TCF Canada writing (expression écrite) is 3 tasks in 60 minutes: Task 1 is a short message of 60–120 words, Task 2 is an article or blog-style account of 120–150 words, and Task 3 compares two documents with opposing views and gives your opinion in 120–180 words. It is scored out of 20, and 10/20 is the minimum for NCLC 7.
Key takeaways
- 3 tasks, 60 minutes, one shared clock. You decide the time split.
- Word ranges: Task 1 60–120, Task 2 120–150, Task 3 120–180.
- Task 3 has two jobs: compare both documents, then give your own view.
- Pick tu or vous from the reader named in the task, and stay consistent.
- 10/20 is NCLC 7. 9/20 is NCLC 6, so every point counts.
On this page
- What are the 3 TCF Canada writing tasks?
- How should you split the 60 minutes?
- Task 1: how do you write the short message?
- Task 2: how do you write the article or blog post?
- Task 3: how do you compare two documents and give your opinion?
- Tu or vous: which register should you use?
- Which connectors should you learn first?
- What are the most common mistakes?
- Why does 10/20 matter so much?
TCF Canada writing is 3 tasks in 60 minutes. Task 1 is a short message (60–120 words), Task 2 is an article or blog-style account (120–150 words), and Task 3 compares two documents with opposite views and adds your opinion (120–180 words). It is scored out of 20, and 10/20 is the NCLC 7 line.
The good news: the three tasks are predictable. Once you have a simple plan for each one, the hour stops feeling like a race. This guide gives you that plan, plus three model answers you can study. For fees, scoring and the other sections, see the TCF Canada exam overview.
- 60 min
- For all 3 tasks, one shared clock
- 300–450
- Total words if you stay inside every range
- 10/20
- Minimum writing score for NCLC 7
What are the 3 TCF Canada writing tasks?
#| Task | What you write | Words | Who reads it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | A short message: invite, inform, describe, ask | 60–120 | Usually one person (a friend, neighbour, colleague) |
| Task 2 | An article, blog post or letter telling an experience, with your comments | 120–150 | Several readers |
| Task 3 | Compare two short documents with opposite views, then give your opinion | 120–180 | Readers of a newspaper, website or workplace |
How should you split the 60 minutes?
#Nobody tells you when to move on, so decide before you start. This split is our suggestion, not an official rule. It gives the most time to the task that asks the most of you.
| Block | Minutes | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Read all three tasks | 2 | Underline who you write to and what you must include |
| Task 1 | 10 | Short plan in your head, then write |
| Task 2 | 18 | 1 minute of notes, then write |
| Task 3 | 25 | 3 minutes of notes on both documents, then write |
| Final check | 5 | Agreements, verb endings, word counts |
Try it for real. The timer below counts down and counts your words as you type. Start with Task 2, then do all three in one sitting on the full writing practice timer.
TCF Canada · Task 2: Article or blog post about an experience
120–150 words · about 20 min (suggested)Vous avez participé à une journée de bénévolat dans votre ville. Écrivez un article pour le blog de votre association : racontez cette journée et dites ce que vous en avez pensé.
Practice prompt (not an official exam question). Tell what happened (passé composé + imparfait), then say what you thought of it.Task 1: how do you write the short message?
#Task 1 is everyday writing: an email or note to invite someone, give news, describe a place or ask for something. The examiner checks one thing above all: did you do every job the task lists?
- 1GreetingSalut Marc, / Bonjour Madame Dupont, (match the reader).
- 2Why you're writingOne sentence. Je t'écris pour t'inviter à…
- 3The details asked forCover every point in the task: when, where, what, why. One or two sentences each.
- 4A clear ask or next stepDis-moi si tu es libre. / Je vous remercie de me répondre rapidement.
- 5Sign-offÀ bientôt, / Bises, for a friend. Cordialement, for a stranger.
Salut Karim,
J'espère que tu vas bien ! Comme tu le sais, je me suis installée à Halifax le mois dernier. Mon nouvel appartement est petit mais très lumineux, et il se trouve à dix minutes du port à pied. Est-ce que tu voudrais venir me voir le week-end du 14 ? On pourrait se promener au bord de l'eau le samedi matin, puis manger des fruits de mer dans un petit restaurant que j'adore. Le dimanche, si tu préfères, on peut visiter le musée maritime. Dis-moi vite si tu es libre !
Bises, Priya
Task 2: how do you write the article or blog post?
#Task 2 asks you to tell an experience to several readers, for example on a blog, in a club newsletter or in a letter. Telling the story is only half of it. You also need to say what you thought of it.
- A title if it's an article or blog post. It helps the reader and costs you five words.
- The context: when, where, who. One or two sentences.
- What happened, in order: d'abord, ensuite, puis, enfin. Use the passé composé for actions and the imparfait for description.
- Your reaction: what you liked, what surprised you, what you'd change.
- A closing line to the readers: advice or an invitation.
Une journée pour notre quartier
Samedi dernier, une trentaine d'habitants se sont retrouvés au parc du quartier pour une grande journée de nettoyage. J'y ai participé pour la première fois et je voudrais vous raconter cette expérience.
Nous avons commencé à neuf heures. D'abord, les organisateurs nous ont donné des gants et des sacs. Ensuite, nous avons formé de petites équipes pour ramasser les déchets autour du lac. Vers midi, tout le monde a partagé un pique-nique, ce qui m'a permis de rencontrer des voisins que je ne connaissais pas.
Franchement, j'ai été surprise par la quantité de plastique que nous avons trouvée. Cependant, le résultat était impressionnant : le parc était méconnaissable. À mon avis, ce genre d'initiative devrait avoir lieu chaque mois. Si vous hésitez encore, rejoignez-nous la prochaine fois : vous ne le regretterez pas !
Task 3: how do you compare two documents and give your opinion?
#Task 3 gives you two short documents that disagree about a social topic, such as remote work or screens at school. You write one text that presents both views, then gives and defends yours. People who jump straight to their opinion lose marks, because half the job is missing.
- One sentence to introduce the debate.
- Document 1's view in your own words: Selon le premier document…
- Document 2's opposite view: En revanche, le second document…
- Don't copy whole sentences from the documents.
- Say clearly which side you're on: Pour ma part, je pense que…
- Two reasons, each with an example.
- Admit one point from the other side: Néanmoins…
- A one-line conclusion: En somme…
Le télétravail : liberté ou isolement ?
Le télétravail divise l'opinion. Selon le premier document, travailler à la maison permet de gagner du temps, puisqu'on évite les trajets, et d'organiser sa journée plus librement. En revanche, le second document souligne ses inconvénients : les salariés se sentent parfois isolés et ont du mal à séparer vie professionnelle et vie privée.
Pour ma part, je pense que le télétravail est un progrès, à condition qu'il soit bien encadré. En effet, j'ai moi-même travaillé deux jours par semaine à distance, et j'étais plus concentré sans les interruptions du bureau. Néanmoins, je comprends le risque d'isolement. C'est pourquoi une formule mixte me semble idéale : quelques jours à la maison pour les tâches calmes, et quelques jours au bureau pour garder le contact avec l'équipe. En somme, ce n'est pas le lieu qui compte, mais l'équilibre.
Tu or vous: which register should you use?
#| You're writing to | Use | Sign off with |
|---|---|---|
| A friend, a family member, a classmate | tu | À bientôt, Bises, Amitiés |
| A neighbour, landlord, manager, company | vous | Cordialement, Bien à vous |
| Several readers (blog, newsletter, club) | vous (plural) or nous / on | No sign-off needed for an article |
| A newspaper or website (Task 3) | Mostly impersonal: il est vrai que…, on peut penser que… | No sign-off |
Which connectors should you learn first?
#Linking words make your ideas easy to follow, which is exactly what the marker is looking for. Learn a few from each row and use them on purpose.
| To… | Use |
|---|---|
| Order events | d'abord, ensuite, puis, après, enfin |
| Add an idea | de plus, en outre, par ailleurs |
| Contrast | mais, cependant, en revanche, par contre, pourtant |
| Give a reason | parce que, car, puisque, en effet |
| Show a result | donc, c'est pourquoi, par conséquent, ainsi |
| Concede | certes, néanmoins, même si, bien que (+ subjonctif) |
| Give your view | à mon avis, selon moi, pour ma part, je pense que |
| Conclude | en somme, pour conclure, en bref |
What are the most common mistakes?
#- Missing part of the task. If Task 1 asks for a date, a place and a reason, all three must be there.
- Task 3 with no comparison. Both documents must appear before your opinion.
- Copying the documents. Rephrase. Copied sentences don't show your French.
- Running out of time for Task 3. It's the longest and the one that shows the most. Protect its 25 minutes.
- Agreement errors. Je suis allée, les voisins que j'ai rencontrés. These are cheap points to save in your final check.
- Switching between tu and vous. Decide once, at the start.
- Myth
Writing more than the maximum shows a higher level.
FactEach task has a maximum. Going over it rarely helps and eats time you need for Task 3. Aim for the middle of each range.
- Myth
Task 3 is just your opinion on a topic.
FactTask 3 asks you to compare the two documents first, then give your view. Skip the comparison and half the task is missing.
- Myth
Rare, fancy vocabulary is what gets you to 10/20.
FactA clear answer to the task, in the right register, with correct everyday grammar and good connectors, does more for you than a few rare words.
- Myth
If I'm unhappy with my score, I can ask for a re-mark.
FactFrance Éducation international stopped accepting TCF re-marking requests for sessions from September 1, 2026 (expected back around fall 2027). Report exam-condition problems to the centre on the day.
Why does 10/20 matter so much?
#IRCC converts each skill to NCLC separately, and writing is scored out of 20. 10 is NCLC 7. 9 is NCLC 6. One point decides whether you get the French CRS bonus (25 or 50 points) and access to French category draws.
| Writing score /20 | NCLC |
|---|---|
| 16–20 | 10 |
| 14–15 | 9 |
| 12–13 | 8 |
| 10–11 | 7 |
| 7–9 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 4–5 | 4 |
Convert your practice results with the TCF Canada score converter, and see what the bonus is worth in the CRS points guide. If writing is your weak skill, the NCLC 5 to 7 study plan shows how to fit it into your week.
Check yourself
1 of 5.How many words does TCF Canada writing Task 2 ask for?
2 of 5.What must Task 3 include before your own opinion?
3 of 5.You get 9/20 in TCF Canada writing. What NCLC is that?
4 of 5.How is the 60 minutes organised?
5 of 5.Task 1 asks you to write to your landlord. Which register?
Next, get ready for the other /20 skill with the TCF Canada speaking tasks guide, or review the whole exam in the TCF Canada format guide.
Questions people ask
Task 1 is 60–120 words, Task 2 is 120–150 words and Task 3 is 120–180 words. That's between 300 and 450 words in total, in 60 minutes.
10 out of 20 is NCLC 7, which is the level for the French CRS bonus and French category draws. 9 out of 20 is NCLC 6.
It depends on the centre. Some centres run computer-based sessions, so check your centre's page and practise typing French accents if needed.
Introduce the debate in one sentence, then summarise each document's view in your own words (Selon le premier document… En revanche, le second…). Only then give and defend your own opinion.
Terms in this guide
- Expression écrite
- E-TEF / E-TCF
- Re-marking
- French-language proficiency draw
- Category-based draw
- FEI
- CRS
- TCF Canada
Each one is defined in plain English in the TEF & TCF Canada glossary.
Sources
Rules and fees change. Always confirm with IRCC and your test centre before you pay.