Frequently asked questions
How do I know my level of French?
The best way is to take an online test. At present, The French Club does not provide assessment or placement tests.
You can find many online options.
Self-Assessment Tests (free options):
* https://www.esl-languages.com/en/online-language-tests/french-test
* https://www.ila-france.com/french-tests/french-level-test
* https://strommeninc.com/language-tests/french-level-test/
* https://francais.lingolia.com/en/test
Assessment grid - French:
https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb57What do the proficiency level (A1 to C2) mean and which course should I take?
General Guidelines:
A0 – Complete beginner (Take the A1 course)
A1 – Lower Beginner (Take A1 or A2)
At this level, you can understand and use simple expressions for everyday situations, introduce yourself and ask basic questions. You can interact in a simple way if your interlocutor speaks slowly and clearly.
A2 – Upper beginner (Take A2 or B1)
You understand and use common phrases on familiar topics like shopping, local geography and employment. You can handle simple tasks and describe aspects of your daily life.
B1 – Lower Intermediate (Take B1 or B2)
You understand the main points of discussions on familiar topics and can handle most situations while traveling. You can produce simple texts and describe your experiences, dreams and opinions.
B2 – Upper Intermediate (Take B2)
You understand the main ideas of complex texts and interact with native speakers with some ease. You can produce detailed texts on a variety of topics and explain points of view.
C1 – Lower Expert (No courses offered)
You understand long and complex texts and express yourself fluently and spontaneously. You use language flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes, producing well-structured texts.
C2 – Upper Expert (No courses offered)
You understand everything easily, even complex discussions. You can summarize information from different sources and express yourself spontaneously and precisely, even in complex situations.
What’s the difference between free & paid group courses?
All group classes (A1 to B2) follow this format: One meeting per week, 2 hours long (with a 10-min break halfway).
Free Group Classes — Large groups & Limited Interactions
• Open to everyone, often large (40-100+ attendees).
• Lecture-style: 2 or 3 main concepts covered, limited time for questions.
• No structured exercises or conversation practice or pronunciation work.
• Off-topic but important questions may occasionally be addressed.
• To benefit: read the document beforehand and complete the exercises.
• These classes are free, but if you come unprepared, you may feel disappointed.
Semi-Private Classes:
• Small, focused groups (5 students maximum)
• First half: clear review of key theory (≈1 hour), then, a 10-min break.
• Second half: guided exercises, conversation practice, pronunciation coaching, and feedback.
• Best option for students who want active participation and faster progress.
Important:
• Always read the weekly document and do the homework before class.• This “half-theory / half-practice” format also applies to all semi-private A2, B1, and B2 courses (10-week programs).
What is your refund policy?
If you decide to withdraw from the course, refunds are calculated as follows.
You can attend the first group class and if it is not for you, you will be reimbursed in full. Once that first group class has been attended, there are no refunds offered.
In any case, if you end the group classes, you will no longer have access to the dedicated space on frenchclub.net and you will not longer receive the course materials for the remaining sessions.
Can I still register after the course has started?
Registration for the 10-week semi-private (paid) group classes (A1 to B1) are open as of February 1, 2026 and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once a group reaches its maximum number of participants (5), registration for that group closes, and this can happen at any time.
Securing your spot early by completing full payment is the only way to guarantee your place. Simply expressing interest or waiting until the last moment does not guarantee availability.
The final deadline to register for the upcoming Spring 2026 10-week session (for any semi-private group class) is March 25, 2026 at midnight (NY time). After this date, no new registrations will be accepted, regardless of your circumstances. Latecomers cannot join, once the session starts.
What is a "drip course" and how is it different from a group course?
Each level will have a full “50-module” structure, and will be paired with focused audio lessons for every key point in every module as well as quizzes. Learners will be able to advance at their own pace instead of weekly 2-hour meetings for group courses and no fixed 10-week clock.
The material in the drip courses complement the group lessons.
How do I type the accents?
Step 1: Add a keyboard layout. Choose English International.
Step 2: Select the keyboard by holding down the Windows logo key on the keyboard and then press the Spacebar until you see ENG INTL.
How to use the international keyboard
After you’ve made the necessary Control Panel change, you just need to type a helping character and then the letter to be accented:
| | | Type | Then type | |
| Accent aigu | é | ‘ | (single quote) | e |
| Accent grave | à, è, ù | ` | (to the left of 1) | a, e, u |
| Cédille | ç | ‘ | (single quote) | c |
| Circonflexe | â, ê, î, ô, û | ^ | (shift + 6) | a, e, i, o, u |
| Tréma | ë, ï, ü | " | (shift + ‘) | e, i, u |
| Apostrophe | ‘ | ‘ | (single quote) | (spacebar) |
| Double quote | " | " | (shift + ‘) | (spacebar) |
