TEF Canada writing: expression écrite

The format

You type on a computer, and a virtual keyboard with French accented characters is on screen. The minimums are minimums: a longer, well-organized answer gives the markers more to reward.

Practice prompts

Prompt 1

The task: TEF Canada writing, section A (25 minutes, at least 80 words): write the continuation of a news article from its opening lines.

• Keep the style of a news article: third person, past tenses (passé composé and imparfait), facts first.
• Answer the reader’s questions: what happened next, who did what, how it ended.
• Write well past 80 words; it is a minimum, not a target.
• Save two or three minutes to reread for agreements and accents.

Prompt 2

The task: TEF Canada writing, section A (25 minutes, at least 80 words): write the continuation of a news article from its opening lines.

• Invent concrete details (names, places, a quote) so the story feels like real reporting.
• Link your sentences with connectors: d’abord, ensuite, finalement, en effet.
• Stay consistent with the opening: same people, same tone, same timeline.

Prompt 3

The task: TEF Canada writing, section B (35 minutes, at least 200 words): express and justify a point of view in response to a statement.

• State your position in the first lines, then give at least three arguments, each with an example.
• Acknowledge the other side once (certes…, mais…) and answer it.
• Use opinion phrases: à mon avis, il me semble que, je suis convaincu(e) que.
• Finish with a short conclusion that restates your view.

Prompt 4

The task: TEF Canada writing, section B (35 minutes, at least 200 words): express and justify a point of view in response to a statement.

• Plan for five minutes before writing: position, three arguments, one counter-argument, conclusion.
• Vary your connectors: de plus, par ailleurs, en revanche, pourtant, c’est pourquoi.
• Use a letter format: a greeting (Madame, Monsieur,) and a closing line.

A simple plan for the hour

1. 1

   Section A, 25 minutes

   Two minutes to plan what happens next, 20 to write in news style, three to reread.

2. 2

   Section B, 35 minutes

   Five minutes to plan your position and arguments, 25 to write, five to reread for agreements, verb endings and accents.

3. 3

   Keep a checklist

   Past participles agree with être, adjectives agree with nouns, accents on é/è/à, no anglicisms like “appliquer pour” (say “postuler à”).

For the other tests, see the TEF Canada guide or try the reading practice.