb; Verb mettre; Position of Conjunctive Pronouns; Negation 22. L'incendie. Order of Pronouns after Verb; Table of Imperatives; 104 108 Present Subjunctive of être, avoir; Verb rire; Use of 24. Le Chevalier d'Assas. Subjunctive of Three Conjugations; Nega- 25. L'opéra de Faust. List of Indefinite Adjectives and Pronouns; Sub- 28. L'Amérique du Sud. Imperfect Subjunctive; Use of Prepositions 29. Table of Regular Verbs; Compound Tenses. Review of Verbs 30. La revue du Quatorze Juillet. Verb take; Peculiarities of Spelling ; 34. Le monde en l'an 2000. Irregular Future; Use of Future and Con- 40. Le cèdre du Liban. Irregular Verbs; Use of Past Participle |