A&I - Dialogue 1: The Tie Guy

The letters A and I present difficulties for native French speakers. So I have invented two characters called "A" and "I". They will use a lot of words with long A and I sounds. Long sounds sound like the names of the letters - A (like EH in French) and I (like AIE in French).

Les lettres A et I présentent des difficultés pour les francophones. J'ai donc inventé deux personnages appelés "A" et "I". Ils utiliseront beaucoup de mots avec de longs sons A et I. Les sons longs ressemblent aux noms des lettres - A (comme EH en français) et I (comme AIE en français).

Here is a short dialog between A&I.
Voici un court dialogue entre A & I.

A - Hi I!

I - Hey A!

A - Why I! I like your new tie!

I - Say A! Thanks for saying so!

A - But I! Why the tie?

I - It was my birthday yesterday, A. 

A - Did someone buy you a tie, I?

I - My cousin Jay, A. He bought it on eBay!

A - No way! I think I need a tie too, I!

I - I agree A. You need a tie too!

A - Where can I buy a tie?

I - Hmmmm. Why, I know! There's a new tie shop in town.

A - What's the name?

I - It's called "The Tie Guy".

A - Why, that rhymes! I like it!

I - I like it too!

A - Oh look! I spy "The Tie Guy".

I - Hey A! High five!

A - I want to buy a tie at "The Tie Guy"!

I - You can try!

A - And look, I. They have free wifi!

I - Great ties and free wifi! Sigh! It's to die for!

*****A goes into shop and buys a tie from The Tie Guy*****

A - Why, I. Do you like my new tie?

I - I like it, A! Say! What did you pay?

A - Only $5.88. [five eighty-eight]

I - That's a good buy for a tie!

A - You don't say! 

I - What a great day, A!
A - Bye, I. Gotta fly!
I - Bye-bye! Enjoy your tie!

Now watch the video!

Maintenant, regardez la vidéo!

© ME!

What type of pipe?

Let's practice saying the "YPE" or "IPE" that we find in these words:

I don't pay attention to all that hype.
Dom smokes a pipe.
Is that avocado ripe?
Can we Skype?
What type of pizza would you like?
Can you wipe the table?

Je ne fais pas attention à tout ce battage médiatique.
Dom fume une pipe.
Est-ce que cet avocat est mûr?
Pourrions-nous avoir une conversation sur Skype?
Quel type de pizza aimeriez-vous?
Pouvez-vous essuyer la table?

Let's practice with this sentence:

What type of pipe is she wiping?

Watch this short video with Dom and Colleen in a pipe shop.

© ME!

The answer:

She is wiping a Peterson pipe.

Find a kind rind

More pronunciation practice, this time with "IND" as in the words:

I'm in a bind. = Je suis dans une impasse.
We dined at Lucie's restaurant last night. = Nous avons dîné au restaurant de Lucie hier soir.
I can't find my glasses. = Je ne peux pas trouver mes lunettes.
Can you grind the meat? = Pouvez-vous broyer la viande?
The dog stood up on his hind legs. = Le chien se dressa sur ses pattes de derrière.
Lucie is a very kind girl. = Lucie est une fille très gentille.
The coat is lined in silk. = Le manteau est doublé de soie.
What's on your mind? = Qu'est-ce qui préoccupe votre esprit?
Please put the orange rind in the compost. = S'il vous plaît mettez la peau d'orange dans le compost.
They signed the cheque. = Ils ont signé le chèque.
He whined all through the meal. = Il a gémit tout au long du repas.
The road winds through the valley. = La route serpente à travers la vallée.

We will practice with the sentence:

I want to find a kind rind.

Here is the sentence in Colleen's accent:

Here is the sentence in Dom's accent:

How now brown cow?

The "OW" sound in English is difficult for French speakers. So, let's practice using the question:

How now brown cow?

Here's Colleen speaking in a Canadian/American type accent:



Here's Dom speaking in an English/mid-Atlantic type accent:

Vidéo - Apprenez les sons, les consonnes, en anglais

The consonants in English: