I have bought some, but they are not good enough because there are only a few words (not even sentences) explaining each vocabulary item. I'm desperate for an IPA, detailed definitions and tons of examples.
One of my teachers has recommended this online dictionary - LAROUSSE - and I love it!!!
http://www.larousse.fr/
As I am still a beginner (despite learning this language for years...), I stick to the bilingual one. For each word, there is an IPA, some definitions and examples. You can listen to the pronunciation of the word and even all the examples, including the English translations.
2. TV5Monde
My teachers keep recommending this site to us as we can watch different French programmes there. Unfortunately, I have not developed the habit of watching French programmes yet, but I did watch Le Petit Prince last year and it was fun. (I did learn two words "le serpent" and "le renard")
http://www.tv5.org/
3. Exercise books
I am a traditional teacher x student. To me, drilling is the key to acquiring a language. Therefore, I have bought many exercise books: grammar, vocabulary, listening, mock papers... you name it.
However, they are expensive!!! To make things worse, you can't find some good ones in bookstores. (There, you can only find those claiming you can learn French within two weeks / teaching you a few vocabulary items with pretty pictures / equipping you with a few phrases for travelling in Paris... They are useless but cost you a fortune!!!)
Je suis radine. As a result, I started buying them from Mainland China a few years ago. I once went to an enormous bookstore / bookmall in Shenzhen. To me, it was heaven. There were a lot of books and exercises to choose from and their prices were really competitive! However, carrying them back to Hong Kong was sheer torture. Since then, I have been buying them through Taobao. Yes, I have to pay for the delivery but it is worth as I don't have to deal with the hassle. What's more, they are all in great condition!
* Attention!!! Those books are published in China, so there is bound to be simplified Chinese characters. I know that many Hong Kong people hate them... I am used to reading them though (coz I studied Chinese History at the university).
4. FrenchPod 101
It isn't a commercial, but I do love this site! There are a lot of audio lessons of different levels, along with handouts!!! (YEAH! I love handouts!!!) You can find different learning tools and resources there as well (but I have not tried them out yet).
http://www.frenchpod101.com/
5. Irregular verb tables
Being able to spell all the verbs and their conjugations is a must! You can find verb tables everywhere. I suggest sparing 5 minutes for a quick dictation every day. I'm trying to do so now. Tedious but essential!
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