French Experience Commitment
Introduction
I try to get CLB 5 of French in 60 days. I need to create a plan and execute it.
Language learning is a skill that must be mastered by the body. The emphasis is on physical acquisition rather than cognition. It is not a type of knowledge that requires deep intellectual exploration, but rather a skill that must be trained until it is embodied — mastered by the body rather than the mind.
Most things in life fall into this category of skill. I have held this view for several years, yet I have not truly committed to any single activity and practiced it consistently over the long term. I hope to conduct such an experiment over the next 60 days.
Experiment Goal:
Reach French CLB 5 from zero foundation within 60 days.
Method:
I plan to start directly from speaking question banks. I will not study grammar or pronunciation systematically. Instead, I will select a speaking question, ask ChatGPT to generate a French answer, and then memorize it word by word, sentence by sentence, sound by sound.
Currently, I allocate 3 full hours per day to French.
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1 hour for research and clarification of knowledge. During this time, I will focus on:Looking up grammar points, Organizing vocabulary and pronunciation
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The remaining time is divided into 30-minute blocks: vocabulary memorization, pronunciation practice, and sentence memorization.
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During fragmented time throughout the day, I will practice word pronunciation only, without focusing on memorization.
Elimination of Alternative Paths:
For the next 60 days, I will not make any major changes to my learning method. I will deliberately eliminate the feasibility of alternative approaches.
There will be no strategic adjustments, no switching of methods, and no exploration of other learning frameworks.
This is a closed experiment. The execution itself is the focus.
Resource
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anki: How to use
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question bank: Notion
Time Investment Analysis
The average effective study time to reach CLB5 (B1) level in a language is 350–600 hours. This is the global statistical range for language learning (B1 level).
Usually the time is distributed as following:
| Skill | Percentage | Hours (350–600h) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 25–30% | 90–180h | Understand everyday conversations and short talks |
| Speaking | 25–30% | 90–180h | Produce coherent sentences and daily expressions |
| Reading | 20–25% | 70–150h | Comprehend short texts, signs, and simple articles |
| Writing | 15–20% | 50–120h | Write everyday notes, letters, and describe experiences |
| Total | 100% | 350–600h |
Our goal is only listening and speaking, but these four aspects cannot be completely decoupled. Based on these two factors, we will increase the time spent on listening and speaking by 50%, while only retaining the vocabulary improvement aspect for reading and writing.
| Skill | Percentage | Hours (350–600h) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 35–45% | 135–270h | Understand everyday conversations and short talks |
| Speaking | 35–45% | 135–270h | Produce coherent sentences and daily expressions |
| Reading | 10–12% | 35–70h | Only vocabulary |
| Writing | % | 0 | |
| Total | 100% | 300–600h |
A 300-hour commitment is feasible. If you complete it in 60 days, you will need 5 hours a day. In addition to the 3 full hours, you will need an extra 2-3 hours of spare time to practice speaking and listening.