French ILL, Y and UI: How the Glide Sounds Work

French spelling often hides glide sounds. The goal is not to memorise every spelling rule independently, but to hear when the tongue moves rapidly from one vowel-like position into another.

Start with clear contrasts: fille, travail, yeux, lui. Hear each target first, then copy the movement without inserting an extra English vowel.

English speakers often add an extra syllable, harden the glide into a consonant, or read the spelling too literally.

Work in three stages: isolated word → short phrase → natural sentence. Record yourself and check whether the glide stays quick when speech speeds up.

Hear it → understand the placement or pattern → produce it → contrast it → practise it in words → practise it in sentences → test it again at natural conversational speed.

Do not stop at isolated sounds. The final test is whether the target survives inside connected French without forcing the mouth or slowing the entire sentence.