First Class French graduate and experienced teacher offering tailored, engaging, friendly language lessons

Learn more about Holly

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I went to a lunchtime French club at school as a child and the teacher was native French and talked to us about French culture and showed us children's reading books from France. Intrigued by the culture and inspired by my teacher, I continued lessons throughout my school life and university.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  It would have to be Victor Hugo - his writing is some of the best known French writing in the world (there are so many 'rues' and 'places' named after him!). But equally, I think it's important to acknowledge the many rich francophone cultures outside of Metropolitan France that are not represented in Hugo's works.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  Verlan! The French slang language formed by inverting syllables in words ('à l'envers'). It is so unique and I discover new verlan words all the time.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Speaking French has allowed me to travel and live in places with very different cultures and traditions to my own. I really believe that speaking the language of the place you're travelling to or living in allows you to truly get to know the local culture in a way that is difficult to do without it.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  French has many unpronounced letters and grammar can be challenging for English speakers as the languages have different roots and French can seem a lot more complicated than English. However, I think that listening to the language on TV, films, the radio, podcasts, etc can really help you to familiarise yourself with how the language sounds and how letter combinations are pronounced. As for grammar, know your motivation and persevere - it will pay off!

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  I always say that making mistakes is key in language learning. When studying at a French university, I was asked where I was from and I thought they asked 'where are you going?', so I answered 'le supermarché' (the supermarket) and after having a giggle and being a little embarrassed, I never confused the two questions again!

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  I taught English in a small French town for eight months and I was one of very few English speakers in the town so I had to use French a lot, especially with my colleagues and when out and about. Being immersed in the language and culture without English to fall back on really helped me to reach fluency.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  My obsession with French! I love the language and sharing it through tutoring is so much fun. I enjoy helping others discover the language and hearing about their recent trips when they used the language or that they have started to understand films in French, for example. I have tutored for 2 years now and it is still so rewarding to see people of all ages and backgrounds engage with a language that I love.