My only complaint is that it speaks American English!
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Yes David I agree, that can be annoying but I have found if you use real English such as saying toilet not bathroom or trousers not pants, Bill instead of cheque it will usually still accept it. But I agree and I’m sure knowing the “Mexican woman is eating a pizza” in French really will come in handy one day! Lol
Yes Ann it’s pretty good on the whole I’ve learnt a fair bit so far, it’s good at teaching you the right accents on the letters etc. And does so in a fairly easy way. I like it, may not suit everyone’s learning styles but as a good start I think it’s good.
In UK I ask for the Bill in a restaurant and directions to the Ladies Room…and certainly Trousers are worn outside (pants go underneath).
In France in a restaurant I say… l’addition svp… and (discretely) …où sont les toilettes… works for me. 
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I remember when I used to help my step-son with his English homework (he’s French) and the lessons always used American words rather than English words. So, words like “candy” or “sidewalk” and many others. It really used to annoy me. French people are far more likely to visit the UK than the US aren’t they?
In Britain I would never ask for the cheque at the end of a meal or ask to go to the washroom. The most important differation I ever discovered however was when drawing with American children to refer to erasers not rubbers.
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Yes I agree there, not come across many school exchange trips to the USA ! 
The use of subway is annoying too, I believe that there is a French sandwich chain called this so, maybe it could lead to confusion!
As most French signs do actually say ‘toilettes’ then toilet is the word I use. 
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I’m a member of an American car owner’s forum and of course my location is noted as France. More than once I have been complimented on my use of English and one comment suggested that I wrote it better than many Americans. Many?
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My mum worked in an office,the sticky tape (we would refer to as sellotape ) was made by Durex A young innocent girl , she had to be taken aside by the supervisor and told it wasn’t appropriate to shout across the office “has anyone seen the durex” or even “has anyone got the durex”
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Ha ha… never heard that before… that’s a good one…
we simply used “generics” sellotape, hoover,… but what was it that Blue Peter called “sticky backed plastic”???
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Wasn’t it … sticky backed plastic ! Sorry couldn’t resist 
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stoppit… you rotter…I can’t remember…
was it sellotape or self-adhesive vinyl sheets… they used to make such complicated stuff… I was in awe of their prowess…
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Durex sponsored a F1 team for a while but were not allowed to use the slogan, Durex, the small family car.
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Presumably for the small family man !
Do you remember the gummed paper that we used to cut up and use to make paper chains ?
Does anyone still use paper chains, haven’t seen any for years, they seem to have been taken over by bunting.
Still can’t remember the name of the sticky stuff though … Oh do get down Shep, naughty boy 
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Gracious, you used gummed-paper… we had a pot of glue (which got everywhere)… but, yes, we kids loved making yards and yards of paper chains at Christmas time…
We also made our own cards, using stencils… and coloured them-in… according to our own taste. Thus Baby Jesus could be any colour (or a mixture) … and quite right too.
Since reading this thread I’ve joined duolingo too, and it’s great! I like the way it tests my understanding of spoken French at normal speed but with a tortoise-speed option as well. The short stories are absorbing too, whimsical and realistic at the same time.
The exercises quickly pick up on little errors and do an artful job of ironing them out, by popping in an unexpected test just when I think they’ve loosened their grip on me. Very clever!
Wish I’d found it before.
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The only thing I don’t like is when for example it asks about washrooms, then later switches to toilets, and then later still bathrooms. Apart from that little moan, after all it is free, I am having fun with it and it does make me stop and realise that although I can speak quite well, I need to do a bit more on my written work !
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Mandy, I’m guessing that your grandchildren, or perhaps their grandchildren will one day step up onto a sidewalk while polishing off a piece of candy. Resistance is futile.
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Much more likely to be eating sweets on the pavement or footpath.
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