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TEF Canada practice test: the sections, with answers explained
The TEF Canada lasts 2 h 55 min and requires four tests. Reading and listening have 40 questions each, and the writing and speaking tests are organized in two sections with very specific instructions — writing the continuation of a text, asking the examiner questions — that have no equivalent in the TCF. Here are practice exercises with answers, and what each section expects.
- Reading 40 questions/60 min · listening 40 questions/40 min · writing 2 sections/60 min · speaking 2 sections/15 min.
- ⚠️ IRCC reads the Équivalence ancien score (old-score equivalent) column, not the 699 one.
- CLB 7 (NCLC 7 in French) = 207 in reading, 249 in listening, 310 in writing and in speaking, on these scales.
- ⚠️ Writing, section A: write the continuation of a text — an exercise with no equivalent in the TCF.
- ⚠️ Speaking, section A: you are the one asking the questions.
- One listening only, no going back.
Contents
The test format
| Test | Content | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 40 questions | 60 min |
| Listening | 40 questions | 40 min |
| Writing | 2 sections — A: 80 words min · B: 200 words min | 60 min |
| Speaking | 2 sections — A: 5 min · B: 10 min | 15 min |
| Total | 2 h 55 min |
Forty questions in 40 minutes in listening is one minute per question — a slightly more comfortable pace than the TCF Canada and its 54 seconds, but over more questions.
Two sample questions with answers: listening and reading
The recording, the document, the questions and the options are in French, as on exam day; the answers are explained underneath.
Exercise 1 — level B2 — listening
🎧 Listen once, as on exam day — without reading the transcript.
Debate, several speakers · 51 s
Question: Que révèle la précision « un modèle envié dans le monde entier » ?
- Que les autres pays ont tenté de copier le modèle français sans succès
- Que le budget culturel français est le plus élevé du monde en valeur absolue
- Que la France exporte ses politiques culturelles vers les pays en développement
- Que l'orateur cherche à légitimer le niveau de dépenses en invoquant une reconnaissance externe
Show an excerpt of the transcript — open it only after listening
⚠️ This is a listening exercise. In the TCF, the TEF and their IRN versions, the recording is played only once and you get no transcript. Reading the text before listening turns it into a reading exercise and completely skews the measure of your level.
« Lucas Berger : La France consacre environ un pour cent de son budget à la culture, un modèle envié dans le monde entier. Le ministère de la Culture, créé par Malraux en mille neuf cent cinquante-neuf, a démocratisé l'accès aux arts. Cependant, les pratiques culturelles restent très inégales. Selon les enquêtes, les cadres supérieurs vont quatre fois plus au théâtre que les ouvriers. »
Show the answer and the explanation
Answer: D — Que l'orateur cherche à légitimer le niveau de dépenses (that the speaker is trying to justify the level of spending) — the question is about the argumentative function of a phrase, not its content. Saying that a model is « envié » (envied) is an argument from authority: rather than justifying the spending on its own merits, the speaker validates it through outside recognition. The other three options take the phrase at face value.
Exercise 2 — level B2 — reading
Document — institutional text:
« La protection de l'enfance en France repose sur un principe fondamental : l'intérêt supérieur de l'enfant, inscrit dans la Convention internationale des droits de l'enfant ratifiée en 1990. Ce principe guide les décisions des juges des enfants et des travailleurs sociaux lorsqu'un conflit apparaît entre le maintien de l'enfant dans sa famille et sa protection face aux risques de maltraitance. »
Question: Quel conflit apparaît dans les décisions des acteurs de la protection de l'enfance ?
- Le conflit entre les préférences des parents et celles des enfants
- Le conflit entre les services départementaux et les autorités nationales
- Le conflit entre la protection de l'enfant et le maintien en famille
- Le conflit entre les théories juridiques et les pratiques psychologiques
Show the answer and the explanation
Answer: C — Entre la protection de l'enfant et le maintien en famille (between protecting the child and keeping them in the family) — the sentence says it almost word for word: « lorsqu'un conflit apparaît entre le maintien de l'enfant dans sa famille et sa protection ». The difficulty comes from the syntactic density: the answer is buried in a long subordinate clause. In the TEF, institutional texts are common and call for slow reading.
The four writing and speaking sections
This is where the TEF really differs from the TCF. The four sections have very specific instructions, which a candidate trained on TCF practice material discovers on exam day.
| Section | Instructions | The trap |
|---|---|---|
| Writing A 25 min · 80 words min | Write the continuation of an article or news story whose beginning you are given | Breaking the register or the verb tense of the opening |
| Writing B 35 min · 200 words min | A reasoned point of view | Writing fewer than 200 words |
| Speaking A 5 min | Obtain information by asking the examiner questions | Staying in the position of the one being questioned |
| Speaking B 10 min | Argue to convince, double marking | Presenting without trying to convince |
The topics are in French, as on exam day; what the examiner looks for is explained underneath.
Writing, section B — sample topic — 35 minutes · 200 words minimum
Sur un forum de parents d'élèves, un débat s'est ouvert autour de la question suivante : faut-il interdire les devoirs à la maison à l'école primaire ? Rédigez une contribution argumentée en présentant les avantages et les inconvénients de cette mesure, puis exprimez clairement votre position.
What the examiner expects
200 words is a floor, and it is the first thing checked. The instructions set a three-part structure — advantages, disadvantages, position — which is your ready-made plan. The “forum contribution” genre allows a slightly less formal register than a formal letter, but it remains written and argued: no abbreviations, no spoken style.
Speaking, section B — sample topic — 10 minutes · argue to convince
Devrait-on rendre les transports en commun gratuits dans les grandes villes ? Présentez une argumentation équilibrée en examinant les conséquences économiques, sociales et écologiques de cette mesure.
What the examiner expects
This section rewards convincing (« convaincre »): weigh both sides, as the instructions ask, then defend one while anticipating objections. The instructions name three angles — economic, social, environmental: covering all three is the simplest way to fill the ten minutes with a structure the examiner can hear.
The “old score” column trap
Your TEF results certificate shows two columns of scores. IRCC converts to CLB from the Équivalence ancien score (old-score equivalent) column — out of 300 in reading, out of 360 in listening, out of 450 for each of writing and speaking — and not from the column out of 699. Reading the wrong column makes you think your CLB is much higher or much lower than it really is. It is the most frequent reading error with the TEF, explained in detail on our TEF Canada page.
In practice, for CLB 7: 207 in reading, 249 in listening, and 310 in both writing and speaking, on those scales.
The method
- Work on the four writing and speaking sections separately. They have nothing in common: speaking section A, where you are the one asking the questions, has to be prepared as an exercise in its own right.
- Practise writing section A on varied openings. Picking up an imposed register and verb tense is a mechanical skill, and one you acquire quickly.
- Time yourself at one minute per question in listening.
- Always check which column you are reading when you convert a practice score to CLB.
- Take a TCF Canada mock exam too before choosing: no general rule says one is easier; only your score in each format decides.
Sections A and B are something you can rehearse
Mock exams in the exact TEF Canada format (sections A and B of both writing and speaking), an automatic CLB conversion from the right column, and AI feedback against the official criteria. In the “TCF DELF TEF: Tests 2026” app.
Download on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
How many questions are in the TEF Canada test?
40 questions in reading (60 minutes) and 40 in listening (40 minutes), or about one minute per question in listening. Then come writing in two sections (60 minutes) and speaking in two sections (15 minutes), for a total of 2 h 55 min.
What is section A of the TEF Canada writing test?
An exercise with no equivalent in the TCF: you are given the beginning of an article or news story and you have to write what comes next, in 25 minutes and at least 80 words. The mark penalizes any break in coherence with the opening — the register, verb tense and point of view are set by the beginning provided.
What is section A of the TEF Canada speaking test?
A section where you are the one asking the questions: you have to obtain information from the examiner, in 5 minutes. This role reversal is counter-intuitive, and many candidates stay in the position of the one being questioned, say too little, and lose points on a section that is short and predictable.
What TEF Canada score do I need for CLB 7?
207 to 232 in reading, 249 to 279 in listening, and 310 to 348 in both writing and speaking — on the “Équivalence ancien score” scales IRCC uses, not on the 699 column of your results certificate.
Why does my TEF results certificate show two scores?
Because the TEF Canada publishes a score out of 699 and an “Équivalence ancien score” (old-score equivalent) column. IRCC converts to CLB from the second one. Always check which column you are reading before comparing your score with a conversion table.
Is the TEF easier than the TCF?
No official source supports that claim. The skills assessed are the same, the exercises are not: the TEF has two long, specific sections where the TCF has three short tasks. The only reliable criterion is your own score in each format — take a mock exam of each.
Related pages
- TEF Canada: format, score chart and CLB levels
The complete guide, with the CLB conversion table on the right scales.
- TCF or TEF Canada: which one to choose?
The comparison of the two tests IRCC accepts.
- Free TCF Canada practice test
To take a TCF mock exam too before you choose.
Formats change. This page is up to date as of 7 August 2026. The exercises shown are original content from our app, designed in the official format. Check the current structure on lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr before your session.