University 20 August 1955 – Skikda · Faculty of Sciences · Department of Computer Science
From French→ to English
A bilingual phrasebook for university teachers: vocabulary, phrases, sentences, grammar and pronunciation for teaching in British English.
By Pr. Soufiane Boulehouache13 chapters4 appendicesPress the speaker icon to hear any English phrase
On reprend où on s'est arrêtés.→Let's pick up where we left off.
How to Use This Book
This book is a practical reference for university teachers who
currently teach in French and wish to transition to teaching in
English.
Each chapter covers a specific moment or pedagogical activity in
university teaching. For every situation, you will find:
Figure(s) that represents the pedagogical situation;
The French phrase already used an their
British English equivalent — ready to say in
class;
An example of a dialog that employs the British
English phrases;
Grammar rules and examples that employ the key words of academic
context;
The phonetic to master the pronunciation of the key
words;
Chapter 1Starting and Ending a Lecture or Session
1.1Starting the session
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Bonjour à tous.
Good morning, everyone. / Good afternoon,
everyone.
Use 'Good morning' before noon, 'Good afternoon'
after.
Asseyez-vous, s'il vous plaît.
Please take a seat. / Please sit down.
'Take a seat' is slightly more formal and natural in British
English.
On peut commencer.
Let's get started. / Shall we begin?
'Let's get started' is the most natural and common.
Avant de commencer...
Before we begin, ... / Before we start, ...
Always followed by a comma and then your sentence.
Comme d'habitude...
As usual, ... / As we normally do, ...
Est-ce que tout le monde est là ?
Is everyone here? / Are we all present?
Il manque quelqu'un ?
Is anyone missing? / Is everyone here?
Je vais faire l'appel.
I'll take the register. / I'll call the roll.
'Take the register' is standard British university
usage.
Fermez la porte, s'il vous plaît.
Could you close the door, please?
The question form sounds more polite than a direct
order.
Éteignez vos téléphones.
Please switch off your phones. / Please put your phones on
silent.
'Switch off' is British English.
Ouvrez vos cahiers.
Open your notebooks. / Get your notebooks out.
Sortez une feuille.
Take out a sheet of paper. / Get a piece of paper
out.
On reprend où on s'est arrêtés.
Let's pick up where we left off.
Very common and natural British phrase.
Rappelez-vous la dernière fois...
If you recall from last time... / As we saw last
session...
Qui peut me rappeler ce qu'on a vu ?
Who can remind me what we covered last time?
'Cover' a topic is standard academic British English.
Aujourd’hui, nous allons voir…
Today we will look at…
Je vous souhaite la bienvenue à ce cours.
Welcome to this lecture. / I'd like to welcome you all to
today's session.
Formal opening; ideal for the first lecture of a
module.
Permettez-moi de me présenter.
Allow me to introduce myself. / Let me briefly introduce
myself.
'Allow me to' is formal; 'Let me' is neutral.
Faisons un bref rappel de la séance précédente.
Let us briefly recap the previous session.
'Recap' (short for 'recapitulate') is standard academic
usage.
Pour situer le cours dans son contexte...
To situate today's lecture in its broader context,
...
Academic register; useful at the start of a new unit.
Ce cours fait suite à...
This session follows on from... / This session builds
on...
'Follow on from' stresses continuity between sessions.
Je vous rappelle que la présence est obligatoire.
May I remind you that attendance is
compulsory.
Polite but firm. It is a statement: no question mark.
Avant d'entrer dans le vif du sujet...
Before we get to the heart of the matter, ...
Idiomatic equivalent of 'entrer dans le vif du sujet'.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Morning
/ˈmɔːnɪŋ/
Two syllables: MOR-ning. Stress on first. The 'or'
= long /ɔː/.
Everyone
/ˈɛvrɪwʌn/
Three syllables: EV-ri-wun. The middle 'e'
disappears in speech.
Register
/ˈrɛdʒɪstə/
Three syllables: REJ-is-ter. Stress on first. Final
-er = /ə/.
Please
/pliːz/
One syllable: PLEEZ. Long /iː/. Final /z/, not
/s/.
Notebook
/ˈnəʊtbʊk/
Two syllables: NOHT-book. The 'oo' = short /ʊ/, not
long /uː/.
Session
/ˈsɛʃən/
Two syllables: SES-sion. Stress on first. '-tion' =
/ʃən/.
Switch
/swɪtʃ/
One syllable: SWITCH. Starts with /sw/. Final /tʃ/
as in 'church'.
Welcome
/ˈwɛlkəm/
Two syllables: WEL-kum. Stress on first; the 'o' is a schwa
/ə/.
Recap
/ˈriːkæp/
Two syllables: REE-kap. Stress on first syllable.
Attendance
/əˈtɛndəns/
Three syllables: a-TEN-dance. Stress on second.
1.2Ending the lecture or session
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
C'est tout pour aujourd'hui.
That is all for today. / That is everything for
today.
On s'arrête là.
Let us stop there. / We will stop there for
today.
Il nous reste encore cinq minutes.
We still have five minutes left.
On n'a plus le temps.
We have run out of time. / We are out of time.
'Run out of time' is very natural in British English.
Pour la prochaine fois...
For next time... / For our next session...
N'oubliez pas de...
Do not forget to... / Please remember to...
'Please remember to' is more formal and appropriate for
university.
Renseignez-vous sur...
Please look into... / I'd like you to read up
on...
'Read up on' means to research or study a topic.
Bonne continuation.
Have a good day. / All the best.
'Have a good day' is the most direct equivalent.
À la semaine prochaine.
See you next week.
À jeudi prochain.
See you next Thursday.
Bon courage pour vos révisions.
Good luck with your revision.
'Revision' = studying for exams. British English exclusively
uses 'revision', not 'review'.
N'hésitez pas à me contacter.
Feel free to contact me. / Don't hesitate to get in
touch.
Pour résumer ce que nous avons vu...
To sum up what we have covered today, ...
'To sum up' and 'To summarise' are standard closing
markers.
Retenez surtout que...
The key takeaway from today is that... / The main point to
remember is...
'Takeaway' is now common in British academic speech.
La prochaine séance portera sur...
In the next session, we will turn our attention
to...
'Turn our attention to' is a formal transition.
Les supports sont disponibles sur la plateforme.
The slides are available on the VLE / Moodle
page.
VLE = Virtual Learning Environment, the usual British
term.
Je reste disponible pendant mes heures de permanence.
I am available during my office hours if you have any
questions.
'Office hours' = heures de permanence / de réception.
Réfléchissez à cette question pour la prochaine fois.
I'd like you to reflect on the following question before our
next session.
'Reflect on' is typical of academic tasks.
Merci de votre attention.
Thank you for your attention.
Standard close for a formal lecture or conference
talk.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
today
/təˈdeɪ/
Stress on second syllable: to-DAY. The first syllable is a schwa
/tə/.
week
/wiːk/
Long /iː/ vowel. Do not confuse with 'weak' — they are homophones in
English.
revision
/rɪˈvɪʒən/
Stress on second syllable: re-VI-sion. '-sion' = /ʒən/
(voiced).
forget
/fəˈɡɛt/
Stress on second syllable: for-GET. The first syllable is a
schwa.
contact
/ˈkɒntækt/
Noun: CON-tact (stress 1st). As a verb also: CON-tact. The 'a' =
/æ/.
hesitate
/ˈhɛzɪteɪt/
Three syllables: HEZ-i-tate. The 'h' is fully pronounced — do not
drop it.
summarise
/ˈsʌməraɪz/
Three syllables: SUM-uh-rize. Stress on first. British spelling
-ise.
attention
/əˈtɛnʃən/
Three syllables: a-TEN-shun. Stress on second.
available
/əˈveɪləbəl/
Four syllables: a-VAY-la-bl. Stress on second.
Chapter 2Introducing a Topic or Lecture
These phrases help you frame your lesson clearly so students know
exactly what they are about to learn and why.
2.1Stating the topic
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Aujourd'hui, on va parler de...
Today we're going to look at... / Today's topic
is...
'Look at' is very common in academic British English
when introducing a topic.
Le sujet d'aujourd'hui, c'est...
Today's subject is... / The focus of today's session
is...
Notre cours porte sur...
This lecture is about... / Our session focuses
on...
'Lecture' = cours magistral. 'Session' or 'class'
for TD/TP.
On va aborder...
We're going to look at... / We'll be
covering...
'Cover' is the most natural verb for syllabus
topics.
On va traiter la question de...
We're going to address the question of...
Le thème central de ce cours est...
The central theme of this lecture is...
Ce cours s'inscrit dans le cadre de...
This lecture fits within the broader context
of...
En lien avec le cours précédent...
Building on what we covered last time...
'Building on' suggests continuity — very
academic.
EXAMPLE IN CONTEXT
Today's topic isassessment
literacy in higher education.This lecture is
abouthow teachers design and use assessment tools
effectively.We'll be coveringthree main
areas today.This lecture fits within the broader context
ofeducational evaluation,building on what we
covered last time— the theory of learning
outcomes.
Ce cours s'articule autour de...
This lecture is organised around... / This lecture centres
on...
British spelling: 'organised', 'centres'.
Il s'agit ici d'étudier...
The purpose here is to examine...
'Examine' is more academic than 'look at'.
Ce thème a fait l'objet de nombreux
travaux.
This topic has been extensively studied. / It has received
considerable attention in the literature.
'The literature' = published research on a
topic.
Nous allons nous intéresser particulièrement
à...
We will pay particular attention to...
Ce sujet est au cœur des débats actuels.
This issue lies at the heart of current
debates.
Pour replacer le sujet dans son contexte
historique...
To place the topic in its historical context,
...
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
topic
/ˈtɒpɪk/
Two syllables: TOP-ik. Stress on first. The 'o' = /ɒ/, not
/oʊ/.
lecture
/ˈlɛktʃə/
Two syllables: LEC-ture. The '-ture' = /tʃə/. Not 'lec-TYOOR'.
focus
/ˈfəʊkəs/
Two syllables: FOH-kus. Stress on first. Both vowels are mid.
context
/ˈkɒntɛkst/
Two syllables: CON-text. Do not drop the final consonant cluster
/kst/.
covers
/ˈkʌvəz/
Two syllables: CUV-erz. The 'o' = /ʌ/ not /ɒ/. Final -s = /z/.
broader
/ˈbrɔːdə/
Two syllables: BRAW-der. Stress on first. The 'oa' = long /ɔː/.
literature
/ˈlɪtrətʃə/
Usually three syllables in speech: LIT-ruh-chuh. Stress on
first.
examine
/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/
Three syllables: ig-ZAM-in. Here 'x' = /ɡz/, not /ks/.
debate
/dɪˈbeɪt/
Two syllables: di-BATE. Stress on second.
2.2Stating objectives
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
L'objectif de ce cours est de...
The aim of this session is to... / By the end of this
lecture, you will...
'By the end of this lecture, you will...' is the clearest way to
state a learning objective.
À la fin du cours, vous saurez...
By the end of this session, you will be able
to...
Note: 'be able to' is more precise than 'know' for
skills.
Ce que j'attends de vous...
What I expect from you... / What I'd like you to
do...
L'enjeu de ce cours est...
The key issue in this lecture is... / What's at stake here
is...
Nous allons répondre à la question suivante :
We'll be addressing the following question:
La problématique de ce cours est...
The key research question for today is... / The core problem
we'll examine is...
'Problématique' has no single word equivalent. Use a full
phrase.
Ce cours vise à...
This lecture aims to... / The purpose of this session is
to...
'Aim to' + base verb, never '-ing'.
Vous serez en mesure de...
You will be in a position to...
Formal alternative to 'be able to'.
Les compétences visées sont...
The intended learning outcomes are...
'Intended Learning Outcomes' (ILOs) is the official UK
term.
Il est essentiel de maîtriser...
A sound grasp of ... is essential. / It is essential that
you master...
'A sound grasp of' = une bonne maîtrise de.
Cela vous permettra de...
This will enable you to...
'Enable someone to do' is more academic than 'allow'.
Nous tenterons de répondre à la question...
We shall attempt to answer the question of...
'Shall' with 'we' is formal British usage.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Objective
/əbˈdʒɛktɪv/
Three syllables: ob-JEC-tive. Stress on second. First syllable =
/əb/.
Ability
/əˈbɪlɪti/
Four syllables: a-BIL-i-ty. Stress on second syllable.
Expect
/ɪkˈspɛkt/
Two syllables: ex-PECT. Stress on second. The 'x' = /ks/.
Distinguish
/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
Three syllables: dis-TING-gwish. Stress on second syllable.
Address
/əˈdrɛs/
As a verb: stress on second syllable: ad-DRESS. (Noun:
ADD-ress).
Practical
/ˈpræktɪkəl/
Three syllables: PRAK-ti-kl. Stress on first. The 'a' = /æ/.
outcome
/ˈaʊtkʌm/
Two syllables: OUT-kum. Stress on first.
enable
/ɪˈneɪbəl/
Three syllables: i-NAY-bl. Stress on second.
essential
/ɪˈsɛnʃəl/
Three syllables: i-SEN-shul. Stress on second.
2.3Giving an outline / plan
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Voici le plan du cours.
Here is the outline for today's session. / Here's our plan
for today.
'Outline' = plan. Very standard in British academic
English.
On va procéder en trois parties.
We'll proceed in three parts. / I've divided today's session
into three parts.
Premièrement... Deuxièmement... Troisièmement...
First... / Secondly... / Finally... /
Thirdly...
Use 'Firstly / Secondly / Finally' — more natural than 'Firstly
/ Secondly / Thirdly'.
Dans un premier temps...
To begin with... / First of all...
Dans un deuxième temps...
Moving on... / Next, we'll look at...
Pour terminer...
Finally... / To conclude... / To wrap up...
Je commencerai par... puis je passerai à...
I'll start with... and then move on to...
Le cours se décompose en trois parties.
The lecture falls into three parts. / It is divided into
three sections.
Dans une première partie, nous verrons...
In the first part, we will consider...
Nous examinerons ensuite...
We will then go on to examine...
'Go on to' signals the next stage.
Enfin, nous conclurons par...
Finally, we will conclude with... / We will close
with...
Je reviendrai sur ce point plus tard.
I will return to this point later. / I'll come back to this
later.
Faisons une parenthèse.
Let me digress for a moment. / As an aside,
...
'As an aside' introduces a side remark.
Revenons à notre sujet.
Let us return to the main point. / To get back to our topic,
...
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Outline
/ˈaʊtlaɪn/
Stress on first syllable: OUT-line. The 'ou' = /aʊ/ as in
'out'.
Firstly
/ˈfɜːstli/
Stress on first syllable: FURST-ly. The 'ir' = /ɜː/ (no 'r' sound in
British).
Secondly
/ˈsɛkəndli/
Three syllables: SEC-ond-ly. The 'o' is reduced to a schwa /ə/.
Finally
/ˈfaɪnəli/
Three syllables: FI-nal-ly. Stress on first syllable.
Structure
/ˈstrʌktʃə/
Stress on first syllable: STRUC-ture. The '-ture' = /tʃə/.
Conclude
/kənˈkluːd/
Stress on second syllable: con-CLOOD. The 'u' is long /uː/.
Consider
/kənˈsɪdə/
Three syllables: kun-SID-uh. Stress on second.
Digress
/daɪˈɡrɛs/
Two syllables: dye-GRESS. Stress on second.
Aside
/əˈsaɪd/
Two syllables: a-SIDE. Stress on second.
Chapter 3Giving Instructions to Students
3.1General instructions
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Lisez le texte.
Read the text. / Please read through the text.
Lisez attentivement.
Read carefully. / Read this through carefully.
Écoutez bien.
Listen carefully. / Pay close attention.
Regardez le tableau.
Look at the board. / Look up at the board.
Regardez le diapo / slide.
Look at the slide. / Have a look at this
slide.
Notez / écrivez.
Write this down. / Note this down. / Make a note of
this.
'Note this down' is very common British English.
Soulignez les mots importants.
Underline the key words.
Entourez / encerclez.
Circle... / Put a circle around...
Cochez la bonne réponse.
Tick the correct answer.
'Tick' is British English.
Remplissez le tableau.
Fill in the table. / Complete the table.
Complétez les phrases.
Complete the sentences. / Fill in the blanks.
Répondez aux questions.
Answer the questions.
Travaillez individuellement.
Work on your own. / Work individually.
Travaillez avec votre voisin.
Work with the person next to you. / Work in
pairs.
Comparez vos réponses.
Compare your answers. / Check your answers with a
partner.
Échangez vos copies.
Swap your papers. / Exchange your work with your
neighbour.
Rendez vos copies.
Hand in your work. / Please hand your papers to the
front.
'Hand in' is the standard British academic term.
Vous avez dix minutes.
You have ten minutes. / You've got ten minutes for
this.
Commencez.
Begin. / You may start. / Off you go.
'Off you go' is very natural British English in class.
Justify your answer. / Give reasons for your
answer.
Common exam instruction.
Expliquez en quelques lignes.
Explain briefly, in a few lines.
Démontrez que...
Prove that... / Show that...
'Show that' is the usual phrasing in maths exercises.
Commentez ce résultat.
Comment on this result. / Discuss the significance of this
result.
'Comment on' — note the preposition 'on'.
Résumez le texte en 200 mots.
Summarise the text in 200 words.
British spelling: 'summarise'.
Citez vos sources.
Cite your sources. / Reference your sources.
'Cite' is pronounced like 'sight'.
Appuyez-vous sur des exemples.
Support your argument with examples. / Illustrate your
answer with examples.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Carefully
/ˈkɛəfəli/
Three syllables: CARE-ful-ly. Stress on first. 'are' = /ɛə/ in
British.
Underline
/ˌʌndəˈlaɪn/
Three syllables: un-der-LINE. Stress on third syllable.
Complete
/kəmˈpliːt/
Two syllables: com-PLEET. Stress on second. Long /iː/.
Answer
/ˈɑːnsə/
Two syllables: AAHN-ser. British long /ɑː/. Silent 'w'.
Compare
/kəmˈpɛə/
Two syllables: com-PAIR. Stress on second. '-are' = /ɛə/.
Individually
/ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒʊəli/
Six syllables: in-di-VID-ju-al-ly. Stress on third syllable.
Submit
/səbˈmɪt/
Two syllables: sub-MIT. Stress on second. Never on 'sub'.
Justify
/ˈdʒʌstɪfaɪ/
Three syllables: JUS-ti-fy. Stress on first.
Cite
/saɪt/
One syllable, like 'sight'. Never /sit/.
Evaluate
/ɪˈvæljueɪt/
Four syllables: i-VAL-yu-ate. Stress on second.
3.2Instructions for group activities
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Formez des groupes de quatre.
Get into groups of four. / Form groups of
four.
'Get into groups' is more natural British English.
Choisissez un rapporteur.
Choose a spokesperson. / Pick someone to report
back.
'Spokesperson' or 'rapporteur' (used in formal British contexts
too).
Discutez entre vous.
Discuss this amongst yourselves. / Talk it through in your
group.
Partagez vos idées.
Share your ideas. / Pool your ideas.
'Pool your ideas' suggests combining ideas — very
useful.
Présentez vos résultats.
Present your findings. / Report back to the
class.
'Report back' is the standard British instruction after group
work.
Chaque groupe présente à tour de rôle.
Each group presents in turn.
Qu'est-ce que votre groupe a trouvé ?
What did your group come up with? / What were your group's
findings?
Répartissez-vous les tâches.
Divide the tasks among yourselves. / Allocate roles within
your group.
Mettez-vous d'accord sur une réponse commune.
Agree on a common answer. / Try to reach a
consensus.
'Reach a consensus' is formal and very useful.
Chaque membre doit contribuer.
Every member is expected to contribute.
See the grammar rule on 'be expected to'.
Présentez une synthèse de vos échanges.
Give a brief summary of your discussion.
'Synthèse' is usually best translated as 'summary', not
'synthesis'.
Défendez votre point de vue.
Defend your position. / Make a case for your point of
view.
'Make a case for' = argue in favour of.
Vous avez cinq minutes pour conclure.
You have five minutes to wrap up.
'Wrap up' = finish, conclude.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Group
/ɡruːp/
Long /uː/ vowel. Do not say /ɡrʊp/ — the vowel is fully long.
Spokesperson
/ˈspəʊkspɜːsən/
Four syllables: SPOKE-s-per-son. Stress on first syllable.
Findings
/ˈfaɪndɪŋz/
Two syllables: FIND-ingz. The final 's' = /z/.
Discuss
/dɪˈskʌs/
Stress on second syllable: dis-CUSS. The 'u' = /ʌ/ not /uː/.
Amongst
/əˈmʌŋst/
Stress on second syllable: a-MUNGST. British form.
Present
/prɪˈzɛnt/
As a verb: stress on second syllable: pre-ZENT. As a noun:
PREZ-ent.
consensus
/kənˈsɛnsəs/
Three syllables: kun-SEN-sus. Stress on second.
contribute
/kənˈtrɪbjuːt/
Three syllables: kun-TRIB-yoot. Stress on second (British).
allocate
/ˈæləkeɪt/
Three syllables: AL-uh-kate. Stress on first.
Chapter 4Asking Questions and Checking Understanding
These phrases help you engage students, verify their
understanding, and encourage them to participate actively during
lectures and tutorials.
4.1Opening questions to the class
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Qu'est-ce que vous savez sur... ?
What do you know about...? / What can you tell me
about...?
Open question — invites students to share prior
knowledge.
Est-ce que quelqu'un peut me dire... ?
Can anyone tell me...? / Who can tell me...?
Softer and more inclusive than targeting one student.
Qui sait ce que c'est que... ?
Does anyone know what... is? / Who is familiar
with...?
'Who is familiar with' is a softer, more inclusive
question.
À votre avis... ?
In your opinion...? / What do you think...?
Invites opinion — no single right answer expected.
Qu'est-ce que vous en pensez ?
What do you think? / What is your view on
this?
Avez-vous des questions ?
Do you have any questions? / Are there any
questions?
Ask this regularly — not only at the end.
Y a-t-il des questions ?
Are there any questions? / Does anyone have a
question?
Est-ce que ça va jusque-là ?
Is everyone following so far? / Are you with me so
far?
'Are you with me?' is very natural British classroom
English.
Vous me suivez ?
Are you following? / Is that clear so far?
Selon vous, quelles sont les implications de... ?
In your view, what are the implications of...?
Invites analysis, not only recall.
Comment expliqueriez-vous... ?
How would you account for...? / How would you
explain...?
'Account for' = expliquer, justifier — very academic.
Qu'est-ce qui vous permet d'affirmer cela ?
What evidence supports that claim? / What makes you say
that?
Encourages students to justify their answers.
Pouvez-vous développer ?
Could you elaborate on that? / Could you expand on
that?
'Elaborate on' and 'expand on' both take 'on'.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Opinion
/əˈpɪnjən/
Three syllables: o-PIN-ion. Stress on second. The 'o' = /ə/.
Familiar
/fəˈmɪliə/
Four syllables: fa-MIL-iar. Stress on second. Final '-ar' = /ə/.
Question
/ˈkwɛstʃən/
Two syllables: KWES-chun. '-tion' = /tʃən/, not /sjɔ̃/.
View
/vjuː/
One syllable: VYOO. Long /uː/. Do not pronounce as two syllables.
Anyone
/ˈɛniwʌn/
Three syllables: EN-ee-wun. Stress on first syllable.
Following
/ˈfɒləwɪŋ/
Three syllables: FOL-low-ing. Stress on first. The 'o' = /ɒ/.
4.2Checking understanding
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Vous avez compris ?
Did you follow that? / Is that clear? / Does that make
sense?
'Does that make sense?' is extremely common in British higher
education.
C'est clair ?
Is that clear? / Is everyone clear on that?
Est-ce que vous voyez ce que je veux dire ?
Do you see what I mean? / Do you follow?
Quelqu'un a une question sur ce point ?
Any questions on that point? / Does anyone have a question
about this?
Pouvez-vous répéter ce qu'on vient de dire ?
Can you tell me in your own words what we have just
said?
'In your own words' is the standard British academic
instruction.
Pouvez-vous reformuler ?
Can you rephrase that? / Can you put that in your own
words?
Est-ce que vous avez eu le temps de lire ?
Did you have time to do the reading? / Have you had a chance
to read...?
'Have you had a chance to...' is politer and more
common.
Pouvez-vous reformuler avec vos propres mots ?
Could you put that in your own words?
A more reliable check than 'Do you understand?'.
Quelqu'un peut-il résumer ce que nous venons de voir ?
Could someone summarise what we have just
covered?
Quel est le lien avec la séance précédente ?
How does this relate to what we saw last
session?
Checks the connections between ideas.
Ce point nécessite-t-il des éclaircissements ?
Does this point need any clarification?
'Clarification' is uncountable here: 'any
clarification'.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Clear
/klɪə/
One syllable: KLEER (British). The '-ear' = /ɪə/. Do not add a second
syllable.
Sense
/sɛns/
One syllable: SENS. Final 's' = /s/, not /z/.
Rephrase
/riːˈfreɪz/
Two syllables: re-FRAYZ. Stress on second syllable.
Summarise
/ˈsʌməraɪz/
Three syllables: SUM-a-rize. Stress on first. British spelling:
-ise.
Follow
/ˈfɒləʊ/
Two syllables: FOL-oh. Stress on first. The 'o' = /ɒ/.
Reading
/ˈriːdɪŋ/
Two syllables: REE-ding. Long /iː/. Do not shorten to /rɪdɪŋ/.
4.3Encouraging participation
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Quelqu'un veut répondre ?
Would anyone like to answer? / Does anyone want to have a
go?
'Have a go' = try. Very British and natural in class.
Oui, allez-y.
Yes, go ahead. / Please, go on.
Qui d'autre ?
Who else? / Anyone else?
Très bien, autre chose ?
Good, anything else? / That is good — is there anything to
add?
Vous êtes sur la bonne voie.
You are on the right track. / That is close.
C'est une bonne piste.
That is a good point. / That is a useful
observation.
Pas tout à fait, essayez encore.
Not quite — try again. / Almost — would you like to
reconsider?
'Would you like to reconsider?' is more respectful than 'try
again'.
Ne vous inquiétez pas si vous n'êtes pas sûr.
Don't worry if you're not sure.
Prenez votre temps.
Take your time.
Il n'y a pas de mauvaise réponse.
There are no wrong answers here.
Toutes les contributions sont les bienvenues.
All contributions are welcome.
N'hésitez pas à exprimer un avis différent.
Feel free to express a different view.
Encourages critical thinking.
J'aimerais entendre ceux qui n'ont pas encore parlé.
It would be good to hear from those who haven't spoken
yet.
Inclusive and polite.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Answer
/ˈɑːnsə/
AAHN-ser. British long /ɑː/. Silent 'w'.
Reconsider
/ˌriːkənˈsɪdə/
Four syllables: ree-kon-SID-er. Stress on third syllable.
Observation
/ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃən/
Five syllables: ob-zer-VAY-shun. Stress on fourth syllable.
Wrong
/rɒŋ/
One syllable: RONG. The 'o' = /ɒ/. The 'w' IS pronounced here.
Useful
/ˈjuːsfəl/
Two syllables: YOOS-ful. Starts with /j/ sound. Long /uː/.
Worried
/ˈwʌrid/
Two syllables: WUR-eed. The 'o' = /ʌ/. Not /wɒrid/.
Chapter 5Explaining and Defining Concepts
Explaining is the core of teaching. These phrases help you
introduce definitions, give examples, draw comparisons, and structure
your explanations clearly.
5.1Defining terms
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Par X, on entend...
By X, we mean... / X refers to...
'By X, we mean' is the most precise and academic
formulation.
X se définit comme...
X is defined as... / X can be defined as...
Le terme X signifie...
The term X means... / X stands for...
'Stands for' is used for abbreviations and acronyms.
X, c'est-à-dire...
X — that is to say... / X, in other words...
Use a dash before 'that is to say' in academic writing.
Autrement dit...
In other words... / Put differently...
En d'autres termes...
In other terms... / To put it another way...
La définition de X est la suivante :
The definition of X is as follows:
X est un concept qui...
X is a concept that... / X is a notion
which...
Il faut distinguer X de Y.
We need to distinguish X from Y.
Ne confondez pas X avec Y.
Don't confuse X with Y. / Be careful not to mix up X and
Y.
On appelle X...
X is referred to as... / X is known as...
'Referred to as' — passive + 'as'.
Ce terme vient de...
This term derives from... / This term is borrowed
from...
'Derive from' = venir de (étymologie).
Dans ce contexte, X désigne...
In this context, X denotes...
'Denote' is precise and formal; common in maths and CS.
Au sens large / au sens strict...
In the broad sense... / In the strict sense...
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Definition
/ˌdɛfɪˈnɪʃən/
Four syllables: def-i-NI-shun. Stress on third syllable.
Concept
/ˈkɒnsɛpt/
Two syllables: CON-sept. Stress on first. Do not drop the final
/t/.
Distinguish
/dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
Three syllables: dis-TING-gwish. Stress on second syllable.
Confuse
/kənˈfjuːz/
Two syllables: con-FYOOZ. Stress on second. Long /uː/.
Refers
/rɪˈfɜːz/
Two syllables: re-FERZ. Stress on second. British /ɜː/ — no
r-colouring.
Term
/tɜːm/
One syllable: TERM. The 'er' = /ɜː/ — no 'r' sound in British
English.
5.2Giving examples
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Par exemple...
For example... / For instance...
Both are standard. 'For instance' is slightly more
formal.
Prenons l'exemple de...
Let's take the example of... / Consider the case
of...
Comme le montre...
As shown by... / As illustrated by...
C'est le cas de...
This is the case with... / A good example of this
is...
Imaginez que...
Imagine that... / Suppose that...
Supposons que...
Let us suppose that... / Assume that...
Pour illustrer ce point...
To illustrate this point... / By way of
illustration...
Je prends un exemple concret.
Let me give a concrete example. / Let me give you a
practical example.
Un exemple typique est...
A typical example is... / A case in point
is...
'A case in point' = un exemple parfait.
Ceci s'applique notamment à...
This applies in particular to...
À l'inverse, un contre-exemple serait...
Conversely, a counter-example would be...
Counter-examples are essential in maths and logic.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Example
/ɪɡˈzɑːmpl/
Three syllables: ig-ZAAM-pl. Stress on second. 'x' = /gz/. British
long /ɑː/.
Instance
/ˈɪnstəns/
Two syllables: IN-stents. Stress on first. 'a' = schwa /ə/.
Concrete
/ˈkɒŋkriːt/
Two syllables: KONG-kreet. Stress on first in British English.
Illustrate
/ˈɪləstreɪt/
Three syllables: IL-us-trayt. Stress on first syllable.
Imagine
/ɪˈmædʒɪn/
Three syllables: i-MAJ-in. Stress on second. '-gine' = /dʒɪn/.
Suppose
/səˈpəʊz/
Two syllables: su-POZE. Stress on second. The 'o' = /əʊ/.
5.3Structuring an explanation
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Tout d'abord...
First of all... / To begin with...
Ensuite...
Then... / Next... / Following on from this...
De plus...
Furthermore... / Moreover... / In addition...
'Moreover' and 'Furthermore' are formal academic
connectors.
Cependant...
However... / Nevertheless... / That said...
'That said' is a very natural British English
connector.
En revanche...
On the other hand... / Conversely...
En effet...
Indeed... / In fact... / As a matter of
fact...
Note: 'En effet' does NOT mean 'In effect' — it means
'Indeed'.
C'est pourquoi...
This is why... / That is why... / Hence...
Il en résulte que...
As a result... / Consequently... / It follows
that...
En conclusion...
In conclusion... / To sum up... / To
summarise...
British spelling: 'summarise' (not 'summarize').
Pour résumer...
To summarise... / In brief... / To recap...
'To recap' is informal but very common in lectures.
Ce qu'il faut retenir, c'est...
The key point to remember is... / The main takeaway here
is...
'Takeaway' is increasingly common in British academic
English.
Par ailleurs...
In addition... / Besides...
'Par ailleurs' does not mean 'by the way' in academic
speech.
Il convient de noter que...
It is worth noting that... / It should be noted
that...
Il en découle que...
It follows that... / This implies that...
Very common in proofs.
Dans la mesure où...
Insofar as... / To the extent that...
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Furthermore
/ˈfɜːðəmɔː/
Three syllables: FUR-ther-more. Stress on first. The 'th' = /ð/
(voiced).
However
/haʊˈɛvə/
Three syllables: how-EV-er. Stress on second. Starts with /h/ — do
not drop it.
Consequently
/ˈkɒnsɪkwəntli/
Four syllables: CON-se-kwent-ly. Stress on first syllable.
Conclusion
/kənˈkluːʒən/
Three syllables: con-CLUE-zion. Stress on second. '-sion' =
/ʒən/.
Summarise
/ˈsʌməraɪz/
Three syllables: SUM-a-rize. Stress on first. British spelling:
-ise.
Indeed
/ɪnˈdiːd/
Two syllables: in-DEED. Long /iː/. Not a translation of 'In
effect'!
Chapter 6Using the Board, Slides, and Materials
These phrases help you direct students' attention to visual
materials, reference documents and slides, and use the board effectively
during your sessions.
6.1The board and slides
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Je vais écrire ça au tableau.
I'll write this on the board.
Regardez ce que j'écris.
Look at what I'm writing. / Watch the board.
Copiez ce qui est au tableau.
Copy what's on the board. / Write this down.
Je passe au slide suivant.
Let's move on to the next slide.
Revenons au slide précédent.
Let's go back to the previous slide.
Comme vous pouvez le voir sur ce slide...
As you can see on this slide... / Looking at this
slide...
La figure montre...
The figure shows... / As shown in the figure...
Le tableau ci-dessous résume...
The table below summarises...
British spelling: 'summarises' not 'summarizes'.
Je vous renvoie au polycopié.
Please refer to the handout. / Have a look at the
handout.
'Handout' is the standard British term for polycopié.
Vous trouverez ça sur le cours en ligne.
You'll find this on the online course page. / It's on the
VLE.
VLE = Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle, etc.)
Comme l'indique le schéma...
As the diagram shows... / As illustrated in the
diagram...
L'axe des abscisses représente...
The x-axis (horizontal axis) represents...
Abscisse = x-axis; ordonnée = y-axis.
La courbe augmente puis se stabilise.
The curve rises and then levels off.
'Level off' = se stabiliser.
Je vais projeter une courte vidéo.
I'm going to show a short video clip.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Slide
/slaɪd/
One syllable: SLIDE. The 'i' = /aɪ/. Do not say /slɪd/.
Figure
/ˈfɪɡə/
Two syllables: FIG-er. Stress on first. The '-ure' = /ə/ in
British.
Summarise
/ˈsʌməraɪz/
SUM-a-rize. Stress on first. The 'u' = /ʌ/. British -ise
spelling.
Handout
/ˈhændaʊt/
Two syllables: HAND-owt. Stress on first. The 'ou' = /aʊ/.
Previous
/ˈpriːviəs/
Three syllables: PREE-vee-us. Stress on first syllable.
Platform
/ˈplætfɔːm/
Two syllables: PLAT-form. Stress on first. The 'a' = /æ/.
6.2Referring to documents and texts
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Ouvrez le document à la page...
Open the document at page... / Turn to page...
'Turn to page' is the most natural British instruction.
Lisez le paragraphe...
Read paragraph... / Have a look at paragraph...
Ligne X, vous pouvez lire...
On line X, you can read... / Look at line X...
L'auteur dit que...
The author states that... / According to the
author...
Le texte fait référence à...
The text refers to... / The passage makes reference
to...
D'après ce texte...
According to this text... / Based on this
passage...
Je cite...
I quote... / And I quote...
Follow with the quotation, then say 'end of quote' or
'unquote'.
L'auteur soutient que...
The author argues that... / The author contends
that...
'Argue' = défendre une thèse, not 'se disputer'.
Comme le souligne l'auteur...
As the author points out... / As the author
emphasises...
Ce passage illustre bien...
This passage clearly illustrates...
Voir la note de bas de page.
See the footnote.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Paragraph
/ˈpærəɡrɑːf/
Three syllables: PAR-a-graaf. Stress on first. '-graph' = long
/ɑː/.
Author
/ˈɔːθə/
Two syllables: AW-ther. The 'th' = /θ/ (voiceless). The '-or' =
/ə/.
Passage
/ˈpæsɪdʒ/
Two syllables: PAS-ij. Stress on first. The '-age' = /ɪdʒ/.
Quote
/kwəʊt/
One syllable: KWOHT. The 'qu' = /kw/. The 'o' = /əʊ/.
Refers
/rɪˈfɜːz/
Two syllables: re-FERZ. Stress on second. British /ɜː/ — no
r-colouring.
Conclude
/kənˈkluːd/
Two syllables: con-KLOOD. Stress on second. Long /uː/.
Chapter 7Managing Student Participation
These phrases help you manage turn-taking, maintain attention,
redirect off-topic discussions, and respond to student questions in a
professional and respectful way.
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Levez la main si...
Raise your hand if... / Put your hand up if...
'Put your hand up' is more natural British English.
Oui, je vous écoute.
Yes, go ahead. / I'm listening.
Pouvez-vous parler plus fort ?
Could you speak up, please? / A little louder,
please.
Répétez s'il vous plaît.
Could you repeat that, please? / Sorry, could you say that
again?
Starting with 'Sorry' sounds more polite and natural.
Attendez votre tour.
Please wait your turn. / One at a time, please.
Ne parlez pas tous en même temps.
One at a time, please. / Let's hear one voice at a
time.
Laissez votre camarade finir.
Let your classmate finish. / Please let [name]
finish.
Recentrons-nous.
Let's refocus. / Let's bring it back to the
topic.
On s'éloigne du sujet.
We're getting off track. / Let's get back to the
point.
'Getting off track' is very common British English.
C'est une bonne question.
That's a good question. / That's an interesting
point.
Je vais y répondre dans un instant.
I'll come back to that in a moment. / I'll address that
shortly.
On reviendra là-dessus.
We'll come back to that. / I'll return to that point
later.
Je ne suis pas sûr(e) — je vais vérifier.
I'm not sure — I'll check and let you know.
Never pretend to know. This phrase shows academic
integrity.
C'est hors programme.
That's outside the scope of this module. / That's beyond our
syllabus.
Silence, s'il vous plaît.
Quiet, please. / Could I have your attention,
please?
'Could I have your attention' is more respectful in higher
education.
Faites attention.
Pay attention, please. / Please focus.
J'aimerais entendre d'autres points de vue.
I'd like to hear some other perspectives.
Merci pour cette contribution pertinente.
Thank you for that insightful contribution.
'Insightful' = pertinent, perspicace.
Pouvez-vous étayer votre propos ?
Could you back that up with an example? / Can you support
that point?
'Back up' = étayer.
Restons respectueux des opinions de chacun.
Let's keep the discussion respectful.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Attention
/əˈtɛnʃən/
Three syllables: a-TEN-shun. Stress on second. '-tion' = /ʃən/.
Louder
/ˈlaʊdə/
Two syllables: LOUD-er. The 'ou' = /aʊ/. The '-er' = /ə/ in
British.
Refocus
/riːˈfəʊkəs/
Three syllables: ree-FOH-kus. Stress on second syllable.
Moment
/ˈməʊmənt/
Two syllables: MOH-ment. Both 'o' sounds = /əʊ/ and /ə/.
Finish
/ˈfɪnɪʃ/
Two syllables: FIN-ish. Stress on first. The '-ish' = /ɪʃ/.
Module
/ˈmɒdjuːl/
Two syllables: MOD-yool. Stress on first. The 'u' = /jʊ/.
Chapter 8Handling Difficulties and Errors
The way you correct errors is one of the most important decisions
in a teaching session. Correction that is poorly timed or delivered can
silence a student. These phrases help you handle difficulties gently and
constructively.
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Vous avez fait une erreur.
There's an error here. / This isn't quite right.
Avoid 'You are wrong.' Use 'This isn't quite right' — less
personal.
Ce n'est pas tout à fait ça.
That's not quite right. / That's almost right — but not
quite.
Vous êtes sur la bonne voie.
You're on the right track. / That's close.
Réfléchissez encore.
Think about it a bit more. / Have another think.
'Have another think' is a very natural British
expression.
Quelqu'un peut corriger ?
Can anyone correct that? / Would anyone like to add to
that?
Voilà l'erreur classique.
That's a common mistake. / That's a mistake a lot of people
make.
Je comprends la confusion.
I understand the confusion. / It's easy to get confused
here.
C'est une question difficile.
That's a tricky question. / It's a difficult
question.
'Tricky' is informal but very common and natural in British
English.
Je ne comprends pas votre question.
I'm not sure I follow your question. / Could you rephrase
that?
Pouvez-vous reformuler ?
Could you rephrase that? / Could you put it another
way?
Je reviens dessus après la pause.
I'll come back to that after the break.
Ce n'est pas prévu dans le cours.
That's not covered in today's session. / That's not on
today's agenda.
C'est une erreur fréquente, et compréhensible.
It's a common and understandable mistake.
Vérifions ensemble votre raisonnement.
Let's check your reasoning together.
L'idée est bonne, mais la formulation est imprécise.
The idea is sound, but the wording is imprecise.
'Sound' = solide, valable.
J'ai fait une erreur au tableau — merci de l'avoir
remarqué.
I've made a mistake on the board — thank you for spotting
it.
Admitting your own errors builds trust.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Mistake
/mɪˈsteɪk/
Two syllables: mis-TAYK. Stress on second. '-ake' = /eɪk/.
Confuse
/kənˈfjuːz/
Two syllables: con-FYOOZ. Stress on second. Long /uː/.
Tricky
/ˈtrɪki/
Two syllables: TRIK-ee. Stress on first. The 'i' = /ɪ/.
Rephrase
/riːˈfreɪz/
Two syllables: ree-FRAYZ. Stress on second. '-phrase' = /freɪz/.
Agenda
/əˈdʒɛndə/
Three syllables: a-JEN-da. Stress on second. '-da' = schwa /ə/.
Difficulty
/ˈdɪfɪkəlti/
Four syllables: DIF-fi-kul-ty. Stress on first syllable.
Chapter 9Group Work and Tutorials
These phrases help you set up and manage group activities,
practical sessions (TP), and directed tutorials (TD).
9.1Setting up group work
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Vous allez travailler en groupe.
You're going to work in groups.
Formez des binômes / des groupes de trois.
Work in pairs. / Get into groups of three.
Chaque groupe a la même tâche.
Each group has the same task.
Les groupes ont des tâches différentes.
Each group has a different task.
Vous avez quinze minutes.
You have fifteen minutes.
À la fin, vous présentez vos résultats.
At the end, you'll present your findings to the
class.
Désignez quelqu'un pour prendre des notes.
Choose someone to take notes.
Désignez un porte-parole.
Choose a spokesperson for your group.
Chaque membre aura un rôle précis.
Each member will have a specific role.
Veillez à ce que tout le monde participe.
Make sure everyone contributes.
Rédigez vos conclusions.
Write up your conclusions.
'Write up' = rédiger un compte rendu.
9.2During tutorials (TD / TP)
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
C'est un TD / TP.
This is a tutorial. / This is a practical session. / This is
a lab session.
Tutorial = TD. Practical / Lab = TP.
L'objectif du TD est de...
The aim of this tutorial is to...
Appliquez ce qu'on a vu en cours.
Apply what we covered in the lecture.
Voici un exercice d'application.
Here's a practice exercise. / This is an application
exercise.
Corrigez l'exercice avec votre voisin.
Check your answers with your neighbour.
On va corriger ensemble.
Let's go over the answers together. / We'll correct this as a
class.
'Go over' = reviser / corriger ensemble.
Qui a trouvé autre chose ?
Did anyone find a different answer? / Has anyone got a
different result?
Quelle méthode avez-vous utilisée ?
What method did you use? / Which approach did you
take?
Montrez votre raisonnement.
Show your working. / Walk me through your
reasoning.
'Show your working' is standard British academic
English.
Justifiez chaque étape de votre démonstration.
Justify each step of your proof.
Vérifiez vos résultats sur un exemple simple.
Check your results against a simple example.
Commentez votre code.
Comment your code.
Here 'comment' is a verb: add comments to the code.
Le TP est à rendre sous forme de compte rendu.
The practical must be submitted as a lab report.
'Compte rendu de TP' = lab report.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Spokesperson
/ˈspəʊkspɜːsən/
Four syllables: SPOKE-s-per-son. Stress on first syllable.
Tutorial
/tjuːˈtɔːriəl/
Four syllables: tyu-TOR-ree-al. British: /tjuː/ not /tuː/.
Practical
/ˈpræktɪkəl/
Three syllables: PRAK-ti-kl. Stress on first. The 'a' = /æ/.
Neighbour
/ˈneɪbə/
Two syllables: NAY-ber. Stress on first. The '-bour' = /bə/.
Method
/ˈmɛθəd/
Two syllables: METH-od. The 'th' = /θ/ (voiceless). Stress on
first.
Reasoning
/ˈriːzənɪŋ/
Three syllables: REE-zon-ing. Stress on first. Long /iː/.
Chapter 10Assessment, Exams, and Marking
These phrases cover every stage of assessment: announcing and
explaining it, conducting an exam, and giving feedback on student
work.
10.1Explaining assessment
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Il y aura un examen en fin de semestre.
There will be an exam at the end of the
semester.
L'évaluation se compose de...
The assessment consists of... / You will be assessed
on...
'Assessed on' is standard British academic English.
Il y a un contrôle continu.
There is continuous assessment.
'Continuous assessment' = contrôle continu.
Le devoir est à rendre le...
The assignment is due on... / The deadline is...
'Due on' and 'deadline' are the standard British terms.
La date limite est le...
The deadline is... / Work must be submitted
by...
'Submit' is the formal academic term for rendre un
devoir.
Rendez votre travail sur la plateforme.
Submit your work on the platform. / Upload your work to the
VLE.
Le barème est le suivant...
The marking scheme is as follows... / The breakdown of marks
is...
'Marking scheme' is standard British academic English.
La note est sur 20.
The work is marked out of 20.
British universities often use percentages or letter
grades.
Il y a un coefficient de...
This component is worth... / This carries a weighting
of...
'Weighting' is the British academic term for
coefficient.
Les critères d'évaluation sont les suivants...
The assessment criteria are as follows...
'Criteria' is plural; the singular is 'criterion'.
La note finale est calculée comme suit...
The final mark is calculated as follows...
Le rattrapage aura lieu en juin.
The resit will take place in June.
'Resit' = session de rattrapage.
10.2During an exam
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Vous pouvez commencer.
You may begin. / Please start.
Vous avez deux heures.
You have two hours.
Il vous reste trente minutes.
You have thirty minutes remaining. / Thirty minutes
left.
Posez votre stylo.
Please put down your pens. / Stop writing.
'Put down your pens' is the traditional British exam
instruction.
Ne parlez pas pendant l'examen.
No talking during the exam.
Les documents sont autorisés / interdits.
Documents are permitted. / This is a closed-book
exam.
'Closed-book exam' = examen sans document autorisé.
Si vous avez une question, levez la main.
If you have a question, raise your hand.
N'oubliez pas d'écrire votre nom.
Don't forget to write your name. / Please ensure your name is
on your paper.
Répondez aux trois questions.
Answer all three questions. / You must answer three
questions.
Choisissez deux questions sur quatre.
Answer two questions out of four. / Choose two from
four.
Aucun appareil électronique n'est autorisé.
No electronic devices are allowed.
Relisez vos réponses avant de rendre votre copie.
Check your answers before you hand in your
paper.
L'épreuve est terminée.
The exam is now over. / Time is up.
10.3Giving feedback on work
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Votre travail est bien structuré.
Your work is well-structured.
L'argumentation manque de rigueur.
The argumentation lacks rigour. / The argument needs to be
more rigorous.
British spelling: 'rigour' (not 'rigor').
Les sources ne sont pas citées correctement.
The sources are not cited correctly. / Please check your
referencing.
'Referencing' is the standard British term for citing
sources.
Vous devez développer votre analyse.
You need to develop your analysis. / This needs more
depth.
L'introduction pose bien la problématique.
The introduction clearly sets out the research
question.
La conclusion est trop courte.
The conclusion is too brief. / The conclusion needs to be
developed.
Attention au plagiat.
Be careful about plagiarism. / Please be aware of the
plagiarism policy.
Voir mes commentaires en marge.
Please see my comments in the margin.
La note est de X sur 20.
Your mark is X out of 20.
'Mark' is British English.
Votre raisonnement est convaincant.
Your argument is convincing. / Your argument is
compelling.
L'analyse reste trop descriptive.
The analysis remains too descriptive; it needs more critical
evaluation.
Very frequent feedback in British universities.
Vous devez mieux articuler vos idées.
You need to link your ideas more clearly.
Bon travail dans l'ensemble.
Good work overall.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Assessment
/əˈsɛsmənt/
Three syllables: a-SES-ment. Stress on second syllable.
Deadline
/ˈdɛdlaɪn/
Two syllables: DED-line. Stress on first. Not /diːdlaɪn/.
Submit
/səbˈmɪt/
Two syllables: sub-MIT. Stress on second. Do not stress the first
syllable.
Rigour
/ˈrɪɡə/
Two syllables: RIG-er. British spelling: rigour.
Plagiarism
/ˈpleɪdʒərɪzəm/
Four syllables: PLAY-jer-iz-em. Stress on first syllable.
Weighting
/ˈweɪtɪŋ/
Two syllables: WAYT-ing. Stress on first. The 'ei' = /eɪ/.
Chapter 11Academic Vocabulary for University Teachers
This chapter provides the key academic vocabulary you need to
discuss your field, your institution, and your teaching in
English.
Four syllables: pree-REK-wi-zit. Stress on second.
Dissertation
/ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃən/
Four syllables: dis-er-TAY-shun. Stress on third.
Methodology
/ˌmɛθəˈdɒlədʒi/
Five syllables: meth-uh-DOL-uh-jee. Stress on third. 'th' =
/θ/.
Thesis
/ˈθiːsɪs/
Two syllables: THEE-sis. Voiceless /θ/, never /t/.
Chapter 12Email and Written Communication with Students
University teachers must write emails and communications in
clear, professional British English. This chapter provides ready-to-use
phrases for all common academic email situations.
12.1Email opening phrases
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Madame, Monsieur,
Dear [Title] [Name], / Dear all,
Always use 'Dear' in formal British academic emails. Never
'Hello' alone.
Chère promotion,
Dear all, / Dear students,
Suite à votre message...
Further to your email... / Following your
message...
'Further to' is formal British English.
Je fais suite à notre conversation...
Following on from our conversation...
Je me permets de vous contacter...
I am writing to... / I am contacting you
regarding...
En réponse à votre question...
In response to your question... / To answer your
query...
J'accuse réception de votre message.
Thank you for your email. / I acknowledge receipt of your
email.
'Thank you for your email' sounds warmer.
Je me permets de vous relancer au sujet de...
I am writing to follow up on...
'Follow up on' = relancer.
12.2Giving information by email
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Je vous informe que...
Please be advised that... / I would like to inform you
that...
Veuillez trouver ci-joint...
Please find attached... / I have attached...
'Please find attached' is standard British professional
email.
Le cours est annulé.
Today's session has been cancelled. / The class is
cancelled.
Le cours est reporté au...
The session has been rescheduled to... / The class has been
moved to...
La salle a changé.
The room has changed. / Please note the new
room.
La date limite est le...
The deadline is... / Work must be submitted
by...
Pour toute question...
If you have any questions... / Should you have any
queries...
Je vous prie de bien vouloir...
I would be grateful if you could...
Polite, formal request.
Merci de noter que...
Please note that...
Vous trouverez les détails ci-dessous.
Please find the details below.
12.3Email closing phrases
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Cordialement,
Kind regards, / Best regards,
'Kind regards' is the standard British professional
sign-off.
Bien cordialement,
With kind regards, / Best wishes,
Dans l'attente de votre réponse...
I look forward to hearing from you.
Note: 'look forward to HEARING' (gerund). Not 'to hear'.
N'hésitez pas à me contacter.
Please don't hesitate to contact me. / Feel free to get in
touch.
Bonne journée.
Have a good day. / All the best.
Je reste à votre disposition pour tout renseignement
complémentaire.
Please let me know if you need any further
information.
More natural than 'I remain at your disposal'.
En vous remerciant par avance.
Thank you in advance. / Many thanks in advance.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Regarding
/rɪˈɡɑːdɪŋ/
Three syllables: re-GAR-ding. Stress on second. British /ɑː/ in
'gar'.
Sincerely
/sɪnˈsɪəli/
Three syllables: sin-SEER-lee. Stress on second. '-ly' = /li/.
Further
/ˈfɜːðə/
Two syllables: FUR-ther. The 'th' = /ð/ (voiced). No r-colouring in
British.
Attached
/əˈtætʃt/
Two syllables: a-TACHT. Stress on second. The '-ch' = /tʃ/.
Hesitate
/ˈhɛzɪteɪt/
Three syllables: HEZ-i-tayt. Stress on first. The 'h' is fully
pronounced.
Available
/əˈveɪləbl/
Four syllables: a-VAYL-a-bl. Stress on second syllable.
Chapter 13Academic Phrase Bank: Formal Language for Lectures
These expressions give your lectures and your written feedback a
formal, academic register. Use them to hedge claims, emphasise key
points, refer to research, compare ideas, give examples and
conclude.
13.1Hedging and expressing caution
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Il semble que...
It appears that... / It would seem that...
Softens a claim; typical of research writing.
Il est possible que...
It is possible that... / This may suggest
that...
'May' and 'might' signal caution.
Dans une certaine mesure...
To some extent, ... / To a certain degree, ...
Les résultats tendent à montrer que...
The results tend to indicate that...
On peut supposer que...
One might assume that... / It is reasonable to assume
that...
'One' is impersonal and formal.
Cela reste à démontrer.
This remains to be demonstrated. / This has yet to be
proven.
13.2Emphasising and highlighting
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Il convient de souligner que...
It is worth noting that... / It should be emphasised
that...
'It is worth + -ing' is very common.
J'insiste sur ce point.
I would like to stress this point.
Ce qui est essentiel, c'est...
What is crucial here is...
Noun clause as subject (see 2.2).
Notamment...
In particular, ... / Notably, ...
'In particular' is the safer choice in most contexts.
Il faut bien distinguer...
It is important to distinguish between... and...
'Distinguish between A and B'.
Force est de constater que...
It must be acknowledged that...
No literal equivalent; do not translate word for word.
13.3Referring to research and sources
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Selon X...
According to X, ...
Never 'According to me' — say 'In my view'.
Comme le souligne X...
As X points out, ... / As X argues, ...
Des travaux récents montrent que...
Recent studies have shown that... / Recent research suggests
that...
'Research' is uncountable: never 'researches'.
D'après la littérature...
The literature suggests that...
Cette idée a été proposée par...
This idea was first put forward by...
'Put forward' = proposer.
Nous nous appuyons sur les travaux de...
We draw on the work of...
'Draw on' = s'appuyer sur.
13.4Comparing and contrasting
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
De même...
Similarly, ... / Likewise, ...
En revanche...
By contrast, ... / In contrast, ...
'In contrast to X' needs 'to'.
Alors que...
Whereas... / While...
Links two clauses in one sentence.
Contrairement à...
Unlike... / Contrary to...
'Unlike' compares things; 'contrary to' contradicts a
belief.
Par rapport à...
Compared with... / In comparison with...
Néanmoins...
Nevertheless, ... / Nonetheless, ...
13.5Giving examples and illustrating
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Par exemple...
For example, ... / For instance, ...
Prenons l'exemple de...
Let us take the example of... / Consider the case
of...
À titre d'illustration...
By way of illustration, ... / To illustrate this,
...
C'est-à-dire...
That is to say, ... / In other words, ...
Written abbreviation: 'i.e.'
Tel que...
Such as...
'Such as' introduces examples; 'i.e.' introduces a
definition.
Un cas typique est...
A typical case is... / A case in point is...
'A case in point' = un exemple parfait.
13.6Summarising and concluding
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
En résumé...
In summary, ... / To summarise, ...
En conclusion...
In conclusion, ... / To conclude, ...
En définitive...
Ultimately, ... / All things considered, ...
Il ressort de cette analyse que...
This analysis shows that... / It emerges from this analysis
that...
Cela nous amène à...
This brings us to... / This leads us to...
Good transition to the next point.
Pour aller plus loin...
For further reading, ... / To take this further,
...
Appendix APronunciation Guide for French Speakers
A brief practical reference for the most commonly mispronounced
sounds. These are intended as teacher notes — background knowledge to
inform your instruction, not a phonetics course.
A.1Key sounds to practise
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
/p/ (pen, park, people)
No equivalent in Arabic or sometimes in French. Unvoiced
bilabial plosive. Hold a piece of paper — it should flutter when you say
'pen'.
Practice: 'Please put your pens down. A practical
problem.'
/v/ (very, give, live)
French has /v/ but some speakers replace it with /f/ or /b/
in English. The upper teeth rest on the lower lip, and the sound is
voiced.
Practice: 'Very good. The virtual machine.'
/θ/ (three, think, thanks)
Voiceless — tongue tip lightly between upper and lower front
teeth. Often replaced by /t/ or /s/ by French speakers.
Practice: 'Thank you. Think about this. Three methods.'
/ð/ (this, the, that)
Voiced — same position as /θ/ but with voice. Often replaced
by /d/ or /z/ by French speakers.
Practice: 'This is the answer. That is correct.'
Word stress — British English
British English word stress is unpredictable. Wrong stress =
misunderstanding. Examples: 'reCORD' (verb) vs 'REcord'
(noun).
Practice: 'We'll reCORD our PROgress on this REcord
sheet.'
Schwa /ə/
The most common English vowel. Unstressed syllables almost
always become /ə/: 'the' = /ðə/, 'about' = /əˈbaʊt/. Do not pronounce
every letter.
Practice: 'The teacher about to begin the lecture.'
Short vs long vowels
/ɪ/ (short) 'sit' vs /iː/ (long) 'seat'. /ʊ/ (short) 'full'
vs /uː/ (long) 'fool'. These distinctions matter for
meaning.
Practice: 'Please take your seat and sit down.'
A.2Commonly mispronounced academic words
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
Vocabulary
/vəˈkæbjʊləri/
Note: stress on 2nd syllable. Not /vɒkæbjuˈlɛəri/.
University
/juːnɪˈvɜːsɪti/
Stress on 3rd syllable. The first syllable = /juː/ — do not say
/uːni/.
Student
/ˈstjuːdənt/
British: /stj/ not /st/. 'Stjoo-dent'. Not 'stoo-dent'.
Research
/rɪˈsɜːtʃ/
British stress: 2nd syllable. reh-SEARCH (not REE-search).
Essay
/ˈɛseɪ/
Stress on 1st syllable. ESS-ay. Not /eɪˈseɪ/.
Develop
/dɪˈvɛləp/
Stress on 2nd syllable. de-VEL-op. Not 'dev-EL-op'.
Analysis
/əˈnælɪsɪs/
Stress on 2nd syllable. a-NAL-y-sis. Not 'ANA-lysis'.
Hypothesis
/haɪˈpɒθɪsɪs/
Stress on 2nd syllable. hy-POTH-e-sis. Not 'HYPO-thesis'.
Colleague
/ˈkɒliːɡ/
COL-eeg. Not coll-EEG. Two syllables only.
Architecture
/ˈɑːkɪtɛktʃə/
Four syllables: AR-ki-tek-cher. Stress on first. The '-ture' =
/tʃə/.
Algorithm
/ˈælɡərɪðm/
Four syllables: AL-go-ri-thm. Stress on first. Final '-thm' =
/ðm/.
Database
/ˈdeɪtəbeɪs/
Three syllables: DAY-ta-base. Stress on first. The 'a' = /eɪ/.
Software
/ˈsɒftweə/
Two syllables: SOFT-wair. Stress on first. '-ware' = /wɛə/.
Interface
/ˈɪntəfeɪs/
Three syllables: IN-ter-face. Stress on first. '-face' = /feɪs/.
February
/ˈfɛbrʊəri/
Feb-roo-ary. Both r sounds present. Do not drop the first r.
Appendix BSample Teaching Materials in English
A model tutorial sheet and a model exam paper written in English.
Use them as templates for your own modules.
B.1Example of a tutorial
Week 1
Tutorial: Structured Reasoning
Exercise 1 –
Architecture vs Code
Consider
the case study SmartCoursesystem, which is an AI-based
educational web application with:
Web interface
Backend server
Database
External AI API
Tasks:
Identify what belongs
to:
Architecture
Implementation
Is
choosing Python an architectural decision? Why?
Is using
FastAPI an architectural decision? Why?
Exercise 2 –
System Decomposition
Present students
with the SmartCoursesystem:
Frontend (React)
Backend (FastAPI)
Database (Neo4j)
AI Service (OpenAI API)
Task Decision Component
Tasks:
Identify major
components
Draw a high-level
component diagram
Identify
dependencies between components
Identify
which components are internal vs external
Good luck
B.2Example of an exam
Exam
(In 28/09/2026, Duration: 2 Hours)
Part
1 : Lecture Questions (10 pts)
What is the Mobile Application Development? (02
pts).
Explain the concept of Activity (02 pts).
Explain the concept of Callback methods (02
pts).
What is the difference between Activity and Service (02
pts).
Explain the two uses of a Handler? (02 pts).
Part 2:
Programming (10 pts)
Give the code (Activity, Thread, and Service) of an application that
multiplies two matrices with random values and dimensions.
Good Luck
Appendix CMathematical, Logic and Computer Science Notation
How to name and read aloud the symbols and formulas you write on
the board, in English and in French.
C.1Mathematical symbols
Symbol
Français
English
Meaning / Use
Example
+
Plus
Plus
Addition
−
Moins
Minus
Subtraction
×
Multiplié par
Times
Multiplication
÷
Divisé par
Divided by
Division
=
Egal
Equals
Equality
≠
Différent de
Not equal
Inequality
<
Inférieur à
Less than
Comparison
>
Supérieur à
Greater than
Comparison
≤
Inférieur ou égal
Less than or equal
Bound
≥
Supérieur ou égal
Greater or equal
Bound
∞
Infini
Infinity
Unbounded value
√
Racine carrée
Square root
Root
∑
Somme
Summation
Sum of series
∏
Produit
Product
Multiplication of series
∫
Intégrale
Integral
Calculus
∂
Dérivée partielle
Partial derivative
Calculus
≈
Environ égal à
Approximately equal to
Approximation
∝
Proportionnel à
Proportional to
Proportionality
±
Plus ou moins
Plus or minus
Tolerance / two values
|x|
Valeur absolue
The absolute value of x
Magnitude
n!
Factorielle
n factorial
1 × 2 × … × n
lim
Limite
The limit as x tends to …
Limit
∇
Nabla / gradient
Nabla (del), the gradient
Vector of partial derivatives
log
Logarithme
Log (logarithm)
Inverse of the exponential
C.2Logic symbols
Symbol
Français
English
Meaning
Example
∧
et
AND
Conjunction
A ∧ B
∨
ou
OR
Disjunction
A ∨ B
¬
non
NOT
Negation
¬A
⇒
implique
implies
Implication
A ⇒ B
⇔
équivalent
if and only if
Equivalence
A ⇔ B
∀
pour tout
for all
Universal quantifier
∀x
∃
il existe
there exists
Existential quantifier
∃x
∈
appartient à
belongs to
set membership
x ∈ A
∉
n’appartient pas
not in
exclusion
x ∉ A
⊂
inclus dans
subset
inclusion
A ⊂ B
⊆
inclus ou égal
subset or equal
inclusion
A ⊆ B
∅
ensemble vide
empty set
no elements
∅
∪
union
union
Set union
A ∪ B
∩
intersection
intersection
Set intersection
A ∩ B
⊕
ou exclusif
exclusive OR (XOR)
Exclusive disjunction
A ⊕ B
∃!
il existe un unique
there exists a unique
Unique existence
∃! x
⊤ / ⊥
vrai / faux
true / false (top / bottom)
Truth constants
⊥
C.3Computer science symbols
Symbol
Français
English
Meaning
Example
:=
affectation
assignment
assign value
x := 5
→
flèche
arrow
mapping / transition
A → B
⇒
implique
implies
logic/programming
if A ⇒ B
λ
lambda
lambda
anonymous function
λx.x+1
O(n)
ordre de
Big-O notation
complexity
O(n²)
[]
tableau
array
data structure
arr[0]
{}
ensemble / bloc
set / block
structure
{1,2,3}
()
parenthèses
parentheses
grouping/function
f(x)
//
commentaire
comment
code comment
// note
/* */
commentaire bloc
block comment
multi-line
/* text */
==
égalité
equality
comparison
x == y
!=
différent
not equal
comparison
x != y
&&
et logique
logical AND
condition
A && B
||
ou logique
logical OR
condition
A || B
!
non logique
logical NOT
negation
!A
%
modulo
modulo (mod)
remainder
7 % 3 = 1
++
incrémentation
increment
add one
i++
<=
inférieur ou égal
less than or equal to
comparison
i <= n
->
flèche (pointeur)
arrow (member access)
pointer member
p->next
<<
décalage à gauche
left shift
bitwise shift
x << 2
Θ(n)
thêta de n
Big-Theta (tight bound)
exact complexity
Θ(n log n)
∘
composition
composition ('f after g')
function composition
(f ∘ g)(x)
C.4Reading mathematical formulas aloud
Read a formula from left to right. Say "of" for a function
applied to something, "over" for a fraction, "sub" for a subscript and
"to the power" for an exponent.
Formula
English — how to say it
Français — comment le dire
a + b = c
a plus b equals c
a plus b égale c
a − b
a minus b
a moins b
a × b / ab
a times b / a multiplied by b
a fois b / a multiplié par b
a / b
a over b / a divided by b
a sur b / a divisé par b
x², x³
x squared, x cubed
x au carré, x au cube
xⁿ
x to the power n / x to the n
x puissance n
√x, ∛x
the square root of x, the cube root of x
racine carrée de x, racine cubique de x
f(x)
f of x
f de x
f : A → B
f maps A to B / f from A to B
f de A dans B
f′(x)
f prime of x / the derivative of f
f prime de x
dy/dx
d y by d x / the derivative of y with respect to
x
d y sur d x
∂f/∂x
partial f by partial x
d rond f sur d rond x
∫ₐᵇ f(x) dx
the integral from a to b of f of x, d x
intégrale de a à b de f de x d x
Σᵢ₌₁ⁿ xᵢ
the sum of x i, for i from one to n
somme pour i allant de 1 à n de x indice i
lim x→0 f(x)
the limit of f of x as x tends to zero
limite de f de x quand x tend vers zéro
n!
n factorial
factorielle n
(n k) / C(n, k)
n choose k
k parmi n / combinaison de k parmi n
log₂ n
log base two of n
logarithme en base deux de n
eˣ
e to the x / the exponential of x
exponentielle de x
|x|
the absolute value of x / mod x
valeur absolue de x
aᵢⱼ
a i j / a sub i j
a indice i j
Aᵀ, A⁻¹
A transpose, A inverse
A transposée, A inverse
x ∈ ℝ
x belongs to R / x is a real number
x appartient à R
∀x ∃y
for all x, there exists y such that…
pour tout x, il existe y tel que…
P(A | B)
the probability of A given B
probabilité de A sachant B
E[X]
the expected value of X
espérance de X
a ≡ b (mod n)
a is congruent to b modulo n
a est congru à b modulo n
C.5Reading code and computer science formulas aloud
In code, name symbols by what they do (assignment, comparison)
rather than by their shape, except where programmers use the shape name
(dot, arrow, bang).
Formula
English — how to say it
Français — comment le dire
x = 5
x is assigned five / set x to five
affecter 5 à x / x reçoit 5
x == y
x is equal to y (double equals)
x égal égal y / x est égal à y
x != y
x is not equal to y (bang equals)
x différent de y
x += 1
x plus equals one / increment x by one
x plus égal un / incrémenter x de un
i++
i plus plus / increment i
i plus plus / incrémenter i
a[i]
a at index i / a sub i
a de i / élément d'indice i de a
a[i][j]
a i j / row i, column j of a
a de i j / ligne i, colonne j de a
f(x, y)
f of x comma y / call f with x and y
f de x virgule y / appeler f avec x et y
obj.method()
obj dot method
obj point method
p->next
p arrow next
p flèche next
A && B
A and B
A et B
A || B
A or B (double pipe)
A ou B
!A
not A (bang A)
non A
x % 2 == 0
x mod two equals zero (x is even)
x modulo 2 égal zéro (x est pair)
x << 1
x shifted left by one bit
x décalé à gauche d'un bit
O(n log n)
big O of n log n
grand O de n log n
O(1)
big O of one / constant time
grand O de un / temps constant
T(n) = 2T(n/2) + n
T of n equals two T of n over two, plus n
T de n égale deux T de n sur deux, plus n
if (x > 0) … else …
if x is greater than zero, … otherwise …
si x est supérieur à zéro, … sinon …
for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
for i from zero to n minus one
pour i allant de zéro à n moins un
while (x != 0)
while x is not equal to zero
tant que x est différent de zéro
λx. x + 1
lambda x dot x plus one
lambda x point x plus un
// … , # … , /* … */
comment (double slash, hash, slash star)
commentaire
\n, \t
backslash n (new line), backslash t (tab)
antislash n (retour à la ligne), antislash t
(tabulation)
0x1F
hex one F / hexadecimal one F
zéro x un F (hexadécimal)
a → b
a maps to b / a goes to b
a donne b / a va vers b
C.6Reading probability formulas aloud
The formulas used most in probability and statistics, then the
key probability words with their pronunciation. Say "given" for the
vertical bar | and "follows" or "is distributed as" for ~.
Formula
English — how to say it
Français — comment le dire
P(A)
the probability of A
la probabilité de A
P(A ∩ B) or P(A, B)
the probability of A and B
la probabilité de A et B (A inter B)
P(A ∪ B) = P(A) + P(B) − P(A ∩ B)
the probability of A or B equals P of A plus P of B minus P
of A and B
P de A union B égale P de A plus P de B moins P de A inter
B
P(Aᶜ) = 1 − P(A)
the probability of not A (the complement of A) equals one
minus P of A
P du complémentaire de A égale un moins P de A
P(A | B) = P(A ∩ B) / P(B)
the probability of A given B equals P of A and B over P of
B
P de A sachant B égale P de A inter B sur P de B
P(A | B) = P(B | A) P(A) / P(B)
Bayes' rule: P of A given B equals P of B given A, times P of
A, over P of B
formule de Bayes : P de A sachant B égale P de B sachant A fois P
de A, sur P de B
P(A ∩ B) = P(A) P(B)
A and B are independent: P of A and B equals P of A times P
of B
A et B sont indépendants : P de A inter B égale P de A fois P de
B
X ⊥ Y
X is independent of Y
X est indépendant de Y
X ~ N(μ, σ²)
X follows a normal distribution with mean mu and variance
sigma squared
X suit une loi normale de moyenne mu et de variance sigma
carré
X ~ B(n, p)
X follows a binomial distribution with parameters n and
p
X suit une loi binomiale de paramètres n et p
P(X = k) = C(n, k) pᵏ (1 − p)ⁿ⁻ᵏ
the probability that X equals k is n choose k, times p to the
k, times one minus p to the power n minus k
P de X égale k égale k parmi n, fois p puissance k, fois un moins
p puissance n moins k
X ~ Poisson(λ)
X follows a Poisson distribution with parameter
lambda
X suit une loi de Poisson de paramètre lambda
X ~ U(a, b)
X is uniformly distributed between a and b
X suit une loi uniforme sur a, b
f(x) and F(x) = P(X ≤ x)
f of x, the probability density function; capital F of x, the
cumulative distribution function, is the probability that X is less than
or equal to x
f de x, la densité ; F de x, la fonction de répartition, égale P
de X inférieur ou égal à x
E[X] = Σ x P(X = x)
the expected value of X is the sum over x of x times the
probability that X equals x
l'espérance de X est la somme sur x de x fois P de X égale
x
E[X] = ∫ x f(x) dx
the expectation of X is the integral of x f of x, d
x
l'espérance de X est l'intégrale de x f de x, d x
E[aX + b] = a E[X] + b
the expectation of a X plus b equals a times the expectation
of X, plus b (linearity)
l'espérance de a X plus b égale a fois l'espérance de X plus b
(linéarité)
Var(X) = E[X²] − (E[X])²
the variance of X equals the expectation of X squared minus
the square of the expectation of X
la variance de X égale l'espérance de X carré moins le carré de
l'espérance de X
σ = √Var(X)
sigma, the standard deviation, is the square root of the
variance of X
sigma, l'écart type, est la racine carrée de la variance de
X
Cov(X, Y) = E[XY] − E[X] E[Y]
the covariance of X and Y equals the expectation of X Y minus
the expectation of X times the expectation of Y
la covariance de X et Y égale l'espérance de X Y moins
l'espérance de X fois l'espérance de Y
ρ = Cov(X, Y) / (σₓ σᵧ)
rho, the correlation coefficient, equals the covariance of X
and Y over sigma x times sigma y
rhô, le coefficient de corrélation, égale la covariance de X et Y
sur sigma x fois sigma y
x̄ = (1/n) Σ xᵢ
x bar, the sample mean, equals one over n times the sum of
the x i
x barre, la moyenne empirique, égale un sur n fois la somme des x
i
p(x, y)
the joint distribution of x and y
la loi jointe de x et y
p(x) = Σ_y p(x, y)
the marginal of x is the sum over y of p of x and
y
la loi marginale de x est la somme sur y de p de x et y
L(θ) = Π p(xᵢ | θ)
the likelihood of theta is the product over i of p of x i
given theta
la vraisemblance de thêta est le produit sur i de p de x i
sachant thêta
θ̂ = argmax_θ L(θ)
theta hat is the arg max over theta of the
likelihood
thêta chapeau est l'argmax sur thêta de la vraisemblance
H(p) = −Σ p(x) log p(x)
the entropy of p equals minus the sum over x of p of x log p
of x
l'entropie de p égale moins la somme sur x de p de x log p de
x
KL(p ‖ q)
the KL divergence of p from q / KL of p against
q
la divergence de Kullback-Leibler de p par rapport à q
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
distribution
/ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən/
Four syllables: dis-tri-BYOO-shun. Stress on third.
random variable
/ˈrændəm ˈveəriəbəl/
RAN-dum VAIR-ee-uh-bl.
likelihood
/ˈlaɪklihʊd/
Three syllables: LIKE-lee-hood.
conditional
/kənˈdɪʃənəl/
Four syllables: kun-DISH-uh-nul.
independent
/ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt/
Four syllables: in-di-PEN-dunt.
marginal
/ˈmɑːdʒɪnəl/
Three syllables: MAH-ji-nul. Soft 'g' /dʒ/.
prior / posterior
/ˈpraɪə/, /pɒˈstɪəriə/
PRY-uh; pos-TEER-ee-uh.
Bayes / Bayesian
/beɪz/, /ˈbeɪziən/
BAYZ; BAY-zee-un. 'Bayes' rule' = BAYZ ROOL.
Bernoulli
/bɜːˈnuːli/
Three syllables: bur-NOO-lee.
binomial
/baɪˈnəʊmiəl/
Four syllables: by-NOH-mee-ul.
Poisson
/ˈpwɑːsɒn/
PWAH-son, close to the French.
uniform
/ˈjuːnɪfɔːm/
Three syllables: YOO-ni-form.
normal / Gaussian
/ˈnɔːməl/, /ˈɡaʊsiən/
NOR-mul; GOW-see-un.
mean / median / mode
/miːn/, /ˈmiːdiən/, /məʊd/
MEEN; MEE-dee-un; MOHD.
standard deviation
/ˈstændəd ˌdiːviˈeɪʃən/
STAN-dud dee-vee-AY-shun.
covariance
/kəʊˈveəriəns/
Four syllables: koh-VAIR-ee-uns.
correlation
/ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃən/
Four syllables: kor-uh-LAY-shun.
entropy
/ˈɛntrəpi/
Three syllables: EN-truh-pee.
divergence
/daɪˈvɜːdʒəns/
Three syllables: dy-VUR-juns.
estimator
/ˈɛstɪmeɪtə/
Four syllables: ES-ti-may-tuh.
sample
/ˈsɑːmpəl/
Two syllables: SAHM-pl. Long /ɑː/.
quartile / percentile
/ˈkwɔːtaɪl/, /pəˈsɛntaɪl/
KWOR-tile; puh-SEN-tile.
histogram
/ˈhɪstəɡræm/
Three syllables: HIS-tuh-gram.
cumulative
/ˈkjuːmjələtɪv/
Four syllables: KYOO-myu-luh-tiv.
C.7Pronunciation of key mathematical words
The words you use most when reading formulas aloud, with their
British pronunciation.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
squared
/skweəd/
One syllable: SKWAIRD. Final /d/, not /t/.
cubed
/kjuːbd/
One syllable: KYOOBD.
power
/ˈpaʊə/
Two syllables: POW-uh. 'x to the power n'.
root
/ruːt/
Long /uː/; rhymes with 'boot'.
derivative
/dɪˈrɪvətɪv/
Four syllables: di-RIV-uh-tiv. Stress on second.
partial
/ˈpɑːʃəl/
Two syllables: PAR-shul.
integral
/ˈɪntɪɡrəl/
Three syllables: IN-ti-grul. Stress on first, not in-TEG-ral.
sum
/sʌm/
Pronounced exactly like 'some'.
limit
/ˈlɪmɪt/
Two syllables: LIM-it. Short /ɪ/ twice.
factorial
/fækˈtɔːriəl/
Four syllables: fak-TOR-ee-ul.
logarithm
/ˈlɒɡərɪðəm/
Four syllables: LOG-uh-ri-thum. Voiced /ð/.
exponential
/ˌɛkspəˈnɛnʃəl/
Four syllables: ex-puh-NEN-shul.
absolute
/ˈæbsəluːt/
Three syllables: AB-suh-loot. Stress on first.
transpose
/trænsˈpəʊz/
Two syllables: trans-POZE. Stress on second.
inverse
/ˈɪnvɜːs/
Two syllables: IN-vurs. Stress on first.
congruent
/ˈkɒŋɡruənt/
Three syllables: KONG-groo-unt.
modulo
/ˈmɒdjʊləʊ/
Three syllables: MOD-yu-loh. Usually shortened to 'mod'.
probability
/ˌprɒbəˈbɪlɪti/
Five syllables: prob-uh-BIL-i-tee. Stress on third.
expectation
/ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən/
Four syllables: ex-pek-TAY-shun.
matrix
/ˈmeɪtrɪks/
Two syllables: MAY-triks. Plural 'matrices' /ˈmeɪtrɪsiːz/.
vector
/ˈvɛktə/
Two syllables: VEK-tuh. Final /ə/, no 'r'.
equation
/ɪˈkweɪʒən/
Three syllables: i-KWAY-zhun. Here '-tion' = /ʒən/.
theorem
/ˈθɪərəm/
Two syllables: THEER-um. Voiceless /θ/, never /t/.
algebra
/ˈældʒɪbrə/
Three syllables: AL-ji-bruh. Soft 'g' /dʒ/.
calculus
/ˈkælkjələs/
Three syllables: KAL-kyu-lus.
geometry
/dʒiˈɒmətri/
Four syllables: jee-OM-uh-tree. Stress on second.
arithmetic
/əˈrɪθmətɪk/
Noun: uh-RITH-muh-tik. Adjective: arith-MET-ic.
statistics
/stəˈtɪstɪks/
Three syllables: stuh-TIS-tiks.
variable
/ˈveəriəbəl/
Four syllables: VAIR-ee-uh-bl. Stress on first.
coefficient
/ˌkəʊɪˈfɪʃənt/
Four syllables: koh-i-FISH-unt.
polynomial
/ˌpɒlɪˈnəʊmiəl/
Five syllables: pol-i-NOH-mee-ul.
quadratic
/kwɒˈdrætɪk/
Three syllables: kwod-RAT-ik.
function
/ˈfʌŋkʃən/
Two syllables: FUNK-shun. The 'u' = /ʌ/.
domain
/dəˈmeɪn/
Two syllables: duh-MAYN. Stress on second.
infinity
/ɪnˈfɪnɪti/
Four syllables: in-FIN-i-tee.
sequence
/ˈsiːkwəns/
Two syllables: SEE-kwuns.
series
/ˈsɪəriːz/
Two syllables: SEER-eez. Same form in the singular and plural.
convergence
/kənˈvɜːdʒəns/
Three syllables: kun-VUR-juns.
gradient
/ˈɡreɪdiənt/
Three syllables: GRAY-dee-unt.
eigenvalue
/ˈaɪɡənˌvæljuː/
Four syllables: EYE-gun-val-yoo.
determinant
/dɪˈtɜːmɪnənt/
Four syllables: di-TUR-mi-nunt.
hypotenuse
/haɪˈpɒtənjuːz/
Four syllables: hy-POT-uh-nyooz.
perpendicular
/ˌpɜːpənˈdɪkjələ/
Five syllables: pur-pun-DIK-yu-luh.
parallel
/ˈpærəlɛl/
Three syllables: PAR-uh-lel. Stress on first.
diameter
/daɪˈæmɪtə/
Four syllables: dy-AM-i-tuh.
radius / radii
/ˈreɪdiəs/, /ˈreɪdiaɪ/
RAY-dee-us; plural RAY-dee-eye.
axis / axes
/ˈæksɪs/, /ˈæksiːz/
AK-sis; plural AK-seez.
vertex / vertices
/ˈvɜːtɛks/, /ˈvɜːtɪsiːz/
VUR-teks; plural VUR-ti-seez.
graph
/ɡrɑːf/
One syllable. British long /ɑː/: GRAHF.
average
/ˈævərɪdʒ/
Three syllables: AV-uh-rij. Final /ɪdʒ/.
variance
/ˈveəriəns/
Three syllables: VAIR-ee-uns.
deviation
/ˌdiːviˈeɪʃən/
Four syllables: dee-vee-AY-shun.
percentage
/pəˈsɛntɪdʒ/
Three syllables: puh-SEN-tij.
ratio
/ˈreɪʃiəʊ/
Three syllables: RAY-shee-oh.
fraction
/ˈfrækʃən/
Two syllables: FRAK-shun.
numerator / denominator
/ˈnjuːməreɪtə/, /dɪˈnɒmɪneɪtə/
NYOO-muh-ray-tuh; di-NOM-i-nay-tuh.
zero / nought
/ˈzɪərəʊ/, /nɔːt/
ZEER-oh. British English also says 'nought' (0.5 = nought point
five).
topology
/təˈpɒlədʒi/
Four syllables: tuh-POL-uh-jee.
isomorphism
/ˌaɪsəˈmɔːfɪzəm/
Five syllables: eye-suh-MOR-fiz-um.
stochastic
/stəˈkæstɪk/
Three syllables: stuh-KAS-tik. 'ch' = /k/.
Gaussian
/ˈɡaʊsiən/
Three syllables: GOW-see-un.
Euler
/ˈɔɪlə/
Two syllables: OY-luh, not 'YOO-ler'.
Cartesian
/kɑːˈtiːziən/
Four syllables: kah-TEE-zee-un.
C.8Pronunciation of key computer science words and symbol names
Words and symbol names that French speakers often mispronounce in
programming classes.
Pronunciation · key words
Word
Pronunciation (IPA)
Tip for French Speakers
parentheses ( )
/pəˈrɛnθəsiːz/
Four syllables: puh-REN-thuh-seez. British also say 'brackets'.
square brackets [ ]
/skweə ˈbrækɪts/
BRAK-its. Curly brackets { } are also called 'braces'.
asterisk *
/ˈæstərɪsk/
Three syllables: AS-tuh-risk. Not 'asterix'.
ampersand &
/ˈæmpəsænd/
Three syllables: AM-puh-sand.
hash #
/hæʃ/
One syllable: HASH. Short /æ/.
slash / backslash \
/slæʃ/, /ˈbækslæʃ/
One and two syllables: SLASH, BACK-slash.
tilde ~
/ˈtɪldə/
Two syllables: TIL-duh.
caret ^
/ˈkærət/
Two syllables: KAR-ut, same as 'carrot'.
underscore _
/ˌʌndəˈskɔː/
Three syllables: un-duh-SCORE.
pipe |
/paɪp/
One syllable: PIPE. '||' = 'double pipe' or 'or'.
boolean
/ˈbuːliən/
Three syllables: BOO-lee-un.
integer
/ˈɪntɪdʒə/
Three syllables: IN-ti-juh. Soft 'g' /dʒ/.
char
/tʃɑː/
Usually like the start of 'charcoal'; some say 'care' or 'car'.
array
/əˈreɪ/
Two syllables: uh-RAY. Stress on second.
index / indices
/ˈɪndɛks/, /ˈɪndɪsiːz/
IN-deks; plural IN-di-seez (or 'indexes').
pointer
/ˈpɔɪntə/
Two syllables: POYN-tuh.
recursion
/rɪˈkɜːʃən/
Three syllables: ri-KUR-shun.
increment
/ˈɪŋkrəmənt/
Three syllables: ING-kruh-ment. Stress on first.
queue
/kjuː/
One syllable, same as the letter Q.
cache
/kæʃ/
One syllable, same as 'cash'. Not /kaʃe/.
lambda
/ˈlæmdə/
Two syllables: LAM-duh. The 'b' is silent.
hexadecimal
/ˌhɛksəˈdɛsɪməl/
Five syllables: hek-suh-DES-i-mul.
asymptotic
/ˌæsɪmpˈtɒtɪk/
Four syllables: as-imp-TOT-ik.
SQL
/ˌɛs kjuː ˈɛl/ or /ˈsiːkwəl/
Say the letters 'S-Q-L' or 'sequel'.
GUI
/ˈɡuːi/
Two syllables: GOO-ee.
Linux
/ˈlɪnʊks/
Two syllables: LIN-uks.
compiler
/kəmˈpaɪlə/
Three syllables: kum-PY-luh.
interpreter
/ɪnˈtɜːprɪtə/
Four syllables: in-TUR-pri-tuh.
syntax
/ˈsɪntæks/
Two syllables: SIN-taks.
semantics
/sɪˈmæntɪks/
Three syllables: si-MAN-tiks.
iteration
/ˌɪtəˈreɪʃən/
Four syllables: it-uh-RAY-shun.
execute
/ˈɛksɪkjuːt/
Three syllables: EK-si-kyoot. Stress on first.
execution
/ˌɛksɪˈkjuːʃən/
Four syllables: ek-si-KYOO-shun.
debug
/diːˈbʌɡ/
Two syllables: dee-BUG.
thread
/θrɛd/
One syllable. Voiceless /θ/, not /t/.
process / processes
/ˈprəʊsɛs/, /ˈprəʊsɛsɪz/
British: PROH-ses; plural PROH-ses-iz.
scheduler
/ˈʃɛdjuːlə/
Three syllables: SHED-yoo-luh. Stress on first.
kernel
/ˈkɜːnəl/
Two syllables: KUR-nl. Sounds like 'colonel'.
protocol
/ˈprəʊtəkɒl/
Three syllables: PROH-tuh-kol.
router / route
/ˈruːtə/, /ruːt/
ROO-tuh and ROOT: both rhyme with 'boot'.
server
/ˈsɜːvə/
Two syllables: SUR-vuh.
bandwidth
/ˈbændwɪdθ/
Two syllables: BAND-width. Final /dθ/.
latency
/ˈleɪtənsi/
Three syllables: LAY-tun-see.
encryption
/ɪnˈkrɪpʃən/
Three syllables: in-KRIP-shun.
cipher
/ˈsaɪfə/
Two syllables: SY-fuh.
authentication
/ɔːˌθɛntɪˈkeɪʃən/
Five syllables: aw-then-ti-KAY-shun.
binary
/ˈbaɪnəri/
Three syllables: BY-nuh-ree.
byte
/baɪt/
Pronounced exactly like 'bite'.
gigabyte
/ˈɡɪɡəbaɪt/
GIG-uh-bite. Hard 'g' at the start.
hierarchy
/ˈhaɪərɑːki/
Four syllables: HY-uh-rah-kee. 'ch' = /k/.
inheritance
/ɪnˈhɛrɪtəns/
Four syllables: in-HER-i-tuns.
polymorphism
/ˌpɒliˈmɔːfɪzəm/
Five syllables: pol-ee-MOR-fiz-um.
encapsulation
/ɪnˌkæpsjʊˈleɪʃən/
Five syllables: in-kap-syu-LAY-shun.
object
/ˈɒbdʒɪkt/
Noun: OB-jikt (stress first). Verb: ob-JECT.
tuple
/ˈtjuːpəl/
British: TYOO-pl. Also heard: TUP-l.
heap / stack
/hiːp/, /stæk/
Long /iː/ in heap (pronounce the 'h'); short /æ/ in stack.
node
/nəʊd/
One syllable: NOHD.
null
/nʌl/
One syllable, rhymes with 'dull'. Not 'nool'.
void
/vɔɪd/
One syllable: VOYD.
virtual
/ˈvɜːtʃuəl/
Three syllables: VUR-choo-ul.
regex
/ˈrɛdʒɛks/
REJ-eks (from 'regular expression').
JSON
/ˈdʒeɪsən/
JAY-sun, like the name Jason.
URL / API
/ˌjuː ɑːr ˈɛl/, /ˌeɪ piː ˈaɪ/
Say the letters: U-R-L, A-P-I.
Wi-Fi
/ˈwaɪfaɪ/
WHY-fy.
Python
/ˈpaɪθən/
PY-thun. Voiceless /θ/.
Java
/ˈdʒɑːvə/
JAH-vuh.
C# / C++
/siː ʃɑːp/, /siː plʌs plʌs/
'C sharp' (not 'C hash'); 'C plus plus'.
GitHub
/ˈɡɪthʌb/
GIT-hub. Hard 'g'.
data
/ˈdeɪtə/
British: DAY-tuh. Grammatically plural ('the data are'), often used
as singular.
machine learning
/məˈʃiːn ˈlɜːnɪŋ/
muh-SHEEN LUR-ning.
neural network
/ˈnjʊərəl ˈnɛtwɜːk/
NYOOR-ul NET-wurk.
artificial intelligence
/ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃəl ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/
ah-ti-FISH-ul in-TEL-i-juns.
quantum
/ˈkwɒntəm/
Two syllables: KWON-tum.
Appendix DArtificial Intelligence: Vocabulary, Phrases and Formulas
The words, classroom phrases and formulas you need to teach
artificial intelligence and machine learning in English, with their
pronunciation.
D.1AI vocabulary
Français
English (British)
Note / Tip
Intelligence artificielle (IA)
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Say the letters 'A-I'. French 'IA' becomes 'AI' in
English.