Pronunciation Library – What’s Inside | The French Room Guidebook
May 13
Part of the Guidebook Series: How to Use The French Room
Let’s talk about pronunciation.
It’s the part of learning French that often gets put off—or brushed aside. Maybe because it feels like a performance. Maybe because it brings up the worry:
“Do I sound silly?”
“Am I trying too hard?”
“Is this accent even believable?”
You're not imagining it. If you grew up speaking English, your mouth just isn’t used to moving in the same way. And let’s be honest: no one wants to sound like a caricature of a French waiter in a bad sitcom.
But brushing pronunciation aside only leads to frustration.
You feel stuck. You can't hear the difference. And you start wondering why your speaking and listening aren't improving—even when you know the words.
That’s exactly why this library exists.
👩💻 Why Pronunciation Deserves More Attention
French pronunciation isn’t about perfection or performance. It’s about making sure people understand you. It’s about confidence. It’s about comfort.
And here’s the secret: getting better at pronunciation also makes you a better listener.
Once you know how French is really spoken—how the sounds flow, how syllables group together, and how words run into one another—you’ll suddenly start hearing things you couldn’t hear before.
That’s a game-changer.
What’s Inside the Pronunciation Library
This library supports you from Level 1 through Level 6, with content that works whether you’re just starting out or refining your fluency.
You’ll find:
🔤 The French Sound Alphabet
A clear guide to all the core sounds in French—using familiar English words as reference points.
📖 Spelling & Sounding Practice
From reading the alphabet aloud to spelling exercises and sound drills, we cover the essentials that many learners skip.
🧠 Mouth Position Explanations
See exactly what your lips, tongue, and jaw should be doing—and what to tweak to get closer to the French sound.
🔁 Drills and Copy-Along Tracks
Repeat key sounds with guided recordings at your own pace.
💬 Mispronunciation Walkthroughs
Yes, we go there: cou, cul, beaucoup. I’ll show you what goes wrong—and how to say it right.
📚 Level-Aligned Learning
We follow the Vocabulaire progressif du français – Prononciation series by CLE International—so each section builds logically from A0 to C1.
🎵 Intonation, Rhythm & Liaison
Learn how French uses pitch, grouping, and connected speech—so you don’t just speak more naturally, you understand more when you listen.
The Pronunciation Myths (We’ll Gently Bust)
“I’ll pick it up naturally.” Some bits, yes. But others need a little direction—and the right kind of repetition
“I’ll sound pretentious if I try too hard.”
No. You’ll sound clear. And confident.
“It’s not that important.” It’s the difference between being heard and being misunderstood.
What You Will Find in The Tutos
Each pronunciation Tuto is here to guide you—not overwhelm you.
You’ll get:
Clear video support from me (Ellie), showing you what to look for and how to adjust
Audio recordings to copy and practise
Printable support materials where helpful
Real-life, funny, and totally human stories from years of student mix-ups (trust me, you’re not the first to say cul by accident)
The Course player for the Learn French Libraries works in the same way as for Bonjour Brilliance. If you are not sure how it works please take a look at this post in the guidebook.
How to Study the Pronunciation Library
I recommend starting with the French Sound Alphabet section. Pick just one or two sounds—especially vowel sounds—and spend a week (or even a month) really owning them.
Come back to them often. Practise out loud. Repeat with the recordings. Notice where your mouth, lips, and jaw are working differently from English.
If you're not sure of your alphabet sounds, this is also a good thing to tick off early—and it won’t take you very long. But it will give you a real boost when spelling things out or recognising words you already know in writing.
After that—it’s up to you.
Follow what piques your interest. The library is organised by level, but pronunciation is about copying sounds. So don’t worry if you’re mystified by the grammar or vocabulary that comes up—that’s not the point here.
Just listen. Repeat. Notice. And enjoy sounding more French, one small shift at a time.
Not Sure What You Should Study?
Book a session with Ellie for a bit of inspiration, motivation and direction.
