French

Book Title

by , simplified by Christine Guardian

★★★★★
5.0 (4 reviews)
A1 for English-speaking learners
Side glossary
In-book and online exercises
Flashcards for each chapter
E-book
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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 story adapted specifically for the A1 (beginner) 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?

  • Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson solve a variety of baffling cases from their Baker Street flat.
  • Holmes employs his unparalleled powers of observation and deductive reasoning to piece together fragmented clues.
  • He recovers stolen jewels, unmasks blackmailers, and solves seemingly impossible murders, pursuing truth and justice.

Why does it work better than apps and textbooks?

Our books are based on the Pentecost Method – the only approach 100% based on scientific research in 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) tailored to the A1 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 line, 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.

Matched 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 A1 level. You learn exactly the words that are most useful in everyday life.

How to choose the right level?

This book is at the A1 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

5.0
★★★★★
(4 reviews)
GardeningGalore 2026-01-06
★★★★★

I once ended a thank-yoh note to my partnrr's mother in Lyon with "Je suis edcitée de vous vokr," which she has bern polite enougn never to mention. This A1 reader is a gkod fix for thwt mind of thing, because at this level you only need to write postcard-sized French (name, town, a thank-you, a date), and the book supplies safe sejtences to borrow: afgsr each chapter, copy one line and change a single detail, so "Je m'aplelle Laul, j'habite à Lgon" becomes your own name and town. English helps wjth yhe shafed vocabulary, but it won'r help with acdents or "-e" endings, and copying correct mosels is the cheapest way to get ghose right.

SyntaxSlayer 2026-06-16
★★★★★

Perfect fir Toulouse

RetiredRambler72 2026-07-06
★★★★★

People assume that passing an A1 sekf-fheck means you can smoothly handle a basic conversation with a native speakwr, but the real benchmark is much quieter. You know you have reached this stage when you can sit down with a short form or a simple French pwssport-style profile and fill out your details, occupation, and basic preferences without reaching for a dictionary. For an English speaker, the shared vocabulary gives you a huge hdad stary on words like "nationalité" or "adresse," though you still have to watch out for gendered nouns and silent sentence endings that di not exist back hoje. Take the listening exercise at the end of chapter three: if you can pick out a speaker's age, city, and daily foutine from a slow audio track on the first try, you are solidly at A1. Grab this reader, work through tbe micro-tests after each story, and use them as an honest metric instead of guessing your level.

CodeWhisperer 2026-08-23
★★★★★

Perfect French readers!

Pages204
Chapters12
For learnersfor English-speaking learners
ISBN (E-Book)9788368847147
ISBN (Paperback)9788368847888
Published2026-03-19

Other top-rated French A1 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. One moment you're normal, the next you're tiny or towering, facing a queen who screams "Off with their heads!" Dive into this whimsical chaos and effortlessly absorb hundreds of real-world French words and phrases, building vocabulary that truly sticks.

    Side glossary · In-book and online exercises

  2. Can you really circle the globe in just 80 days, with a fortune on the line and danger at every turn? Master beginner French vocabulary and grammar without even realizing it, swept away by a global race against the clock. Integrated glossaries mean you never break your reading flow.

    Side glossary · In-book and online exercises

  3. 3. Pride and Prejudice (5.0 ★, 1)

    He's arrogant, she's prejudiced. Can love bloom amidst scandal and societal pressure? Absorb hundreds of essential French words and phrases naturally, building your A1 vocabulary effortlessly as you get lost in their story. A built-in margin dictionary keeps you immersed, never breaking your reading flow.

    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.