The dictée challenge
| 120 dictées de français Exercises to hone your skills on |
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| Sample an extract | Buy & Download | |||||||||||||||||
Dictation is the perfect excercise for acquiring precision in both spoken and written French. You can hone your skills with the help of French native-speakers with 120 dictées de français.
Nine different readers present the exercises. There are five different styles of text: idiomatic, phonetic, journalistic, literary and interview.
A first reading at normal speed allows you to get a feel for the overall text. Write or type what you hear during the dictation-speed reading. Revise your work with a final run through, before unveiling the original text for checking. Use the grammatical and cultural notes to learn from any mistakes.
Use the materials for dictation practice, of course. But be inventive too - the Literature section will give you a valuable introduction to contemporary and classic French writing, the Daily LIfe section will get you acquainted with idioms to use in your conversation.
Choose from the links below to try an exercise. The sound will begin in approximately 10 seconds.
Literature
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Hélène Lenoir is a contemporary author who writes with great precision. Her works explore the pyschology of individuals and the power games within families. This dictation is an extract from Impressions et sensations du soir (2001, Les éditions de minuit). Listen first at normal speed then type or write your answer listening at dictation speed. Click the eye logo in the right hand corner of the demonstration window to reveal the text. |
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| First reading | Dictation speed | |
Phonetic
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Improve your listening skills in this section. Each dictation is focused on a particular sound or set of sounds. In the following exercise, you'll work on making a clear distinction between the sounds 'ou' and 'u'. Listen first at normal speed then type or write your answer listening at dictation speed. Click the eye logo in the right hand corner of the demonstration window to reveal the text. |
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| First reading | Dictation speed | |
La Guinguette - Online News
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With the 120 Dictées comes 6 months free subscription to La Guinguette Online News. Every month you'll receive the freshest audio news and features, brought in by professional journalists from across France. Each report comes with a full transcript and translation - essential tools for pulling the language apart and understand what's really going on. Follow the sound and text online, or download to an ipod or mp3 player for listening on the move. You'll get three new features every month (each 8-12 minutes long), plus unlimited access to an archive containing more than 20 hours of sound recordings. La Guinguette is a unique service on the internet - no other online news site offers transcribed, translated downloadable news features. Annual membership costs 35 euros / 45 US dollars. You get six months free with any purchase on this site. |
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| Sample an article | The archives | |
Purchase Details
When you buy 120 dictées de français online you'll be given immediate access to a downloadable edition so you can get working straight away. You can optionally order a CD-ROM back-up copy to be sent by post.
You can play the exercises on your computer or print off the texts and transfer the sound to an Ipod or MP3 player for listening on the move.
Start today
You'll get immediate access to an online edition of this course when you place your order, so you can get started straight away. You'll receive your backup copy on CDROM by priorirty mail - we offer free delivery worldwide.
€ 35 euros / $42 USD
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