FlexiLingoCalling a French-language cinema in Toronto to get information
The task
2 min preparation + 3 min 30Vous habitez à Toronto depuis quelques mois. Vous avez entendu ce matin à la radio qu'un cinéma de votre quartier propose chaque semaine des séances de films en langue française. Vous téléphonez à ce cinéma pour obtenir des renseignements. L'examinateur joue le rôle de l'employé(e) du cinéma. Vous jouez le rôle du/de la candidat(e) qui souhaite s'informer sur le programme actuel, les horaires, les tarifs et les modalités de réservation.
TCF Canada — expression orale — tâche 2
Translation of the prompt
أنت تقيم في تورونتو منذ بضعة أشهر. سمعت هذا الصباح في الراديو أن سينما في حيّك تقدّم كل أسبوع عروضًا لأفلام باللغة الفرنسية. تتصل بهذه السينما للحصول على معلومات. يلعب الممتحن دور موظف/موظفة السينما. أنت تلعب دور المترشح/المترشحة الذي يرغب في الاستعلام عن البرنامج الحالي، والمواعيد، والأسعار، وطرق الحجز.
Translation of the prompt
Sie leben seit einigen Monaten in Toronto. Heute Morgen haben Sie im Radio gehört, dass ein Kino in Ihrem Viertel jede Woche Filmvorführungen in französischer Sprache anbietet. Sie rufen bei diesem Kino an, um sich zu informieren. Der Prüfer/die Prüferin spielt die Rolle des Kinomitarbeiters/der Kinomitarbeiterin. Sie spielen die Rolle des Kandidaten/der Kandidatin, der/die sich über das aktuelle Programm, die Öffnungszeiten, die Preise und die Reservierungsmodalitäten informieren möchte.
Translation of the prompt
You have been living in Toronto for a few months. This morning you heard on the radio that a cinema in your neighbourhood shows films in French every week. You call the cinema to get more information. The examiner plays the role of the cinema employee. You play the role of the candidate who wants to find out about the current programme, screening times, ticket prices, and how to make a reservation.
Translation of the prompt
شما چند ماهی است که در تورنتو زندگی می‌کنید. امروز صبح از رادیو شنیدید که یک سینما در محله‌تان هر هفته فیلم‌هایی به زبان فرانسه پخش می‌کند. با این سینما تماس می‌گیرید تا اطلاعات بگیرید. ممتحن نقش کارمند سینما را بازی می‌کند. شما نقش داوطلبی را دارید که می‌خواهد درباره‌ی برنامه‌ی جاری، ساعت‌های نمایش، قیمت بلیت‌ها و نحوه‌ی رزرو اطلاعات کسب کند.
Translation of the prompt
आप कुछ महीनों से टोरंटो में रह रहे हैं। आपने आज सुबह रेडियो पर सुना कि आपके इलाके का एक सिनेमाघर हर हफ्ते फ्रेंच भाषा में फिल्मों के शो प्रस्तुत करता है। आप जानकारी लेने के लिए इस सिनेमाघर को फोन करते हैं। परीक्षक सिनेमाघर के कर्मचारी की भूमिका निभाता है। आप उस उम्मीदवार की भूमिका निभाते हैं जो वर्तमान कार्यक्रम, समय-सारणी, दरों और बुकिंग के तरीकों के बारे में जानकारी लेना चाहता है।
Translation of the prompt
Bạn đã sống ở Toronto được vài tháng. Sáng nay bạn nghe trên radio rằng một rạp chiếu phim trong khu phố của bạn tổ chức hàng tuần các suất chiếu phim bằng tiếng Pháp. Bạn gọi điện đến rạp chiếu phim này để hỏi thông tin. Giám khảo sẽ đóng vai nhân viên của rạp chiếu phim. Bạn đóng vai thí sinh muốn tìm hiểu về chương trình chiếu phim hiện tại, giờ chiếu, giá vé và cách thức đặt vé.
Translation of the prompt
您搬到多伦多已经几个月了。今天早上您在广播里听说您所在街区的一家电影院每周都会安排法语电影场次。您给这家电影院打电话，想了解相关信息。考官扮演电影院工作人员的角色。您扮演想要了解当前排片情况、场次时间、票价以及订票方式的考生角色。
How to structure your answer
Open the call naturally: greet the employee, give your name briefly, and explain why you are calling — mention that you heard about the cinema on the radio this morning.
Ask about the current programme: which films are showing, what genre they are, and whether they are in original French or subtitled in English.
Ask about days and screening times. Make your constraints clear — you are busy on weekday mornings and afternoons, so evenings and weekends work best for you.
Ask about prices: full price, reduced rates, and any subscription option. Don't forget to ask whether there are discounts for newcomers or students.
Ask how to book a seat — online, at the box office, or by phone — and whether booking in advance is compulsory. Finish by asking how to get to the cinema by public transport, then close the call warmly.
Model answer
about 291 wordsLe/La candidat(e) : — Bonjour ! Je vous appelle parce que j'ai entendu ce matin à la radio que votre cinéma propose des séances de films en français. Est-ce bien exact ?
[L'employé(e) confirme et invite le/la candidat(e) à poser ses questions.]
— Très bien. Je m'appelle Amara Koné, je viens d'arriver à Toronto il y a quelques mois et je cherche des activités culturelles en français dans mon quartier. Pourriez-vous m'indiquer quels films sont actuellement à l'affiche dans votre salle ?
[L'employé(e) présente le programme du moment.]
— Ces films sont-ils projetés en version originale française, ou sont-ils sous-titrés en anglais ? Je préférerais pouvoir suivre les dialogues sans difficulté.
[L'employé(e) précise le format de diffusion.]
— Je comprends. Quels sont exactement les jours et les horaires des séances ? Y a-t-il des projections en soirée ou le week-end ? Je travaille en semaine et il m'est difficile de me libérer en journée.
[L'employé(e) communique les horaires disponibles.]
— C'est parfait. J'aimerais aussi connaître les tarifs : quel est le prix d'un billet plein tarif ? Et proposez-vous des réductions, par exemple pour les étudiants ou pour les personnes qui viennent d'arriver au Canada ?
[L'employé(e) détaille les tarifs et les réductions disponibles.]
— Très bien. Et si je souhaitais réserver une place à l'avance, comment dois-je m'y prendre ? Est-il possible de le faire en ligne, ou faut-il obligatoirement passer par le guichet ?
[L'employé(e) explique la procédure de réservation.]
— Une dernière question, s'il vous plaît : votre cinéma est-il facilement accessible en transports en commun depuis le centre-ville ? Je n'ai pas encore de voiture.
[L'employé(e) indique les lignes de métro ou d'autobus à emprunter.]
— Excellent ! Merci infiniment pour toutes ces informations. Je pense venir samedi prochain pour la séance du soir. Bonne journée !
Show the translation
The candidate: — Hello! I'm calling because I heard on the radio this morning that your cinema shows films in French. Is that right?
[The employee confirms and invites the candidate to ask their questions.]
— Wonderful. My name is Amara Koné. I arrived in Toronto a few months ago and I'm looking for cultural activities in French in my neighbourhood. Could you tell me which films are currently showing in your theatre?
[The employee describes the current programme.]
— Are these films shown in the original French version, or are they subtitled in English? I would prefer to be able to follow the dialogue without difficulty.
[The employee specifies the screening format.]
— I see. Could you tell me exactly which days and times the screenings take place? Are there any evening or weekend showings? I work during the week and it is hard for me to get away during the day.
[The employee gives the available times.]
— Perfect. I would also like to know about the prices: how much is a full-price ticket? And do you offer any discounts — for students, for example, or for people who have just arrived in Canada?
[The employee gives details of prices and available discounts.]
— Great. And if I wanted to reserve a seat in advance, how would I go about it? Can I do it online, or do I have to go to the box office in person?
[The employee explains the booking procedure.]
— One last question, please: is your cinema easily accessible by public transport from the city centre? I don't have a car yet.
[The employee indicates which subway or bus lines to take.]
— Excellent! Thank you so much for all this information. I think I'll come next Saturday for the evening screening. Have a lovely day!
Key vocabulary
| Word or phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| à l'affiche | currently showing (at a cinema) |
| version originale (VO) | original version — the film is shown in the language it was filmed in, without dubbing |
| sous-titré(e) | subtitled — the dialogue is translated and displayed at the bottom of the screen |
| séance | a specific scheduled screening of a film |
| guichet | box office — the counter or window where you buy tickets at a cinema or theatre |
| tarif réduit | reduced-price ticket, available to certain groups such as students, seniors, or job-seekers |
| abonnement | a subscription or pass giving unlimited access or a preferential rate, paid in advance for a set period |
| réservation en ligne | booking a seat online before you arrive |
| projection | a film screening — showing a film on a large screen in a darkened room |
| programme | the list of films on offer, with their screening days and times |
Common mistakes
Using 'je veux' sounds blunt and too direct for a semi-formal phone call. Always use the conditional 'je voudrais' or 'j'aimerais' to sound polite and natural.
WrongJe veux savoir quels films vous proposez.
RightJ'aimerais savoir quels films vous proposez.
Jumping straight into your questions without introducing yourself and explaining why you are calling breaks the expected conversational flow. The examiner is looking for a realistic, structured interaction — always open the call properly.
WrongQuels films sont à l'affiche cette semaine ?
RightBonjour, je m'appelle… J'ai entendu ce matin à la radio que vous proposez des séances en français.
'Version française' means the film has been dubbed into French, while 'version originale française' means the film was originally made in French. These are different things — mixing them up shows a gap in cinema vocabulary.
WrongLe film est en version française ?
RightLe film est en version originale française, ou doublé en français ?
'Combien ça coûte ?' is too casual for a semi-formal phone call. Use a more formal phrasing to ask about prices.
WrongCombien ça coûte, un billet ?
RightQuel est le tarif d'un billet plein tarif ?
This is a very common error with French time expressions. 'Je suis arrivé depuis' is incorrect. Use 'il y a' to talk about when something happened in the past, or 'depuis' with a verb in the present tense to describe an ongoing situation.
WrongJe suis arrivé depuis quelques mois.
RightJe vis ici depuis quelques mois. / Je suis arrivé il y a quelques mois.
Firing all your questions at once without pausing for answers kills the interaction. The examiner is playing a role and needs space to reply. One topic at a time — this is also what the examiners are assessing.
'Je veux demander si…' is clunky and too literal. French has much more natural ways to ask indirect questions politely.
WrongJe veux demander si vous avez des réductions.
RightPourriez-vous me dire si vous proposez des réductions ?
The grammar this task needs
The conditional for polite requests (conditionnel de politesse)
This is a phone call to a stranger in a semi-formal context. Every request must use 'je voudrais', 'j'aimerais', 'pourriez-vous' — never the blunt present tense 'je veux'.
- Pourriez-vous m'indiquer quels films sont actuellement à l'affiche ?
- J'aimerais aussi connaître les tarifs.
- Je voudrais réserver une place pour la séance du soir.
'Depuis' vs 'il y a' to express time
You need to say how long you have lived in Toronto AND when you arrived — two different constructions that French keeps strictly separate.
- Je vis à Toronto depuis quelques mois.
- Je suis arrivé(e) à Toronto il y a quelques mois.
- Je travaille en semaine depuis mon arrivée.
Indirect questions with 'si' and 'est-ce que'
Asking whether something is possible or mandatory is central to the task (reservation, online booking, accessibility). These require the indirect question structure, not a direct yes/no inversion.
- Est-il possible de le faire en ligne ?
- J'aimerais savoir si une réservation préalable est obligatoire.
- Pourriez-vous me dire si votre cinéma est accessible en métro ?
Subordinate clauses with 'que' after verbs of perception and explanation
The opening of the call requires you to explain what you heard on the radio — a reported speech structure built with 'que'.
- J'ai entendu ce matin à la radio que votre cinéma propose des séances en français.
- Je cherche des activités culturelles en français dans mon quartier.
Phrases to reuse
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Je vous appelle parce que j'ai entendu ce matin à la radio que… | Perfect opener for the call — explains who you are and why you're calling in one natural sentence. |
| Pourriez-vous m'indiquer… ? | Your go-to polite question frame. Drop in any noun or infinitive after it. |
| J'aimerais aussi connaître… / J'aimerais savoir si… | Smooth way to move on to your next question without sounding like you're reading a list. |
| Je préférerais pouvoir… sans difficulté. | States your personal preference politely — useful for VO vs. subtitles or timing constraints. |
| Il m'est difficile de me libérer en journée. | Explains a scheduling constraint without being blunt. Use it to justify asking about evening or weekend screenings. |
| Proposez-vous des réductions pour… ? | Clean, polite way to ask about discounts for any category: students, newcomers, seniors. |
| Si je souhaitais… comment dois-je m'y prendre ? | Elegant way to ask about a procedure (booking, payment) — the conditional 'souhaitais' keeps the register formal. |
| Est-il obligatoire de… à l'avance ? | For any yes/no question about whether something is required (advance booking, ID, etc.). |
| Une dernière question, s'il vous plaît… | Signals you are wrapping up — keeps the conversation structured and shows awareness of the other person's time. |
| Merci infiniment pour toutes ces informations. | Strong, natural closing that goes beyond a flat 'merci' and sounds genuinely engaged. |
| Je pense venir… pour la séance de… | Ends the call on a concrete, positive note — shows the conversation achieved its goal. |
Ideas bank
| Position | Argument | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Things to ask about | Current programme and film genres | Ask whether the films are recent releases or classics, and whether they cover different genres (comedy, drama, documentary). |
| Things to ask about | Original French version vs. English subtitles | Clarify whether 'version originale française' means the film was shot in French, as opposed to a film dubbed into French — an important distinction for language learners. |
| Things to ask about | Evening and weekend screenings | Mention that you work weekdays and cannot attend daytime sessions — this justifies the question and makes the exchange more realistic. |
| Things to ask about | Pricing tiers and newcomer discounts | As a recent arrival, ask specifically whether the cinema offers a reduced rate for newcomers or immigrants, in addition to the standard student discount. |
| Things to ask about | Subscription or membership pass | If you plan to attend regularly, an 'abonnement' might save money — worth asking about even if it is not on the examiner's script. |
| Things to ask about | Online booking and advance reservation | Ask whether seats can be reserved on the cinema's website, or whether you must go to the box office in person. |
| Things to ask about | Public transport access | Explain that you do not have a car yet — ask which subway line or bus route goes to the cinema from downtown Toronto. |
| Nuance | Balancing your questions across the exchange | Don't fire all your questions at once. Let the 'employee' answer each one before moving on — the examiner is assessing your ability to hold a real back-and-forth conversation. |
What the examiner looks for
The examiner is not just checking your vocabulary — they are watching whether you can sustain a natural, interactive phone call. Candidates who read out a prepared list of questions without reacting to the answers lose points on interactivity. What scores well is showing you listened: picking up on what the examiner said and responding before moving to your next question. The register must stay consistently semi-formal throughout — polite but not stiff. You are also expected to give brief personal context (why you are calling, why you need an evening slot) rather than asking bare questions. Finally, the closing must feel genuine: confirm a concrete plan and thank the person warmly. A flat 'merci, au revoir' at the end signals low engagement.