Preface xi I. First Elements of French 1. Nouns, Articles, and Descriptive Adjectives Gender and Number of Nouns and Articles The Definite Article Masculine Nouns Feminine Nouns Masculine and Feminine Articles Before a Vowel Sound or Mute h Singular Nouns and the Definite Article Learning the Gender of Nouns The Indefinite Article Masculine Nouns Feminine Nouns Plural Nouns Pronouncing the Plural Descriptive Adjectives Agreement of Adjectives in Gender a