Preparing for the IELTS exam requires dedication for any learner, but French speakers often face a specific set of challenges rooted in the differences between the two languages. While your French background gives you a head start with shared vocabulary, it can also create predictable traps. Understanding these hurdles is the first step to overcoming them and achieving your target band score.

At TEO Academy, our tutors specialise in guiding French learners through these exact issues. Here are the four most common areas where we provide targeted coaching to maximise your score.

Challenge 1: Pronunciation & Rhythm

One of the most immediate giveaways is pronunciation. French is a syllable-timed language, giving each syllable roughly equal prominence, while English is stress-timed. This can make a French speaker's English sound flat or unnatural to a native ear. Specific sounds like the 'th' and the silent 'h' ('hour' vs. 'hair') are also common stumbling blocks. Our tutors provide focused phonetic coaching to help you master not just individual sounds, but the authentic flow and stress-timed rhythm of English.

Challenge 2: The Pitfall of False Friends (*Faux Amis*)

Words that look the same but have different meanings can cause serious confusion and lower your vocabulary score. A classic example is using *actuellement* when you mean 'actually' (in fact), not 'currently'. Another is 'library' (bibliothèque) vs. *librairie* (bookshop). These mistakes can alter the entire meaning of your sentence. Our tutors are experts at identifying these pitfalls to ensure your vocabulary is precise and accurate.

Challenge 3: Navigating Grammar & Word Order

The fundamental sentence structure can be a difficult habit to break. In French, you might say "une voiture rouge," but in English, the adjective always comes before the noun: "a red car." The rules for placing adverbs can also be complex and differ significantly from French. We provide structured lessons that focus on building correct and natural English sentence habits, moving beyond direct translation.

Challenge 4: Escaping Common Verb Traps

Verbs present two major challenges. First are the direct translations that don't work, such as using 'have' for age ("I have 25 years") based on the French *avoir*. The correct English form is "I **am** 25 years old." Second, the tense systems in English and French have confusing differences that can lead to errors in conveying time and meaning. Our tutors work to correct these deep-seated habits and clarify the nuances between the English and French tense systems.