The French Club (Chicago)

⭐ B1 French Course – Intermediate Level (10 Weeks) ⭐

* Duration: 10 weeks
* Weekly Class Time: 1 hours 45 minutes per week
* Schedule: Sundays, 2:00 – 3:45 PM NY time
* Course format: Live on Zoom
* Group Size: unlimited number of students
* Self-Study Suggested: Minimum 10 hours/week
* Total Learning Time: ~120 hours

NOTE: In order to obtain the full Zoom call details, please read the FULL description of the Meetup event.
You need to be logged into your own free Zoom account in order to join.

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Course Description

This B1-level French course is designed for learners who have completed the A2 level and are ready to move into more independent use of the language. It will help you expand your vocabulary, develop greater fluency, and communicate with more confidence and complexity in everyday and professional situations.

Over the course of 10 weeks, the course offers structured lessons, to help students become more independent and confident in using French at an intermediate level.

The course follows the CEFR B1 guidelines and prepares you to manage real-life conversations, express opinions, describe experiences, and handle more nuanced interactions at work, while traveling, or in social contexts.

This course follows the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and prepares students to reach the B1 level.

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Cost: This 10-week B1 French course is free and the explanations are provided in English. The course will have limited interactions (no speaking exercises), no correction of homework and very few questions answered.

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Course Materials

We will NOT provide B1 course materials in this free group class. In order to have access to the full B1 course materials including exercises and self-assessment exams, create your French Club account on our learning platform: https://www.frenchclub.net and subscribe to the Premium Plan.

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Schedule:

Starts on Sunday, September 13, 2026 (week #1)
Ends on Sunday, November 15, 2026 (week #10)

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Zoom details for this Free B1 class

* Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5456313643
* Password: galaxy

You need to be logged into your own free Zoom account in order to join.

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Target audience

This course is ideal for:

* Learners who have completed an A2 course or have basic knowledge of French

* People preparing for immigration, studies, or work in a French-speaking environment

* Students seeking a structured, intermediate-level program to improve fluency, accuracy, and communication skills

* Adults who want to speak with more confidence and better handle common everyday situations

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Course Outline – 10 Weeks of Learning

Week 1

• Module 1: Contextual Review of Key A2 Grammar (present, passé composé, futur proche)
• Module 2: Using Sentence Connectors to Build Complex Sentences (donc, alors, cependant, tandis que, parce que, puisque)
• Module 3: Mastering Object Pronouns in Conversation (le, la, les, lui, leur, en, y)
• Module 4: Creating Structured Self-Introductions at B1 Level
• Module 5: Strategies for Natural-Sounding Conversation Flow (intonation, pauses, rephrasing)

Week 2

• Module 6: Expressing Opinions: Je pense que, à mon avis, selon moi
• Module 7: Agreeing & Disagreeing Politely in Conversation
• Module 8: Introduction to the Subjunctive (Il faut que…, Je veux que…)
• Module 9: Presenting Arguments & Counterarguments
• Module 10: Structuring a short argumentative paragraph with opinion, example, and justification

Week 3

• Module 11: Passé Composé vs Imparfait – Review and Advanced Usage
• Module 12: Time Markers for Storytelling (autrefois, jadis, tout à coup, un jour, pendant que…)
• Module 13: Describing Personal Memories and Emotional Context (Quand j’étais petit, je me souviens que…, j’éprouvais de la peur…)
• Module 14: Building a Narrative – Beginning, Middle, and End
• Module 15: Writing a Short Story or Memoir Using Past Tenses

Week 4

• Module 16: Talking About Career & Life Goals
• Module 17: Futur Simple vs Futur Proche – Usage and Nuance
• Module 18: Making Professional Plans & Setting Objectives
• Module 19: Politeness in Professional Contexts
• Module 20: Writing a Professional Email or Project Plan

Week 5

• Module 21: Making Polite Requests and Complaints (Pourriez-vous…?)
• Module 22: Role-Playing Travel Situations (hotel, restaurant, station)
• Module 23: Understanding and Using Relative Pronouns (dont, lequel, ce que)
• Module 24: Expressing Needs and Emergencies in French
• Module 25: Writing a Formal Complaint or Service Review

Week 6

• Module 26: Workplace Vocabulary: Common Jobs and Responsibilities
• Module 27: Indirect Speech: Il m’a dit que…, Il a demandé de…
• Module 28: Answering Interview Questions with Confidence
• Module 29: Role-Playing Networking & Workplace Dialogues
• Module 30: Writing a CV or Cover Letter in French

Week 7

• Module 31: Plus-que-parfait: Introduction and Usage in Narratives
• Module 32: Expressing Regret and Hypotheticals (Si j’avais su…)
• Module 33: Telling “What Could Have Happened” Stories
• Module 34: Emotional Vocabulary and Descriptive Techniques
• Module 35: Writing a Personal or Fictional Story Using Past Tenses

Week 8

• Module 36: Describing a Real or Imagined Professional Experience
• Module 37: Planning a Trip or Event Using Futur & Conditionnel
• Module 38: Workplace Content (vocabulary, etiquette, preparing a presentation, etc.)
• Module 39: Participating in a High-Level Meeting or Conversation (research, work, specialized topic, etc.)
• Module 40: Writing Task: Compose a Dialogue or Scene in Context

Week 9

• Module 41: Debating Social Topics with Structure
• Module 42: Expressing Stronger Emotions and Reaction
• Module 43: Handling a Misunderstanding or Conflict in Conversation
• Module 44: Building Improvised Conversations from Prompts
• Module 45: Writing a Formal Letter or Editorial Response

Week 10

• Module 46: Review of Key Grammar Points
• Module 47: Spontaneous Speaking Practice (Role-Play Challenges)
• Module 48: Listening Comprehension Practice with Audio Clips
• Module 49: Writing a Personal Essay or Reflective Journal
• Module 50: Final Presentation – Introduce Yourself + Share Your Story

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Learning Outcomes

By completing this B1-level French course, you will be able to:

1. Communicate with greater fluency and spontaneity in everyday and professional situations, using appropriate connectors, fillers, and linking expressions.
2. Express and justify opinions in both spoken and written French, using polite and structured forms of agreement and disagreement.
3. Use a range of past tenses (passé composé, imparfait, plus-que-parfait) to describe personal experiences, tell stories, and relate past events with nuance.
4. Plan and talk about future events using the futur proche, futur simple, and conditionnel, especially in relation to career, travel, and personal goals.
5. Participate actively in conversations and debates, using the subjunctive for expressing necessity, desire, emotion, and uncertainty.
6. Handle common real-life situations in French, including making requests, managing complaints, asking for help, and navigating professional interactions.
7. Improve written communication skills through emails, CVs, complaint letters, personal narratives, and reflective texts, adjusting tone for formal and informal contexts.
8. Develop listening comprehension by understanding and responding to authentic audio materials like interviews, podcasts, and role-play dialogues.
9. Interact more confidently in workplace settings, including interviews, networking situations, and collaborative tasks.
10. Apply advanced grammar and vocabulary in context, integrating pronouns, relative clauses, indirect speech, and emotional vocabulary naturally into speech and writing.
11. React appropriately in unexpected or improvised situations, manage misunderstandings, and express emotions or regrets using hypothetical structures.
12. Demonstrate overall communicative competence through a final presentation and integrated assessments that reflect real-world language use at the B1 level.

This course will boost your fluency and confidence in real-life social, travel, and professional situations while reinforcing key grammar and vocabulary.

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About The French Club

The French Club is a global French-learning community focused on real, practical fluency. Founded in September 2024, it has grown into 24 international Meetup chapters across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, with 35,000+ members and a structured curriculum built in-house (200 modules, from A1 to B2, about 4,000 pages).

Here on Meetup, you’ll find our FREE live events including the full 10-week A1-B1 courses, A1-B1 homework sessions, student-led events, and occasional special events.

You’ll also see free learning events hosted by members of our teaching team, community leaders, and student collaborators.

📝 Writing Practice Workshop with Gabriel 📚

Join Gabriel, one of our B2-level student collaborators, and your other fellow French clubbers in this event if you would like to practice focused writing in French!

To find the meeting link and passcode, please read the FULL description.

During this workshop, attendees will have access to a document listing the topics shown in the Format section below. Two of them are inspired by the TCF exam format. The third is a paragraph rich in grammatical structures to be incorporated (direct/indirect objects, various verb tenses, relative clauses, conditionals, etc.).

Gabriel is NOT a French teacher or examiner. There will be no teacher/examiner present to give professional feedback.

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Format:
- A subject
- An opinion/point of view
- A translation

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Objective:
Set aside a moment in the day to be present and write. For some, carving out time for that purpose is itself a challenge.

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Structure:
- 5 to 10 min to introduce and welcome attendees
- 30 to 40 min for writing
- 10 min for reading, for anyone who feels like sharing
- Final thoughts and end of the session

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Notes:
- No one is obligated to share their text
- Anyone, at any level, is welcome
- The host is not a professional teacher in any language
- The event will be held in English
- Students with A2 level or higher can participate comfortably.

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Event Details

📝 Writing Practice Workshop with Gabriel 📚

Join Gabriel, one of our B2-level student collaborators, and your other fellow French clubbers in this event if you would like to practice focused writing in French!

To find the meeting link and passcode, please read the FULL description.

During this workshop, attendees will have access to a document listing the topics shown in the Format section below. Two of them are inspired by the TCF exam format. The third is a paragraph rich in grammatical structures to be incorporated (direct/indirect objects, various verb tenses, relative clauses, conditionals, etc.).

Gabriel is NOT a French teacher or examiner. There will be no teacher/examiner present to give professional feedback.

***

Format:
- A subject
- An opinion/point of view
- A translation

***

Objective:
Set aside a moment in the day to be present and write. For some, carving out time for that purpose is itself a challenge.

***

Structure:
- 5 to 10 min to introduce and welcome attendees
- 30 to 40 min for writing
- 10 min for reading, for anyone who feels like sharing
- Final thoughts and end of the session

***

Notes:
- No one is obligated to share their text
- Anyone, at any level, is welcome
- The host is not a professional teacher in any language
- The event will be held in English
- Students with A2 level or higher can participate comfortably.

***

Event Details

🇨🇵 A1 French - Pratiquez vos devoirs (Weekly Homework Session) - Fall 2026

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Overview

A relaxed, focused study hour for current A1 students in the 10-week course. You'll meet online once a week to work through the exact homework from your current modules. You get structure, gentle accountability, without turning it into a full lesson.

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Who It’s For

Current A1 learners enrolled in the 10-week program who want a quiet space to get homework done and keep momentum between classes.

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How It Works (60 minutes)

Every week, you will tackle the modules seen earlier in the course. Nicole, the host, will have final say as to which modules are part of that week's homework.

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What You’ll Get

Nicole is not a French teacher and can't provide detailed explanations. But you'll get the answer key for the exercises or the exam that you completed during the homework session.

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What To Bring

Your A1 course document for the current week, your homework list, a notebook or doc for answers. Camera on is encouraged; microphone on only during Q&A.

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Scope And Boundaries

We stay strictly inside the A1 curriculum you are currently studying. This is not a replacement for class or a one-to-one tutoring slot.

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Logistics

Weekly on Google Meet. New York time (ET). Free to attend. RSVP required to keep the room small and effective. Please arrive on time so the first work block can start smoothly.

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Respectful Space

We keep the atmosphere friendly, focused, and supportive. During silent blocks, please mute your mic.

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Outcome

You leave with your A1 homework largely completed and a simple plan for anything left to finish before your next class.

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Ready to join?

Reserve your spot on the next session and bring the module you’re working on this week.

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Details:

Day: Every Tuesday starting September 15, until November 17, 2026.
Time: From 7:00 to 8:00 pm NY time.

Google Meet video call link: https://meet.google.com/maj-cjdj-nmy
Passcode: none needed

Cost: Free.

***

About The French Club

The French Club is a global French-learning community focused on real, practical fluency. Founded in September 2024, it has grown into 24 international Meetup chapters across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, with 35,000+ members and a structured curriculum built in-house (200 modules, from A1 to B2, about 4,000 pages).

Here on Meetup, you’ll find our FREE live events including the full 10-week A1-B1 courses, A1-B1 homework sessions, student-led events, and occasional special events.

You’ll also see free learning events hosted by members of our teaching team, community leaders, and student collaborators.