Sons et lettres: A Pronunciation Method for Intermediate-level French

15 Since this book is intended for the second year of French study, it is assumed that you are already familiar with some of thematerial in the lessons, and you may find yourself asking whether certain lessons are necessary. Indeed, some of the early lessons may seem very easy, not only because you are familiar with the sounds they highlight, but also because the spelling rule beingpresented is simple: ou is pronounced /u/, and au is pronounced /o/!What could be more straightforward than that? Nevertheless, since students come to second-year French with widely varying knowledge about pronunciation, either because they have had different teachers or different curricula, some review is important to ensure that all have a good understanding of the basic rules. Moreover, many students, particularly in second year, are not fully aware of the regularities in French spelling. For this reason, Sons et lettres aims to develop a systematic and practical understanding of the relationship between pronunciation and spelling in French. So if you find some lessons fairly simple, or a matter of review, remember that the principles, rules, and exercises are all designed to give you firm footing in the jungle of French words that you have in your native language. We encourage you therefore to learn the spelling rules presented for each sound, and to be deliberate in doing the exercises proposed in each lesson so that they become second nature.