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Unlocking French with Paul Noble: Use What You Already Know
For anyone who has tried to learn French or failed to progress beyond a few phrases, this book will help. Discover Paul Noble’s secrets for achieving independence in French with his tried and tested method. • Teaching you how to learn French more effectively, an easy way to boost your learning efforts• Tips and tricks from a renowned language expert with a tried and tested method for success• Also ideal for anyone learning for the first time, giving you the tools to learn efficiently and quickly• Pocket sized format with easy pronunciation guidance – so you can learn on the go! “There is nothing so complicated in foreign languages that it cannot be made simple.” Paul Noble
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
278 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 26, 2019
This books is excellent for beginners especially since French and English have so many words that are spelled exactly the same, but the pronunciation changes. I am a level B2 in French, so none of this was "new" to me. But I have been on a French hiatus for awhile, so this was a good refresher. I will say that I listened to the audiobook companion to this one too, and I hated the woman's pronunciation. She would over-pronounce words that would never be stressed that way, and there was one or two instances where she didn't use a liason on words that required liasons. I wish that speaker for the audiobook spoke more organically.
September 24, 2020
I’m in the process of learning French with a well known app and as great as that is I felt I needed something else to help with the learning process.
Unlocking French has been great, I hated learning French in high school but this book doesn’t lecture at you, it takes you through everything step by step and goes over everything several times and in different ways to show you how phrases are constructed. It is a fab resource.
If you are just starting out with the language I’d recommend this.
Unlocking French has been great, I hated learning French in high school but this book doesn’t lecture at you, it takes you through everything step by step and goes over everything several times and in different ways to show you how phrases are constructed. It is a fab resource.
If you are just starting out with the language I’d recommend this.
March 7, 2024
unfortunately this is possibly the most american (derogatory) guide to learning french that has ever existed. basically you are asked to eat and vomit up and swallow back down lots of boring and out-of-context vocabulary words until you can string them into even more puerile and boring sentences like: “I have ordered roast beef for dinner/I ordered roast beef for dinner/I did order roast beef for dinner.” By the way, invité is NOT pronounced "earn-vit-ay" (as written on p. 176), and appelé is NOT pronounced "a-play" (200)! You will learn more accurate information, and have more fun, by following random hot french people on tiktok and instagram. May I suggest @perspektivmedia_, @flehurandro, @oliversoxford, @french_take_out, @healthyalie, or anyone or anything else
September 3, 2018
Felt that I actually came away from reading this book with a French level up! This book was effective at getting you to understand how to construct real life, practical conversational sentences. Through a lot of repetition, the author then hammers home verbs and vocabulary. Very effective if you follow the book through in the way the author suggests. I only wish there was a volume 2 to continue with!
February 7, 2019
Dala by som aj 10 hviezd. Odporúčam každému, kto sa chce rozrozprávať en français.
Read
February 1, 2021dnf
September 14, 2019
Unlocking French With Paul Noble is a book I have noticed many times on Amazon and have always been intrigued to read but never ended up getting as I didn't think it would be that effective.
I have tried learning French on and off since leaving school but got more serious in the past few years. I know from experience many ways of teaching French, whether it's books, apps, websites etc., tend to start with the obvious followed by the most useless phrases. Everyone knows how to say hello and I've yet to find a situation when I've needed to say cat, dress or tea with no other French knowledge.
Through a wide range of free language methods online I managed to get myself to a fifty percent understanding or written or spoken French if I have kept up with doing I think daily at the time, otherwise it drops and I understand less, but I've still always struggled to construct a sentence and that's where this book came in to help!
I was really pleased to see when I read the book that there was no sight of the word cat, apple, dress in the first page or anywhere throughout the book. The book began by slowly introducing you to simple but useful sentences and showing how you could easily change them for other similar sentences that you could actually use.
I like how it read as if the teacher was actually there teaching you as it felt more personal and easy to read as some books make it seem like you should know what they're teaching already but this was written in a kind and understanding way. I think the way the book is set out with the blue words needing to be covered is a great method to get you thinking about what will come next but at times it's tricky to not see the blue writing as you turn the page. I liked how the words in each chapter were put in a table for practicing and that it was put in both English to French and French to English as it was a great way to practice and see progress gradually growing and showing just how much has been learnt.
I thought the tips between the chapters were great and made it a lot easier to learn certain things like, for example, masculine and feminine words. This has always confused me about the French language and I tend to use the same method I used to in school even today, I'll just put whatever I feel like in front because there's too many to learn but now I have a more effective way to work out which each word belongs too!
I really like the idea of the word robbery as it makes learning all the words seem less daunting and if you can work out 13,000 words in that way alone that's incredible. It is also so easy to understand, as is everything in this book. Nothing complicated leaving you wondering what it means but all simple and effective explanations of what and why it is that way. The building blocks are also very helpful as it is a great way to play around with the words and new language and they give so many more sentences than you originally think they will.
I particularly liked the end pages and where to go next as often when you complete a language on, an app for example, you are just left wondering what to do next as until you get to that point you don't realise an app is not going to teach you an entirely new language on its own! I liked the tips and although I have not tried watching dubbed TV as I always thought native content would always be better I will now try that method and see how it works.
I really enjoyed making my way through this book and although I knew what most of the words were in the book it gave me the much needed help to actually construct a useful sentence with little effort and had great tips throughout. I think this is a fantastic book for any beginners in learning French and I'd definitely look to buy other languages in the future as I know it would give me the best start to learning the language!
I have tried learning French on and off since leaving school but got more serious in the past few years. I know from experience many ways of teaching French, whether it's books, apps, websites etc., tend to start with the obvious followed by the most useless phrases. Everyone knows how to say hello and I've yet to find a situation when I've needed to say cat, dress or tea with no other French knowledge.
Through a wide range of free language methods online I managed to get myself to a fifty percent understanding or written or spoken French if I have kept up with doing I think daily at the time, otherwise it drops and I understand less, but I've still always struggled to construct a sentence and that's where this book came in to help!
I was really pleased to see when I read the book that there was no sight of the word cat, apple, dress in the first page or anywhere throughout the book. The book began by slowly introducing you to simple but useful sentences and showing how you could easily change them for other similar sentences that you could actually use.
I like how it read as if the teacher was actually there teaching you as it felt more personal and easy to read as some books make it seem like you should know what they're teaching already but this was written in a kind and understanding way. I think the way the book is set out with the blue words needing to be covered is a great method to get you thinking about what will come next but at times it's tricky to not see the blue writing as you turn the page. I liked how the words in each chapter were put in a table for practicing and that it was put in both English to French and French to English as it was a great way to practice and see progress gradually growing and showing just how much has been learnt.
I thought the tips between the chapters were great and made it a lot easier to learn certain things like, for example, masculine and feminine words. This has always confused me about the French language and I tend to use the same method I used to in school even today, I'll just put whatever I feel like in front because there's too many to learn but now I have a more effective way to work out which each word belongs too!
I really like the idea of the word robbery as it makes learning all the words seem less daunting and if you can work out 13,000 words in that way alone that's incredible. It is also so easy to understand, as is everything in this book. Nothing complicated leaving you wondering what it means but all simple and effective explanations of what and why it is that way. The building blocks are also very helpful as it is a great way to play around with the words and new language and they give so many more sentences than you originally think they will.
I particularly liked the end pages and where to go next as often when you complete a language on, an app for example, you are just left wondering what to do next as until you get to that point you don't realise an app is not going to teach you an entirely new language on its own! I liked the tips and although I have not tried watching dubbed TV as I always thought native content would always be better I will now try that method and see how it works.
I really enjoyed making my way through this book and although I knew what most of the words were in the book it gave me the much needed help to actually construct a useful sentence with little effort and had great tips throughout. I think this is a fantastic book for any beginners in learning French and I'd definitely look to buy other languages in the future as I know it would give me the best start to learning the language!
September 14, 2020
This is a great companion for those who are looking to learn French. I have been using this alongside an online course and was lucky to grab a copy from NetGalley for a review, finding it is good to use as a reference point for a beginner and helps build on what you have learnt as you progress through the book.
Well recommended for any beginner or intermediate who is looking to learn a new language.
Well recommended for any beginner or intermediate who is looking to learn a new language.
July 5, 2020
This book uses a really clever and novel approach to learning a language. Paul Noble quickly gets you speaking useful phrases in French rather than the not so useful phrases you may have learnt on a traditional French course.
The book starts with explaining to you just how many words are very similar in French to English and how we can use simple rules to move from one language to another (in most cases).
This is a book you have to work through from the beginning, page by page, it's is structured in particular way to aid learning. Each chapter slowly builds up a multicomponent phrase. As you go through the chapter, the author asks you to cover the answers written in blue with a bookmark or piece of card, to get your brain working and so that you actually work through the multiple micro-tasks. Each answer in French has a pronunciation guide as well as the actual written answer. There's no active memorisation required but the use of spaced repetition gets you effortlessly remembering how to say all sorts of different phrases.
At the end of each chapter are increasingly long word/phrase lists that the author encourages you to keep going through until you only get 3 wrong. That sounds hard, but the way you're taught to put phrases together and the spaced repetition actually makes this much easier than it sounds. Noble also reminds you to not try and do too much and that if it takes all week to get through the word list, that's ok.
You start learning how to put together the phrase "I spent the weekend in Paris and it was lovely" and end with being able to hold a conversation including things like "Yes, I feel like going back to Paris but I’m scared of flying, so I’m planning to take the Eurostar." Unusually you actually start using the past tense before the present one, but it makes sense when you think about the kind of things you usually want to talk about.
There are no long verb conjugation tables instead there are really useful tips like how to make an educated guess if a noun is feminine or masculine, and ways to remember how French phrases are put together. For example, "when your letter arrived" in English is "when your letter is arrived" if you literally translated the French. Similarly, "I need" in English, is literally translated from the French as "I have need of".
The book ends with ideas on where to go next as this book really is just a stepping stone to further learning although a really useful one. It definitely builds confidence and makes you realise learning a new language does not have to be as difficult as many courses make it. School may have you put off learning languages for life, but this book shows it doesn’t have to be that dull and difficult! I will definitely look up Noble’s audio course as this way of learning does seem much more sensible and useful than the usual ways!
Whether you are totally new to French, learnt a little at school but not used it since, or know some French but don’t feel like you know anything actually useful, this is a great little book to get you going and feeling confident about learning and starting to Speak in French.
The book starts with explaining to you just how many words are very similar in French to English and how we can use simple rules to move from one language to another (in most cases).
This is a book you have to work through from the beginning, page by page, it's is structured in particular way to aid learning. Each chapter slowly builds up a multicomponent phrase. As you go through the chapter, the author asks you to cover the answers written in blue with a bookmark or piece of card, to get your brain working and so that you actually work through the multiple micro-tasks. Each answer in French has a pronunciation guide as well as the actual written answer. There's no active memorisation required but the use of spaced repetition gets you effortlessly remembering how to say all sorts of different phrases.
At the end of each chapter are increasingly long word/phrase lists that the author encourages you to keep going through until you only get 3 wrong. That sounds hard, but the way you're taught to put phrases together and the spaced repetition actually makes this much easier than it sounds. Noble also reminds you to not try and do too much and that if it takes all week to get through the word list, that's ok.
You start learning how to put together the phrase "I spent the weekend in Paris and it was lovely" and end with being able to hold a conversation including things like "Yes, I feel like going back to Paris but I’m scared of flying, so I’m planning to take the Eurostar." Unusually you actually start using the past tense before the present one, but it makes sense when you think about the kind of things you usually want to talk about.
There are no long verb conjugation tables instead there are really useful tips like how to make an educated guess if a noun is feminine or masculine, and ways to remember how French phrases are put together. For example, "when your letter arrived" in English is "when your letter is arrived" if you literally translated the French. Similarly, "I need" in English, is literally translated from the French as "I have need of".
The book ends with ideas on where to go next as this book really is just a stepping stone to further learning although a really useful one. It definitely builds confidence and makes you realise learning a new language does not have to be as difficult as many courses make it. School may have you put off learning languages for life, but this book shows it doesn’t have to be that dull and difficult! I will definitely look up Noble’s audio course as this way of learning does seem much more sensible and useful than the usual ways!
Whether you are totally new to French, learnt a little at school but not used it since, or know some French but don’t feel like you know anything actually useful, this is a great little book to get you going and feeling confident about learning and starting to Speak in French.
February 3, 2021
Having read many books with snippets of French sandwiched between English, I have become interested in French for some time. I have learnt some French in Duolingo, but I was interested to see what it would be like to read a book like this one that has an emphasis on getting a basic grasp of the language in a simple manner.
What I liked best was the simple pronunciations under the French words that made them easier to pronounce. Repetition of basic French phrases also gave enough space to practice and remember said phrases without memorising them.
The straightforward and non-cluttered layout of the book also made it easy to concentrate and read through. This book is a nice introduction of useful French phrases for beginners. Even so, I would recommend listening to some French audio of sorts to immerse yourself in the language and to learn how to pronounce certain French words more accurately.
What I liked best was the simple pronunciations under the French words that made them easier to pronounce. Repetition of basic French phrases also gave enough space to practice and remember said phrases without memorising them.
The straightforward and non-cluttered layout of the book also made it easy to concentrate and read through. This book is a nice introduction of useful French phrases for beginners. Even so, I would recommend listening to some French audio of sorts to immerse yourself in the language and to learn how to pronounce certain French words more accurately.
May 1, 2022
I studied french at high school, though I will not reveal how long ago that was.... I found Paul Noble's method simple and easy to use. It helped me to rebuild the vocabulary and grammar I thought was lost. It is an easy book to use and is very good at language recovery and building confidence. An ideal book to build or refresh.
It will travel with me when I visit France.
Thank you for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
It will travel with me when I visit France.
Thank you for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
April 27, 2021
Reading and using this book was a great way to get into a new language. The techniques are simple and straightforward, the phonetic breakdown of words was really useful and it took the tension out of learning. A great resource for anyone learning the language from children to adults. I highly recommend this book!!!
April 27, 2021
Reading and using this book was a great way to get into a new language. The techniques are simple and straightforward, the phonetic breakdown of words was really useful and it took the tension out of learning. A great resource for anyone learning the language from children to adults. I highly recommend this book!!!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
June 14, 2021
First language book I've ever read which was not boring. No boring exercises, no drills, no memorization required. I would have given this 5 stars, but this was way too easy for me at my French level, but I really recommend this book to any English speaker learning French for the first time or having learnt it at school
November 22, 2023
brilliant
I love this book, it’s been very helpful in my quest to learn French, I have it in kindle so now I will buy the actually book so I can read it and practice again and again until that part of my learning if completely off by hear t with out making any mistakes or hesitations. I would highly recommend it
I love this book, it’s been very helpful in my quest to learn French, I have it in kindle so now I will buy the actually book so I can read it and practice again and again until that part of my learning if completely off by hear t with out making any mistakes or hesitations. I would highly recommend it
January 22, 2020
A very useful book. I wanted to refresh my French and I found this book very useful.
It's recommended to whoever want to learn some French or refresh their knowledge.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's recommended to whoever want to learn some French or refresh their knowledge.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 17, 2020
Well worth the investment.
Paul Noble's methodology is a brilliant way to learn French, I can't recommend his books and audio highly enough. It's a great logical way to master the language.
Paul Noble's methodology is a brilliant way to learn French, I can't recommend his books and audio highly enough. It's a great logical way to master the language.
February 25, 2021
Excellent method, really enjoyed it.
Easy to follow using overlearning and context to aid memory. Wish there was a second, more advanced volume. Still a great starter with suggestions for skills development.
Easy to follow using overlearning and context to aid memory. Wish there was a second, more advanced volume. Still a great starter with suggestions for skills development.
March 16, 2021
I am in the process of learning French using one of the well-known phone apps, and I found that this book supplemented that perfectly.
It is a useful way to teach yourself a new language, and I really found the phonetic manner of showing the correct pronunciation to be very useful.
It is a useful way to teach yourself a new language, and I really found the phonetic manner of showing the correct pronunciation to be very useful.
July 20, 2018
Good, but should be read with grammar tables to fully understand what you can and can't do.
August 5, 2018
A great starter volume or refresher course for those seeking a gentle introduction to the French language.
January 27, 2019
Excellent Intro to French
If you want to learn a new language this is a great start and well worth investing your time if it is your preferred learning style.
If you want to learn a new language this is a great start and well worth investing your time if it is your preferred learning style.
July 22, 2019
Still struggling to get French but that's not the books fault. lol
December 31, 2021
Really easy to use and fun! Highly recommend it!
October 13, 2023
Very useful method for learning French
May 17, 2024
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn French. Easy, smart, proficient!
December 4, 2024
Having family in France, I found this pragmatic approach to be quite helpful.
Paul Noble speaks to the reader as if he is a friend walking one through French conversation.
Paul Noble speaks to the reader as if he is a friend walking one through French conversation.
November 4, 2019
After finishing the book, I was confident that I memorised all the phrases, thanks to the spaced repetition technique applied by the author. While reading, I was also going through Noble's audiobook "Learn French with Paul Noble..." and it worked great as a reminder and extension for some of the phrases.
Feel free to check my notes/highlights on Goodreads, which greatly summarise the essential parts of this book.
In addition to the writing, it's worth checking out Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) like Anki and learning different words through publicly available decks.
Feel free to check my notes/highlights on Goodreads, which greatly summarise the essential parts of this book.
In addition to the writing, it's worth checking out Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) like Anki and learning different words through publicly available decks.
April 1, 2019
Unlike the three other Noble "Unlock" books I've read, I've had no recent experience with French (and it's a language I simply couldn't manage as a schoolchild, 40+ years ago).
As a consequence I went into this blind, as it were, and while it has certainly helped me, I've not taken the strides that I managed with his German, Italian and Spanish versions.
As a consequence I went into this blind, as it were, and while it has certainly helped me, I've not taken the strides that I managed with his German, Italian and Spanish versions.
May 4, 2024
This was a great book for anyone who is struggling to learn French and feels like giving up. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning French.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews