Aaaah the TEF is a great moment. You have come to Canada, and all this to retake an exam when you have to take permanent residence! So there, you say to yourself: but what is the point of writing an article about it? I already speak French! So yes, you speak French, but it's when you are too confident and unprepared that you tend to make mistakes be punished with a bad mark. And then, I am also thinking of my dear English-speaking audience who would like to know more about this test :)
How much? How?
How many ? The TEF in Toronto costs $ 440 in total. I find that we are a bit fooled compared to other provinces where the test is around $ 380.
Results: The institute will take between 4 and 6 weeks to give you your results. A little less if you are lucky.
Deadlines: You must register in advance to take the test. The deadlines range from 1 week to 1 month for registration.
Which option to choose? When you register you will be asked which TEF Canada tests you would like to take. Choose all (all 4). In fact, if you missed one of the tests, you will not be able to take just one but you will have to take them all again for the permanence residency.
Who is doing this test in Toronto?
When looking for a place to take a TEF Canada French test, on Google we often find the Alliance française or ILSC. But people often forget Collège Boréal or the Canada College of Education ! As a general rule, by choosing the latter, there is less waiting for a place. I give you all the information to contact these centers here:
Address : 95 Sheppard Avenue West - North York Zip code : M2N 1M4 Phone : + 1 416 922 2014 Mail :rachel@alliance-francaise.ca
Address : 180 Bloor St W #1102 ON M5S 2V6 Phone : +1 833 866 6262 (sans frais Canada et Etats-Unis)/ +1 416 926 0540 Mail :tef@collegecanada.com
Addresse : 1 rue Yonge M5E 1E5 Phoned : +1 800 361 6673 Mail :fctoronto@collegeboreal.ca
Adresse: 443 University Avenue, 3rd floor, Toronto, ON M5G 2H6 Phone : +1 416-323-1770 Mail :TEF.Toronto@ilsc.com
The 4 Tests
So now that you know where it is going, you must now prepare for the various tests that await you. All in all, expect to spend a good boring afternoon in front of a PC (or sheet of paper).
Reading comprehension test 1 hour - 50 questions
This is a test where you will have to read texts and answer questions. Easy, you tell me? So... yes, it starts with texts for shop signs, or advertising. But when you go to eat your thoughts on a WHO health report, or a pavement on road safety.... Believe me, you are not ready... Even a native French / You can get confused on these questions, which at times are turned in a twisted way or use unusual words.
Ah yes ! And don't forget that after the texts, there is a small lexicon that will require a little thought. As for the last step, it is to put a text back in order. So yes, sometimes it's easy! But sometimes any order could be chosen which complicates the task a bit!
Oral comprehension test 40 minutes - 60 questions
So at the beginning it starts like this: we tell you bogus stories in T'choupi mode at the beach(repeated twice). Then it is about conversations between people where you will be asked the tone of the latter, and where the audio will be broadcast only once for your sweet happiness. Finally, the big oral part goes into a final stage with audios of 1 to 2 minutes where you have to answer 5 questions. Don't worry, they are broadcast twice. And you are done.... and No! Because there is one very last part that is a bit vicious, I hope you don't have dyslexia because it's going to be carnage! Let me explain: We are going to read you sentences such as: "L'abbé ne fait pas le moine" while the audio can read you the previous text or say "L'habit ne fait pas le moine". See that the difference is slim, and if you stumble upon some rotten audio or have a loss of attention, and it's lost! Because you are only entitled to one listen! I will remember that one!
Written expression test 1 hour
If you have no problem writing and inventing texts, this part is for you ... finally if you take into account that in some centers, the keyboards are in QWERTY and therefore do not include accents (only add one by one). A real pain sometimes but it goes all the same. Read it carefully;)
For this exercise you have 2 parts.
A newspaper article: You have the beginning of a newspaper article that you will need to continue. Simple exercise that will require a maximum of 90 words.
A letter: The context: you have read a newspaper article, you agree or disagree with the interlocutor and you will have to write a letter. In this letter do not forget all the forms to use and there will also be 3 arguments to develop well. The entirety of your text must be 200 words. Do not forget of course to sign at the bottom of the letter with your name;)
Speaking test 20 minutes
A piece of cake ?? Nay! You should know that it is on this exercise that most French people break their teeth. Indeed, we get so used to talking among ourselves that we very often forget all the forms of sentences and politeness. The test takes place in 2 exercises of which you are given a document and 1 minute to read it.
5 minute test : Usually in this exercise you are talking to a stranger to ask for information. It is therefore important that you address your interlocutor in the informal form and the VOUVOIEMENT (as a reminder the TEF is made by the Ile de France and not by Quebec).
10 minute test : You will have to convince a friend by giving arguments. This time, we change our form and we use the TUTOIEMENT (but we speak correctly even in front of our friend).
Train for TEF
But I don't leave you like that of course. The best way to get the most points for the TEF is to practice! And for that what better than some free applications that I concocted for you.
Français 3.0
TCF compréhension écrite
Youtube videos for writing:
Finally
If you apply all this, then you will certainly end up like me with the maximum number of points in all areas;) Good luck.
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