TCF Canada Exam Structure & Speaking Scores Explained

TCF Canada exam structure explained, with speaking practice that works

Understand all four parts of the TCF Canada exam and see how Prep2Pass helps you succeed in the most challenging section, Speaking.

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What is the TCF Canada Exam?

The TCF Canada (Test de Connaissance du Français) is a French language exam recognized by immigration authorities in Canada. It evaluates four modules: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The total time is approximately 2 hours 47 minutes.

Listening, Compréhension Orale

39 multiple choice questions, about 35 minutes

1. 39 multiple choice questions based on short audio recordings.

2. Audio extracts cover everyday situations, public announcements, and simple conversations.

3. Assesses how well you understand spoken French in everyday, workplace, and media contexts.

This part of the TCF Canada listening exam is important for proving that you can follow spoken French in real life in Canada.

Reading, Compréhension Écrite

39 multiple choice questions, about 60 minutes

1. 39 multiple choice questions based on short texts, notices, articles, and messages.

2. Texts increase in difficulty, from simple everyday information to more detailed articles.

3. Measures how well you understand written French, find specific information, and interpret meaning.

This section shows your ability to read French documents you’ll meet in daily life, work, or study in Canada.

Writing, Expression Écrite

3 tasks, 60 minutes total

1. Short message or note (about 60–120 words) responding to a simple situation.

2. Letter, email, or short article (about 120–150 words) in a more formal or structured context.

3. Opinion piece comparing two short documents (about 120–180 words) where you explain and justify your point of view.

The writing exam evaluates clarity, task completion, cohesion, and vocabulary range, along with how well you can argue and organize your ideas in French.

Speaking, Expression Orale

3 tasks, about 12 minutes total including preparation

1. Structured interview with the examiner (about 2 minutes) on familiar topics.

2. Interaction or role-play (about 5.5 minutes, including ~2 minutes of preparation) where you ask questions and respond.

3. Opinion task (about 4.5 minutes) where you express and justify your point of view on a situation or problem.

The TCF Canada speaking exam is where many candidates struggle most, because it measures fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and spontaneity in real time, face-to-face with an examiner.

How TCF Canada Scores Work

Each module produces a raw score that maps to CEFR levels A1 to C2. The official level grids define the bands below.

Listening and Reading

0 to 699 scale, low to high

Score Range

CEFR

0 to 100

A1 not achieved

101 to 199

200 to 299

300 to 399

400 to 499

500 to 599

600 to 699

Writing and Speaking

0 to 20 scale, low to high

Score Range

CEFR

A1 not achieved

2 to 5

6 to 9

10 to 13

14 to 17

18 to 20

Note: For immigration purposes, results may be converted into CLB levels by the Government of Canada.
Prep2Pass focuses on CEFR preparation, which is the scale used in the official TCF Canada exam.
On Prep2Pass, your TCF Canada speaking practice focuses on improving these bands step by step.

What do CEFR levels mean?

A1 to A2, Beginner

Simple everyday communication and familiar topics. You can understand very short phrases and answer basic questions.

B1, Intermediate

Describe experiences, handle common travel or work situations, and maintain simple conversations in French.

B2, Upper-intermediate

Interact fluently, argue opinions, and use French spontaneously in more complex contexts. This is often the minimum level requested for Canadian immigration (CLB 7).

C1, Advanced

Flexible, fluent use of French for academic and professional purposes, including complex discussions and detailed explanations.

C2, Mastery

Near-native control with nuance and precision in almost any situation.

On your results sheet, these CEFR levels are converted into NCLC/CLB scores, which are used in immigration programs such as Express Entry.

Why the speaking part feels so challenging

You speak directly with an examiner. No multiple choice, no second try. All hesitations are heard.
Only 12 minutes to show fluency, clarity, vocabulary, and confidence.
Follow-up questions are unpredictable. You must react instantly, not just repeat memorized phrases.

What makes it even harder

You need to organize ideas quickly while speaking under pressure.
Any gaps in pronunciation, grammar, or structure can lower your speaking CLB score.
It’s difficult to know what level you’re really at without realistic practice and feedback.

This is exactly the pressure Prep2Pass helps you practice in a safe, repeatable way before the real TCF Canada speaking test.

How Prep2Pass helps you succeed

Real exam flow with timers, transitions and examiner-style prompts

Practice the three TCF Canada speaking tasks with the same timing, transitions, and instructions you’ll hear on test day.

Detailed feedback with grammar corrections and vocabulary upgrades

After each mock exam, see where you stand, how to improve your CEFR/CLB speaking level, and which phrases would sound more natural.

Progress tracking to see your level improve over time

Track your attempts and feedback so you can see your speaking performance move closer to the CLB score you need.

Practical strategies and exam-ready phrases

Learn useful connectors, templates, and structures that make it easier to speak clearly, stay organized, and answer TCF Canada questions with confidence.

Ready to try the speaking part yourself?

Start with our TCF Canada speaking mock test - no account required.

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