French Lower Intermediate

  • Online, In-Person
  • $425 - $445

This course can be applied to the UBC Certificate in French Language and Culture or taken as a standalone course.

If you are able to conduct a simple conversation about familiar topics with only some hesitation, then register for French Lower Intermediate. In this immersion course, focus on using French in authentic real-life situations. Continue to expand your vocabulary, and start to elevate your level of language by learning more complex structures with a communication goal in mind.

Concentrate on speaking correctly, and distinguishing between the past, present, and future tenses. Begin to learn about nuances of French, including correct levels of language to use in various situations.

Our experienced instructors help you gain confidence in your French speaking skills in an interactive and relaxed atmosphere. For extra practice between classes, you can access resources chosen by your instructor using our online system, Canvas.

Course outline

This is not a prescriptive list. Exact course outlines are determined by the instructor to best meet the needs of the class. This is meant to serve as a guideline and suggest what may be covered at this level. It is often necessary to repeat levels in order to become completely comfortable with the skills at each stage with a different teacher and style.

Communicative objectives

  • make comparisons
  • describe what one used to do
  • express past events and past experiences
  • hold simple everyday conversations about work, weather, leisure activities, family, travel, etc.
  • describe your work
  • use more complex ways of expressing your opinion
  • compare the past and the present
  • describe future projects
  • express one’s feelings and emotions in the present and the past

Linguistic objectives

  • Comparatives/superlatives
  • Imperfect
  • Imperfect compared with the passé compose
  • - re verbs
  • - ir verbs
  • Passé composé with être
  • futur simple
  • Indirect object pronouns
  • partitives (continuation)
  • more complex negative sentences (ne...plus, ne...personnes, etc.)
  • idiomatic expressions

How am I assessed?

This is a non-credit course without letter or numerical grades. You receive verbal feedback on your conversation and grammar skills from your instructor during class. Written homework is typically corrected in class. Some lesson modules may include quizzes.

Record of completion

A record of completion will be emailed to students who participate and satisfy the course requirements within two weeks of the course end date. Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.

Course format

This course is offered 100% online.

Materials will be available in Canvas for three weeks after the course ends, after which time you will no longer be able to access the course.

About online learning

Our online conversational language courses offer you a real-time virtual classroom experience where you can see and interact with your teacher and classmates. Each week, you log in at a set time to your class using our intuitive learning management platform, Canvas. Through Canvas, you access Zoom, a web conferencing app, for your live class. Just like in a classroom, you do individual, pair and group work, ask questions and receive verbal feedback from your instructor.

Outside of class time, you can access handouts and other materials online at your own pace and rhythm. You might be doing readings or watching videos to prepare for your next class, or practising with the material you have learned in your previous class. You do get out what you put in.

In order for a virtual classroom to be successful, we want to see your faces! Please be prepared to participate with your video turned on. We provide virtual drop-in sessions for you to test out the Zoom app before your first day of class. We will also send you instructions on accessing Canvas before your course begins.

Learn more about online learning at UBC Extended Learning.

Available sessions

Available course sessions
Dates Days Time Format Tuition Description
Sat 10:00 am Online $435
Sat 10:00 am In-Person $425
Mon 5:30 pm Online $435
Tues 7:30 pm In-Person $435
Sat 10:00 am Online $445
Sat 10:00 am In-Person $445
Mon 5:30 pm Online $445
Tues 07:30 pm In-Person $445

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How can we help?

We’re here to answer your questions, discuss learning options and provide insights, recommendations and referrals.  

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