Key learning points

1. The letter 'c' is naturally soft (sounds like 's') before 'e' or 'i'. It is hard (sounds like k) before 'a', 'o' or 'u'.
2. The 'c' is sometimes softened before 'a', 'o' or 'u' with a cedilla: 'ç'.
3. Many adjectives add an 'e' in the feminine form. Some adjectives are irregular in the feminine e.g. beau (m), belle (f).
4. Most adjectives come after the noun in French: 'un livre intéressant'.
5. Some adjectives go before the noun. These adjectives refer to beauty, age, good/bad and size (BAGS): 'un vieux vélo'.

Keywords

• [c] - makes a soft sound (like 's') before 'e' or 'i': 'ici', makes a hard sound (like 'k') before 'a', 'o' and 'u': canard

• [ç] - makes a soft sound before 'a', 'o' or 'u', pronounced as in 'français'

• Irregular feminine adjective - an adjective in the feminine form that does not follow the regular pattern: 'beau' (m), 'belle' (f)

• Pre-nominal adjective - a BAGS adjective (beauty, age, good/bad or size) that goes before the noun: 'un vieux vélo'

Common misconception