Typing in French
When we write in English, we have to pay special attention to punctuation both within and at the end of each sentence. In French, in addition to noting correct punctuation, we must note five special accents that are key to understanding, for an accent can change meaning or pronunciation.
For example, if I type the letter "a," just like this, I create a French verb that means has/have.
Elle a une amie. (She has a friend.)
If in French I type, "à," with an accent grave, I create a French preposition that means to/at.
Elle est à l'école. (She is at school.)
You may wonder how we type these accents.
From my laptop computer, I press FN and ALT keys at the same time and type 133 on the number pad. When I do this, à appears. If I have a computer with a separate keyboard, I can also use the guide that suggests the following: ALT + 0224 = à
Accents are crucial to correct understanding. Select the appropriate French Accent Guide and print a copy. It is a good idea to ask your facilitator to staple this accent guide inside your French notebook, for you will need to refer to it multiple times each class day. Eventually, you will learn the most frequently used accents and will not have to refer to your guide.
