Le ou La? The Gender of French Nouns

Which gender to give a French word? Of all the grammatical problems facing English-speaking students of French, this is probably the most difficult for the majority, and it is safe to say that it is the most persistent.

Although many grammars provide some rules for assigning gender, some apply to very few words and others are apparently contradictory.

This book aims to have the student mimic the learning patterns of native speakers by tackling the task in two ways.

First, the major factors governing gender assignment are laid out by type of noun: simple versus derived or compound, and everyday French vocabulary versus learned or technical.

Second, suggested activities (suitable for use in a class or by those working alone) are designed to develop the student's 'gender competence' by encouraging the use of adjectives and structures which clearly mark genders.