FlexiLingoTCF Canada format and scoring (and the TEF Canada)
The four papers, the three tasks in each productive paper, and what each one really asks for.
The four papers
The TCF Canada lasts 2 hours 47 in total. All four papers are compulsory and must be taken on the same day for IRCC to accept the certificate.
| Paper | Format | Length | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening (Compréhension orale) | 39 multiple-choice questions | 35 min | score 100-699 |
| Reading (Compréhension écrite) | 39 multiple-choice questions | 60 min | score 100-699 |
| Writing (Expression écrite) | 3 tasks | 60 min | mark out of 20 |
| Speaking (Expression orale) | 3 tasks, face to face | 12 min | mark out of 20 |
Each listening recording is played only once, and the question is asked after you have heard it. Within each paper, the questions get progressively harder.
The TCF Canada has no paper on mastery of language structures (maîtrise des structures de la langue): that one belongs to the general TCF (TCF tout public). It is a common mistake in online guides.
Writing (Expression écrite): the three tasks
| Task | What is asked | Word count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A message that describes, recounts or explains, addressed to a recipient whose relationship to you is stated | 60 to 120 |
| 2 | An article, a letter or a note: an account of an experience or a story, with comments, opinions or arguments | 120 to 150 |
| 3 | A text comparing two points of view on a social issue, taken from two documents, followed by your own opinion | 120 to 180 |
The word count has a minimum and a maximum. Going over the maximum is as much of a mistake as falling short of the minimum.
Speaking (Expression orale): the three tasks
| Task | What is asked | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guided interview, no preparation: talking about yourself, your family and your work | 2 min |
| 2 | Interaction: getting information in an everyday situation | 2 min preparation + 3 min 30 |
| 3 | Giving a point of view, no preparation | 4 min 30 |
What about the TEF Canada?
The other test IRCC accepts, run by Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France). Its structure is different:
| Paper | Format | Length | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading (Compréhension écrite) | 40 multiple-choice questions | 60 min | 0-300 |
| Listening (Compréhension orale) | 40 multiple-choice questions | 40 min | 0-360 |
| Writing (Expression écrite) | 2 sections | 60 min | 0-450 |
| Speaking (Expression orale) | 2 sections, face to face | 15 min | 0-450 |
In writing, section A asks you to write the continuation of a news story (fait divers, 80 words minimum) and section B a letter defending a point of view with at least three arguments (200 words minimum). In speaking, section A is a phone call about an advertisement in which you ask around ten questions; section B is presenting that advertisement to a friend and persuading them.
One difference matters for an immigration file: the TEF separates a lower B2 from an upper B2, and only the second unlocks the points of the francophone category. The TCF makes no such distinction — any B2 counts.
Sources
Manuel du candidat au TCF (France Éducation international, version I, April 2024); the TEF Canada pages of Le français des affaires (CCI Paris Île-de-France); IRCC, language testing for Express Entry.