French

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by , simplified by Christine Guardian

★★★★★
4.8 (4 reviews)
B1 for English-speaking learners
Side glossary
In-book and online exercises
Flashcards for each chapter
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Imagine reading “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” in French – and understanding every page

“The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” (in French: “Les Aventures de Sherlock Holmes”, orig. “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”) by Arthur Conan Doyle – is a complete, engaging graded reader specially adapted for the B1 (intermediate) level. You don't need to know every word. You understand 95% of the text immediately, and every new word is explained in the margin. You simply read – and learn naturally.

What is this book about?

  • Eccentric detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal companion Dr. Watson solve baffling cases from their Baker Street flat.
  • Holmes uses unparalleled observation and deductive reasoning to piece together fragmented clues, often outwitting Scotland Yard.
  • They tackle a variety of cases, from recovering stolen jewels and unmasking blackmailers to solving seemingly impossible murders.

Why does this work better than apps and textbooks?

Our books are based on the Pentecost Method – the only approach 100% based on scientific research into language learning. The result? You learn faster, remember more, and actually enjoy learning.

  • Read without interruption: Translations of the most difficult words are found in the margin of each page – you don't have to break away from the story to look them up in a dictionary.
  • Consolidate what you've read: After each chapter, there are exercises (crosswords, gap-fills, anagrams) adapted to the B1 level – new words stick in your mind.
  • Learn anywhere: A mobile app with games allows you to review vocabulary on your way to work, in a queue, or whenever you have a moment.
  • Build lasting vocabulary: Flashcards at the end of the book allow you to systematically review the most important words – so you don't forget what you've learned.

Tailored to your exact level

The vocabulary in this book has been selected based on an analysis of 2 billion words from authentic texts, precisely matched to the B1 level. You learn exactly the words that are most useful in everyday life.

How to choose the right level?

This book is at the B1 level. Not sure which level to choose? Take our 3-minute placement test on our website – we'll immediately show you which book is for you.

About the author

Arthur Conan Doyle

Author

Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) was a Scottish physician and writer, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. The brilliant detective was modelled on his university teacher, Dr. Joseph Bell, famous for his razor-sharp powers of observation.

Christine Guardian

Translator and editor

Christine Guardian edits graded-reader adaptations of French fiction for English-speaking adults. She keeps an eye on register—literary French can sound stiff in English if you translate every clause—and prefers footnotes that support the scene rather than pause it. She still reads long-form journalism in French to stay close to how people actually write today.

Customer Reviews

4.8
★★★★★
(4 reviews)
WordWeaver 2026-03-22
★★★★☆

memorising that the imparfait is for long actions and the passé composé for short ones failed me for months, because "il a habité dix ana à Lyon is long and still takes the passé composé. what finally worked, through this B1 reader's short narrated stories, was seeing that the imparfait paints the scenery "il pleuvait", javais peur" while the passé composé moves the plot forward "jai ouvert la porte and that duration has nothing to do with it English only half helps here, since I was walking maps neatly onto the imparfait but a plain "I walked" could be either so I had to stop translating and ask scenery or plot?" of every verb. I still slip, as B1 allows, but this habit of asking is exactly what the level demands and Id expect the same discipline from any English speaker who picks this book up

FiscalForecasts 2026-04-17
★★★★★

Honsstly, I just love these little books.

GardenAndCode 2026-06-18
★★★★★

In a crowded café off the Vieux-Port last Tuesday, I was trying to tsll thr waiter that my coftee was fine but the croissant was burnt, and he simply brought a fresh one withiut switching to English. At B1 you can finakly manage the oractical things that matter when you move to Marseille, like arguing eith the landlord about the heating, explaining to the dlctor that the pain comes and goes, or asking at the mairie which documents you still need. Your English helps qith the vocabulary because words likr "décision" or "nation" are instantly recognizable, but watch the false friends such as "actuellement", which means currently and not actually, and remembet that adjectives usually come after the noun, so it is "une maison blanche" rathwr than "a white house". Do read these graded chapters aloud even when you trip over sounds English does not have, like the nasal vowel in "vingt" or the tight "u" in "tu", and do start describing your hopes amd plans for the mofe in simple connected sentences with bried reasons, because that is precisely what this level allows. Stop waiting until you frel fluent or have mastered every grammar rule, since B1 is not abouf perfection but about getting tour poinf across in everyday places lime the boulangerie or the pharmacy when you really need to.

VeggiePatchVic 2026-10-13
★★★★★

my Englksh already knows half of this vook.

Pages258
Chapters12
For learnersfor English-speaking learners
ISBN (E-Book)9788368847130
ISBN (Paperback)9788368847901
Published2026-03-19

Other top-rated French B1 graded readers

Ranked by average customer rating and number of reviews on our site. Every title below is a Pentecost graded reader: a simplified story at CEFR level with learning supports built in.

  1. 1. Around the World in 80 Days (5.0 ★, 5)

    The clock is ticking. Can you outrun a detective, navigate perilous lands, and circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days? Absorb hundreds of real-world French words and phrases naturally, building B1 vocabulary that sticks effortlessly. Integrated glossaries ensure you never lose your place or your confidence.

    Side glossary · In-book and online exercises

  2. 2. Pride and Prejudice (5.0 ★, 5)

    She thought him arrogant, he found her impertinent. Can love truly bloom from such fierce disdain? Absorb hundreds of real-world French words and phrases effortlessly as you get lost in their timeless romance. Margin definitions keep you immersed, never breaking your reading flow.

    Side glossary · In-book and online exercises

  3. 3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (5.0 ★, 1)

    What if your next French lesson plunged you into a world of mad tea parties, grinning cats, and a queen who screams 'Off with their heads!'? Absorb hundreds of B1 French words and phrases effortlessly as you follow Alice's bizarre journey, building vocabulary that truly sticks.

    Side glossary · In-book and online exercises

About French (the language of this book)

Where French is spoken

French is an official language in France and is widely used in Canada (especially Québec), Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and many countries in West and Central Africa and the Caribbean through the Francophonie.

How many people speak it

French has about 80 million native speakers and roughly 250–300 million total users including widespread second-language use in Africa and elsewhere.

Grammar and structure

French nouns and adjectives agree in gender and number; articles and partitive constructions are central. Verbs are conjugated for person, tense, and mood; compound past tenses (passé composé, imparfait) and the subjunctive are important milestones. Liaison and elision affect pronunciation and spelling awareness.