Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Accuplacer Elementary Algebra Help - The Best Way to Learn Algebra Online

Accuplacer Elementary Algebra Help - The Best Way to Learn Algebra OnlineAccuplacer Elementary Algebra Help is one of the leading and most popular ways of getting an upper secondary algebra course done. But the great thing about Accuplacer is that it allows students to be able to take the entire year in a day.This means that if you wanted to complete high school level mathematics, you could finish up in less than a month. For all of you who are first time to take a math course, this may sound impossible but you will know that the material is available in books, online and on mobile devices.Once you have this potential algebra course for free, you need to decide where you want to go from here. The good news is that you can find the right program for you because each one of them has their own individual reputation to live up to.There are different schools that offer Accuplacer which means that there are different levels of proficiency that students can reach. This would mean that you c an achieve different levels of skill with Accuplacer, no matter whether you are a novice or an advanced student. Many people do not understand how learning online really helps them get a better understanding of certain topics.With Accuplacer, you can learn different concepts at the speed of real world life. You can quickly review your results and get your understanding of various concepts.Another great thing about Accuplacer is that you can look up any question that you are unsure of in a few seconds. Most other programs only allow you to look up a question if you are trying to learn it by heart. With Accuplacer, you get to see how the subject sounds just by hearing it.People often need help from friends or families when they have such things to study. But they are usually afraid of what others might think or say if they don't take on these exercises with a tutor. With Accuplacer, you can enjoy the convenience of taking your classes in a day without needing the assistance of anybody else.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Improving Your GMAT Quant Score Mental Math [Part 2]

Improving Your GMAT Quant Score Mental Math [Part 2] GMAT MBA Admissions Blog In a previous post on improving your GMAT Quant score, we discussed how certain GMAT Quant concepts are difficult because you may not have been exposed to them for many years â€" or you may never have learned them at all. If the latter case, it’s critical to invest the time and potentially money to learn these concepts via online videos, book, classes, or GMAT tutoring. Simply trying to do practice problems and then reading the answers as a learning strategy can be frustrating. In this post, we’ll cover the second proven way to increase your GMAT quant score â€" build your mental math skills. We’ll address the importance of mental math on the GMAT and provide some easy-to-implement ideas and tips for improving your mental math skills. The Importance of Mental Math on the GMAT We don’t need to spend a lot of time explaining why mental math is important on the GMAT. It’s a timed test, and most of us do end up pressed for time at the end. You also don’t have a calculator. If you need to know 40% of 70, it won’t take that long to write out 70 x 0.40 on a piece of paper, multiply 7 x 4 to get 28, carry the two, get 280, move the decimal, and feel confident that the answer is 28.0. However, it will take less time to say “10% of 70 is 7, and 7 times 4 = 28. 40% of 70 is 28. I was not good at this type of thing, but it pays to practice to get good at it, because those dozens of seconds of extra time you lose when you don’t use mental math turn into tens of dozens of seconds, and ultimately you have 5 fewer minutes at the end of the test, causing you to quickly guess on the last few problems. You want to avoid guessing on the GMAT. However, I’d also argue that Ideas for Improving Your Mental Math Skills When it comes to improving your mental math skills, here are some ideas: - Prime factor every number you see Calculate your tip by hand Check out mathfactcafe.com, and Memorize all the facts below: Prime factoring Innumber theory, theprime factorsof a positiveintegerare theprime numbersthat divide that integer exactly. The process of finding these numbers is calledinteger factorization, or prime factorization Squares Memorize squares from 2 through 25 (i.e., 2^2 = 4, 25^2 = 625) Cubes Memorize cubes from 2 through 11 Prime Powers: Definition: A prime number is a positive integer greater than 1 which is only divisible by itself and 1. For example, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11 are prime numbers. Fact: There are an infinite number of prime numbers Definition: Two integers are relatively prime if they have no common factors greater than one. For example 2 and 7 are relatively prime while 8 and 12 are not (they have common factors 2 and 4). Fact: A prime number is relatively prime to any integer except itself. Fact: The least common multiple of two relatively prime integers is their product. The greatest common divisor (greatest common factor) of two relatively prime integers is 1. Three Irrationals: In general the GMAT sticks with rational numbers (Fractions, Decimals, Percents, and Integers â€" the kind of numbers we’ve been seeing since grade school). Occasionally, the problem writers go rogue and introduce an irrational number, so it’s good to know a few useful approximations: Divisibility Rules: (2) A number is divisible by 2 if it ends in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8. That is, it ends in a number divisible by 2 (4) A number is divisible by 4 if the last two digits form a number that is divisible by 4. A number is divisible by 4 if it is divisible by 2 twice (8) A number is divisible by 8 if the last three digits form a number that is divisible by 8. A number is divisible by 8 if it is divisible by 2 three times. (3) A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3. For example 729 is divisible by 3 because 7 + 2 + 9 = 18 which is divisible by 3. I you have any doubt you can repeat the process â€" 1 + 8 = 9 which is divisible by 3 …and more Summary Improving your mental math will improve your GMAT Quant score. Discover Business has some helpful, quick mental math tips for saving time on the GMAT as well. If you’ve having trouble on GMAT quant, contact us for more ideas on how to prep. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, '6baac2ae-05a3-4610-9d1f-265c8cbd809f', {});

5 Parenting Resolutions for the New Year - Aloha Mind Math - ALOHA Mind Math

5 Parenting Resolutions for the New Year So it’s that time of the year again, when a whole year has rushed past in the blink of an eye. The children are a year older, and we parents need to come up with a whole new set of resolutions to be able to keep up with them. Joking aside, parents today need to keep ourselves updated with our kids needs, and to figure out how to do our best for our kids: Be more patient: Easier said than done, but most parents would name this virtue as their first need for parenting. Unless we are patient and able to look at a situation calmly, the simplest issue might feel tough to handle. There are many interesting books for parents to read on this subject, one of my favorites being “How to talk so your kids will listen…” Spend more time: This does not mean just being in the same space as your kids, but actually interacting and spending time with them. I am as guilty as any other parent of succumbing to the need of sitting with a laptop most of the time, even when the kids are around. It really helps to designate a “no gadget” time at home, which is applicable for the kids as well as you. Make it fun: This could be seen as an aftereffect of being patient too, but I think it’s very important that we take time to make things fun for ourselves and our kids. It is the small memories that are going to stay in their minds, and let’s work on making as many of these beautiful moments as we can. Mutual respect: The best way for kids to learn to respect those around them, is by receiving that respect themselves when at home. Yes, there will be times when you have to talk strictly to them, but treat them like individuals and they will definitely appreciate it. Give yourself a break: There are two ways of looking at this one, the first being that you should not beat yourself up over the small mistakes and upsets that happen to all of us. The other aspect being that as parents, we need some clear space and “me” time once in a while too. I am sure there are many more we can come up with as parents, but these are some of the top ones on my mind. If you’re looking for ways to creatively engage your child at times you might be busy, do check out our Math and English classes at Aloha.http://www.aloha-usa.com

Thursday, March 5, 2020

5 Ways to Cope With A Finals Week Meltdown - TutorNerds

5 Ways to Cope With A Finals Week Meltdown - TutorNerds Finals week meltdown: 5 ways to cope Students are anxiously studying for final exams, and the reality has set in that theyre not as prepared as they thought they were. Teachers change assignments, students realize theyve lost notes from earlier in the term, and they dont have as much free time as they thought they would. This is when high school students tend to have a total meltdown and dont know how to cope with the amount of academic work that needs to get sorted through in the next week or so. Although students who are prepared tend to do better in general, there are some things every student can do to improve their chances of success. 1. Organize like crazy The very first thing students should do at this point is to get organized. When students sit down and jump into an hours-long study session without planning ahead, they tend to become overwhelmed and have to stop to figure things out. Its better to spend a few minutes planning what needs to get done on what day and at what time to prevent a lot of unnecessary stress. If math is due Tuesday and science is due Friday, by all means work on math first. If a student is great in English, but theyre, struggling in humanities, then they should spend more time on humanities. Organization is simple but incredibly useful when it comes to success during finals week. 2.   Get help from a study group and a tutor Many students are so stressed out that they just cant study alone anymore. They could have the content totally down but just cant quite get started. This is when its time to call a one-on-one tutor or arrange to meet with a study group. Tutors can help students organize and prioritize, and students in study groups help encourage each other to persevere and make studying a priority during this week. Students never have to study alone our private Orange County academic tutors are here to help you ace your finals. 3.   Prioritize Students also need to make some tough decisions when it comes to priorities. They should think about what they need to learn and what grades they need to get in each class. Theres a big difference between a final thats worth 25% and a final thats worth 10% of the final grade. Students might be hoping for a scholarship based on their overall GPA, or they might be planning to major in a particular subject when they start college. Priorities also include setting aside social activities during finals week and making academics the first thing they work on. 4. Be reasonable Students should also be reasonable with themselves and set goals they can reach. For instance, if theyve received a B- on every quiz and exam so far in a particular subject this year, thats probably a good goal for their final. Also, students should remember that they cannot get seven hours worth of study done in two. Planning ahead makes it easier to accomplish loftier goals and students should remember to be kind to themselves and know that their accomplishments have a lot of value (READ: College Finals: Tips from a Los Angeles College Tutor). 5. Use study aids High school students working on finals study should also utilize the many study aids available to them. They could use something as simple as a flash card program such as Quizlet. Or read CliffsNotes and SparkNotes online to review novels they read months ago. Students might also use a study app like Self Control, which helps them avoid social media distractions or they might use any number of useful personal organization apps to plan their schedule during the weeks coming up to the exams. https://quizlet.com/ https://www.cliffsnotes.com/ http://www.sparknotes.com/ https://selfcontrolapp.com/ All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Transgender Bathroom Policies The Fight Continues

Transgender Bathroom Policies The Fight Continues pixabay.com For many, this poses either a threat (they’re concerned that opening up bathroom issues will mean that sexual predators will take advantage) or comfort (they aren’t comfortable sharing a bathroom with someone they don’t understand/identify with). While the arguments are hardly valid (as the tables could just as easily be turned in saying that transgender people are using bathrooms with people they can’t identify with or that sexual predators weren’t going to be stopped by a little blue or pink sign anyway), the issue is still being fought on both sides. The judge in Texas granted the state a preliminary injunction (including a few other states as well) that challenges the Obama administration’s interpretation of Title IX. For those that aren’t familiar with it, Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in schools, colleges and universities. While the administration interprets this to include gender identity discrimination, the judge in Texas disagrees. Judge Reed O’Connor, the judge that issued the ruling, is from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He issued the ruling late on Sunday night, just before the school year began for many Texas students. Immediately, LGBT supporters were let down. The LGBT rights supporters claim that this issue was only going to be helped through the administration’s interjection, but right now, things aren’t looking up. According to O’Connor: “This case presents the difficult issue of balancing the protection of students’ rights and that of personal privacy when using school bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and other intimate facilities, while ensuring that no student is unnecessarily marginalized while attending school.” So why did he grant the injunction? According to him, it was because Title IX’s text “is not ambiguous.” Essentially, he is saying that there isn’t any room for interpretation. According to him, the law, “specifically permits educational institutions to provide separate toilets, locker rooms, and showers based on sex, provided that the separate facilities are comparable.” And last May, the Obama administration did some interpreting. They issued a guidance that instructed public schools that “schools receiving federal money may not discriminate based on a student’s sex, including a student’s transgender status.” According to the administration, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice “treat a student’s gender identity as the student’s sex for purposes of the law.” Really, this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, especially since there really aren’t many transgender students to begin with. According to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, “There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against transgender students on the basis of their sex.” However, on the opposing end, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (the man who led the charge against the administration), said in a statement: “We are pleased that the court ruled against the Obama administration’s latest illegal federal overreach. This President is attempting to rewrite the laws enacted by the elected representatives of the people, and is threatening to take away federal funding from schools to force them to conform. That cannot be allowed to continue, which is why we took action to protect States and School Districts, who are charged under state law to establish a safe and disciplined environment conducive to student learning.” According to Justice Department spokesperson, Dena Iverson, “the department is disappointed in the court’s decision, and we are reviewing our options. And the department is not the only one that disagrees with the ruling. Civil Rights Groups, feminists and liberals almost universally agree this is an unfortunate ruling. According to Lambda Legal, the ACLU and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, “a ruling by a single judge in one circuit cannot and does not undo the years of clear legal precedent nationwide establishing that transgender students have the right to go to school without being singled out for discrimination.” The issue is a huge let down for individuals that refer to themselves as the “minority.” But again, this has only been one ruling, and the President is working hard to leave behind a legacy of acceptance and peace. So you can bet this isn’t the last Texas will be hearing of the bathroom issue.

Spring Branch Independent School District

Spring Branch Independent School District Spring Branch Independent School District Inspiring minds. Shaping lives. Its not just a tag line...its a promise. People make the difference. Our educators and staff believe that all children can and will achieve their highest potential, and that everyone in the Spring Branch school district and area community is responsible for inspiring students to find their passion, and shaping that passion into a path to future success. Our staff and educators are committed to ensuring all students graduate prepared to make a positive impact in their own lives, and in the life of the community. Our Goal SBISDs goal is to double the number of students who graduate and go on to successfully complete some form of higher education. This goal, known as Spring Branch T-2-4, drives our work. To achieve our goal, we need the best and brightest educators and leaders. Dont just make a difference. Make the difference. We believe a students success starts with a great teacher. When you combine a great teacher and student...great things will happen! Research shows that teachers are the most important school-related influence that can positively impact student achievement and life-success. Great teachers engage students in learning, expand the possibilities, build futures and turn dreams into realities. We are looking for leader educators who are passionate about what they do, and who can share that passion with their students, co-workers and campus communities. Spring Branch T-2-4 To achieve our goal of T-2-4, and sustain excellence for all children in the future, SBISD is investing heavily in our people. We are committed to identifying and developing strong leaders within our school district. Some of the most inspiring and action-oriented people go into education as their lifes work. Ask yourself... Are you a highly effective educator who has the capacity to engage students and empower them to succeed? Do you set goals and achieve them? Do you hold your students, your peers and yourself to the highest standards? Do you believe all children have the ability to learn? If you answered YES...we need you to apply to be a teacher in SBISD! Our educators have the opportunities and support they need to excel in their classroom and beyond. Excellent Benefits Salaries Innovative Instructional Methods Outstanding Support at All Levels Growth Leadership Opportunities Community Supported Schools With Modern Classrooms State-of-the-Art Technology Resources Resources/Links: Our Teachers https://www.springbranchisd.com/pdfs/HR/teachers2.pdf Our Area https://www.springbranchisd.com/pdfs/HR/area.pdf What is Spring Branch T-2-4? https://www.springbranchisd.com/pdfs/HR/t24.pdf View our Brochure

Why Should You Consider A Chemistry Game?

Why Should You Consider A Chemistry Game?You have been on the lookout for Chemistry Games for Kids, and you have decided to do the proper research in order to find out the very best websites that are dedicated to this type of game. This has to be done because you want your child to be able to play this type of game with ease. The level of difficulty depends greatly on the type of chemistry that you will choose to play with your child. If you choose a difficult one, you may have a challenge for your child to go through.The best way to find the right chemistry games for kids is to browse the web and get as many opinions as possible. Take your time to research and find out what you think of different websites, before deciding on one that is right for you. You may also want to try the websites that seem to be focused more on having fun than the things that they have to offer. Even though they may not be using good quality games, there are plenty of other reasons why you should choose the ir website over others. I will be presenting the top three reasons as to why you should choose their website over the others.These sites offer Chemistry Games for Kids that are designed specifically for younger children. This means that you may want to focus on some of the easier types of Chemistry that your child may find enjoyable. For example, if you are planning on teaching your child how to react with gas, you can find a game for that as well. If your child's favorite color is green, you can find an online game that uses the same colors.If you have been trying to teach your child about gas, or other substances that are often found in a child's home, these websites may be very interesting to you. They may also offer many Chemistry Games for Kids that allow you to teach your child about a variety of subjects. For example, you may want to find a game that involves the understanding of chemistry and also the use of chemistry to create other materials.While the chances of finding th e actual source of these games is slim, these websites offer them for free and you can even sign up for a membership. This way, you can download any of the free games at anytime you want. That's a huge plus, since it saves you a lot of time by downloading them every time you want to test a game. This helps the kids learn faster and you can take your time when it comes to teaching them. You won't be trying to figure out the rules of the game every time you play it.If you need to compare prices or sites that you are interested in, just take your time to look around. There are many options available. You can search on the internet for 'chemistry games for kids' and find plenty of websites that are well worth your time and money.Some parents find it to be a bit complicated to find Chemistry Games for Kids to find the games that they want. The top three reasons why you should consider visiting the website for your child will help you choose the perfect site for your child.

Get the Latest Chemistry News in Your Hands

Get the Latest Chemistry News in Your HandsWhy is it important to have the latest Chemistry news in your hands? For one, you'll find out about some interesting, fresh, and very practical ideas you can implement to make your life better.As a scientist, I am fascinated by chemistry and studying the reactions and the processes. So, if you are also curious as to how this 'new' discipline works and what it can do for you, then get hold of the latest news.You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand chemical reactions. However, some of the chemistry journals have decided to add some advanced text in an attempt to keep up with the latest chemistry developments. So, whether you're a budding chemist or a professional chemist, you can always find a journal that will provide you with the latest chemistry news.In order to understand the chemical reactions and processes, we need to know about it. This involves so many aspects of the way chemicals react and are formed, hence making it ess ential to have the latest Chemistry news.Most of the chemical publishers include some informative booklets in their publication. These are like books and help you grasp the chemistry concepts more easily. Some of the booklets are basic and some of them are in the line of chemistry activities or projects.Another advantage of the booklets is that they can be referred to by a lot of people. So, even if you haven't got a clue about the chemistry, you can still refer to it if you wish to do so.And, in addition to that, the booklets also provide you with some useful tools. These tools make it easier for you to answer the 'What's-What' questions as well as solve the 'What-Where-Why' questions.

Why Learn French The Reasons and Benefits of Language Learning

Why Learn French The Reasons and Benefits of Language Learning Why do People Still Study French? ChaptersFrench Words Used in Everyday EnglishThe Benefits of Learning FrenchHow Long Does it Take to Learn French?Is French hard to Learn?Some people think that learning a foreign language, in this day and age, is a needless waste of resources â€" time, money and brain power.With electronic translators that fit right in your pocket and pretty much everyone the world over speaking English anyway, what is the point of learning any foreign language, let alone French?That is an astute observation! Incorrect, but astute nevertheless.The French language has some of the most amusing expressions, such as j'ai un petit creux â€" an adorable way to say I am a bit hungry.Run that phrase through translator software, and you get I'm a little hollow, a near-literal translation that gives no indication of what the sentence actually means.Near-literal translation? It should be I have a little hollow; the mental image giving a clue to the meaning.Online translators try hard, but sometimes they miss t he mark entirely!The question is: how will you know that the app you're using is translating accurately if you have no knowledge of the French language, especially French slang?You can try this experiment for yourself, using a phrase in English. We did!Julie was gutted over losing her job. Gutted means in despair, of course.The translator spit out the French equivalent of: Julie was emptied over losing her job.Close in literal meaning, but in no way does that translation convey the figurative rending that Julie suffered at suddenly being unemployed.And, if you used that French translation of our very British expression in conversation with a native French speaker, you might be quizzed over your sentence's exact meaning.If you can't speak French, how will you explain what you had intended to say?Besides the inaccuracies of translation software â€" and their unintentional, sometimes comical results, here are five other great reasons to learn French that we will discuss in more depth   in this article:The French language is spoken by millions of people worldwide, on 5 continentsThere is a strong bond between English and French, in spite of English being a Germanic language.French is a beautiful, rhythmic tongue; full of nuance and quirky turns of phraseIt is considered a gateway romance language; easy to transition from French to Spanish, Italian and Portuguese; even RomanianThere are so many benefits to being bilingual!Let us now get to the meat of the matter â€" an idiom that translation apps render incomprehensible in French.Find classes taught by a reputable French tutor.Many words related to food and cooking come to us from the French language Source: Pixabay Credit: Photoshootingspink, or even bloody was, till recently, strictly a French affair.We call steaks cooked in that manner rare because it was so infrequent that anyone would eat beef that still bled!Back to your favourite pastimes, now: photography, cuisine, dancing, even visiting an art gallery. Ever y one of these words come to us from the French language, along with cinema and telly and a whole host of others.By some accounts, 40% of words in our dictionary have their roots in French. So many French words populate our common English vocabulary that an entire web page has been dedicated to them!French terms pop up just about everywhere: in botany, geology, technology and especially in the military; in fashion and in political terms that harken back to feudal times.Did you know our governing body, the Parliament, is a French word meaning discussion or negotiation?French phrases Commonly Used in EnglishYou needn't cast a wide net to find everyday phrases in French that we English speakers have appropriated and made our own.We'll bet you have at least heard of these, if not used them yourself:a la carte: when you order individual food items from a menu â€" the cardFollowing the same format, you may have a la mode: according to the current fashion or customJe ne sais quoi â€" used to express an intangible quality; literally I don't know whatMiss Markle has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes her absolutely right to marry a royal.Au courant: literally in the current; meaning awareI read the news every day to stay au courant of world affairsCarte blanche: liberal permission and resources to do as you wish, or as neededmy parents gave me carte blanche to redecorate my flat.French Idioms Used in EnglishAn idiom is a phrase whose collective words give no meaning of the sentiment or idea being expressed.Raining cats and dogs, for example, does not represent hapless puppies and kittens on a forceful downward trajectory, splattering everywhere. Thank goodness!Idioms generally have roots in the specific culture and language they originate in.The phrase lost in translation has never been more apt to describe theses concepts that crumble under the force of conversion to another tongue.Thus it comes as a surprise that we've borrowed more than a few such phrases from our French neighbours.These imports did not undergo interpretation; we've not just appended to our dictionary what the idioms in question represent, but the words used to represent them!Esprit de corps translates to the spirit of the body, but means morale.This phrase was born of military service, in which the soldiers shared a unified mentality of defense and protectionism for one's homeland and ideals.Since then, the usage of this colloquial phrase has expanded to include everything from office politics to solidarity with your mates.If you are as one with the majority, you can say that you have esprit de corps.Do you know this phrase, popularised in song, and even used in one episode of Coronation Street?We all know what voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir means.Its implication has been rendered genteel in English â€" even if spoken in French. But natives of that language interpret the verb coucher in more... graphic terms.One French idiom that has lost no meaning in translation, ev en though it is used today in its original language is Honi soit qui mal y pense.It means shame to he who thinks ill of it.So impactful was this sentiment that our own Most Noble Order of the Garter adopted it as its motto!In today's modern French vernacular, that phrase is: honni soit qui en pense du mal; changing the sentiment of shame to revilement.To end this segment of French words and phrases commonly used in English, here are a few that are routinely used in English speaking countries that, curiously enough, the French don't use â€" at least not in the way we do.Au naturel: a phrase we use to describe in the nude.The French use it to signal natural settings: a backstage interview (entretien au naturel), or to describe natural colours such as taupe or beige.En masse: how we describe everyone doing the same thing at the same time.For francophones, the word masse is only used to describe physical weight. The closer translation of the sentiment into Canadian French would be bunch .See what a lighthearted, amusing activity it can be to dissect French expressions? Let us now look at other benefits of learning the language of Molière.You would be surprised at the many benefits of learning French! Source: Pixabay Credit: LightstargodThe Benefits of Learning FrenchAs we ascertained at the beginning of this article, language learning in general can be very beneficial.What we've not expounded on is in what ways!For one, people who can speak a second language derive many cognitive benefits that can even help improve their quality of life as they get older.And, while upwardly mobile in the professional world, bilinguals stand to be hired faster and earn more than anyone who has not taken any language courses.Those points remain true whether you learn Chinese or take Spanish courses.But how can French learning benefit you? Why study French, specifically?Let us say you are such an upwardly mobile professional, eagerly anticipating your relocation to Luxembourg or Belg ium, to a lucrative position with a sister firm.Would you have been considered for that job if you spoke only English?What about your love of winter sports? You may want to ski or snowboard down Mont Blanc. Or, if you are a mountain climber, you may aspire to summit the highest peak in western Europe.It is true that you could get by with using English alone in those circumstances, but by embracing the French language, you are also embracing the culture and the people of the land you exercise your passion in.Did you know that French culture is inexorably intertwined with its cuisine? You could hardly claim to be a foodie and not speak French!Being able to communicate with French people while abroad represents a tacit approval of everything that their language and culture represents.You could polish your conversation skills with French speaking people just about anywhere in the world, because the French language is spoken in over 30 countries!Would you like to learn more about the ben efits of learning French as your second language?A Gateway to Further Language StudiesAs your French lessons London progress, you realise that it is both exciting and engaging to acquire language skills.You may perceive an upcoming certification exam, perhaps the DELF, as a finish line that, once you cross it, would signify that you are done with French courses... and where would you go from there?The joy of learning is infectious and, once inoculated with it, you may never want to stop learning languages!That is another reason why studying French is such a great idea.Because French grammar is so similar to the grammar of other romance languages â€" many verbs even conjugate the same way!, it would not be such a great leap to learn Spanish, learn Italian; you could even learn Portuguese after mastering French!Speaking French can give you advantages over monolinguals in the workplace, help broaden your cultural awareness and even help you understand your native language and culture b etter.We can't think of a better reason than that last one to become a francophone!There is no mystical divination of how much time it will take for you to learn French Source: Pixabay Credit: darksouls1How Long Does it Take to Learn French?All fun and excitement aside, learning a second language is a serious undertaking that requires diligence, hard work, and time.Even though we English speakers regularly make use of French vocabulary and idioms - whether we know it or not, any serious language learner would know that studying French is a monumental undertaking that requires dedication and a serious time commitment.How much time does it take to learn French? How long can any French learner expect to stay at intermediate level?Let's go over some of  the reasons why learning French should be a years-long commitment.French Grammar versus English GrammarAs previously discussed, French is Romantic and English is Germanic.That does not mean that anyone with intimate knowledge of the Fren ch language and culture is a dashing heartthrob.Because these linguistic systems have their roots in different cultures, their vocabulary and grammar  bear only a few similarities.A most immediate way to spot a critical difference between the two language systems is with you.Not you specifically, but in using the pronoun you.In our mother tongue, that pronoun is representative of males, females, multiple people or a lone person; anyone you might address, formally or informally.French pronouns emphasise all of these distinctions. However, it is important to note that, when a mixed group is the subject or object of a sentence, the masculine gender is always used.Tu vas avec elles? â€" you will go with that group of females? versus Tu vas avec eux? - used to represent an all-male or mixed group.These differentiations can make conveying ideas a very precise process.Let us see how grammatical gender applies to articles with this sentence: the teacher gave us a homework assignment.In Engl ish, we have no idea if that teacher is male or female, but in French, le maître would represent a male teacher and la maitresse would be a woman who instructs.Even indefinite articles, a and an, are treated to such precision: un and une â€" male and female, respectively.What about the qualifier some; for uncountable nouns? Du is masculine; de la is feminine and des â€" the plural form, is for both.The best way to learn these divisions, of course, is to spend ample time in their study, and their associated rules.Grammar AgreementAs you may well imagine, if articles and pronouns must relate to the subjects' grammatical gender, so too must any adjectives and, where applicable, verb endings.Beginners in French classes all fume that mastering such agreements is one of the most difficult aspects of learning grammar in French.These aspects of French language study need not be antithetical to your motivation in learning this beautiful, complex tongue.Let us cite yet another import into En glish, this time from German, that neatly addresses that concern:Sprachgefühl loosely translates as the feel for the language.By invoking this phenomenon that every language learner  sooner or later experiences, you can be free of rote memorisation of grammar rules, and just let your heart soar with the rhythm and beauty of speaking French!Our best advice for learning French fast: don't be afraid to make mistakes.Just as you don't need to understand the workings of an internal combustion engine to know how to drive a car, so you don't need to ponder every single grammar rule before your utter your first sentence in French!By no means are we suggesting that you throw your French textbook out of the window; only that you will learn French faster if you don't stress over whether you should use le or la; un or une or de or des!Most people in French speaking countries will recognise and applaud your sincere efforts at learning their language, so there is no need to sweat small grammatic al or verb tense mistakes.Is French hard to Learn?The intricacies of learning French grammar aside, you might be surprised at how precise and straightforward the language is, for all of its flowery prose.If you assign the issue of gender agreement to your growing feel for the language, you may find that speaking French is not as complicated, or as daunting as it appeared in your beginner French classes.If you think that grammatical gender and agreement are complicated in French, you should try learning those rules as they apply to Arabic!Is French as hard to learn as you think?What about conjugating verbs in French?Native French speakers appreciate your efforts at learning French Source: Pixabay Credit: Alexis_AminokisFrench Verb TensesCompared to English, verb tenses in French tend to be more inclusive, expanding to nearly double the number of tenses in our language.All questions of mood aside â€" delving into them would make for a ponderous discussion!, we can attest to the fact t hat only about 6 of French's 23 verb tenses are routinely used.Unless you intend to prove your French language skills formally by sitting DELF level C2, most likely you will not often use more than eight of these more elevated constructs.However, we would point out that having so many ways to indicate when an action has occurred is yet more proof attesting to the precision of the French language.As with nouns, pronouns and articles, with certain verbs, agreement again rears its head: any compound verb construction involving être will make use of feminine form; for example: je suis allée is correct if a female went somewhere. The extra E is not applied if a male, or if a group of people are involved. Conjugating irregular verbs  can be a tricky affair, in any language. Fortunately, the list of such predicates is substantially shorter for French than our very long list!Besides, most of the French irregular verbs, such as pouvoir and avoir are used so often that you will soon incorpo rate their various forms into your spoken French with hardly a thought!Syllable Stress and ToneOne aspect of learning how to speak French is its rhythm; specifically the fact that there is no syllable stress required to give a word meaning, as in English.Because English is our native tongue, perhaps we give no thought to two-syllable nouns having a spoken stress on the first syllable, and two-syllable verbs requiring stress on the second syllable.Such a distinction gives our language a lot of double-meaning words.For example: IM-port represents goods that are brought into the country; im-PORT is the act of bringing goods in.Linguistic experts agree that, because of the syllable stress used to give English words meaning, our spoken language sounds choppy.By contrast, the French use no inflection to give meaning to their words. Instead, vocables are grouped into phonic units and delivered with a unique rhythm.As a French learner, you may need some time to get used to that distinctive phraseology.Autodidact Kató Lomb said: Language is the only thing worth knowing poorly.Obviously, no one would not start out a language learning adventure with the intent of gaining poor skills. Still, there is truth in that quote.Don't just take anyone's word for it; discover for yourself why learning French is a great endeavour!