TCF Canada Oral Expression methodology

This 12-minute test comprises 3 tasks.

It assesses your ability to:

1. Talk about yourself and your family and professional environment;
2. Ask questions suited to the communication situation proposed;
3. Give your opinion and explain the advantages and drawbacks of a project, express agreement and disagreement;
4. Present a clear, structured argument in a style appropriate to the context;
5. Present complex subjects in a detailed, structured way, develop them and conclude.

How it unfolds

Oral expression, marked out of 20, is a test lasting twelve minutes in total. You sit facing an examiner. During the test the interview is recorded so that it can be assessed jointly by the test centre and by a team of markers duly trained by France Éducation international.

You will therefore have three exercises to complete:

• The first is a guided interview without preparation. It lasts two minutes. This exercise aims to determine whether the candidate can converse with someone they do not know.
• The second exercise is an interaction, but it requires preparation. This stage lasts 5 minutes 30. It shows whether the candidate is able to obtain specific information in an everyday situation.
• The third exercise is expressing a point of view, without preparation. It lasts 4 minutes 30. It shows whether the candidate is able to speak spontaneously, continuously and convincingly by simply answering a question.

A - TCF Canada Oral Expression: Task 1

This is a guided interview without preparation, with an exchange lasting 2 minutes. The aim of this task is to assess the candidate's ability to converse with someone (the examiner) they do not know.

Communication themes:

• Civil status / personality / language(s) spoken;
• Family;
• Friendships;
• Training / studies;
• Professional / academic situation;
• Activities / habits: at work, at university, at home, during leisure time, etc.;
• Abilities / tastes / interests;
• Past events or activities;
• Living conditions: geographical setting, housing, sociocultural environment, amenities, weather, etc.;
• Personal belongings;
• Plans / wishes / desires;
• Travel / journeys / itineraries;
• Public institutions / infrastructure / associations.

B - TCF Canada Oral Expression: Task 2

Here you ask your examiner questions about an everyday subject, and they must answer them. This part is preceded by a preparation phase in which you note down on rough paper the questions to ask about the theme you have chosen. Here, you lead the conversation.

How it unfolds

• Interaction exercise with preparation;
• Duration: 5 minutes 30;
• Preparation: 2 minutes;
• Length of the exchange: 3 minutes 30;
• Aim of the task: the candidate demonstrates their ability to obtain information in an everyday situation;
• The status of both the examiner and the candidate is given in the instructions;
• The candidate may take brief notes during the preparation time.

Instructions (given orally by the examiner):

• This part of the test lasts 5 minutes 30 seconds in total.
• You have a maximum of 2 minutes to prepare the topic. You may take brief notes if you wish.
• You must not write on the topic sheet, only on the rough paper given to you by the examiner.
• In 2 minutes we begin the interview.
• You must ask me questions to obtain information.
• You speak first.
• You lead the conversation.
• The interview must last 3 minutes 30 seconds.
• You may ask for more detail or have information repeated.

Task 2 example with a model answer

Prompt:

Vous venez d'arriver à Edmonton. Vous voulez trouver une école pour vos enfants. Posez des questions à votre voisin.

Model answer:

C - TCF Canada Oral Expression: Task 3

You speak spontaneously on a given topic for 4 minutes 30 seconds. There is therefore no prior preparation. You must develop your ideas, and your arguments will have to convince your examiner. They may interact with you in order to understand you better.

How it unfolds

• Expressing a point of view without preparation;
• Length of the exchange: 4 minutes 30 seconds;
• Aim of the task: the candidate demonstrates their ability to speak spontaneously, continuously and convincingly in answer to a question chosen by the examiner;
• In this TCF Canada test you are assessed on your ability to: talk about yourself and your family and professional environment;
• Ask questions suited to the communication situation proposed;
• Give your opinion and explain the advantages and drawbacks of a project, express agreement and disagreement;
• Present a clear, structured argument in a style appropriate to the context;
• Present complex subjects in a detailed, structured way, develop them and conclude.