TEF CANADA · FREE LESSON · ABOUT 7 MIN
Find the purpose before the detail
A notice, email and advertisement can mention the same subject while asking the reader to do different things. Start by identifying what the document is doing.
Step 1 of 3 · About 7 minutes in total
Learn the idea
01
Identify the situation
Ask who wrote the document, who should read it, and what has changed. In a notice about opening hours, the important information may be a restriction, an exception or an alternative service. A familiar word in an answer is not enough to make it correct.
02
Separate the rule from the exception
Words such as sauf, uniquement, à partir de and jusqu’à define the scope of a statement. Before choosing an answer, check its date, audience and conditions against the text. Do not extend an exception to every service or every person.
WORKED EXAMPLE
Le guichet ferme à 17 h. Les demandes en ligne restent possibles le soir.
The counter closes; the online service continues. This does not mean that staff are available in person all evening.
03
Use a short evidence check
Restate the question in your own words, locate the relevant sentence, then eliminate options that change one condition. If the question asks why a message was sent, choose its communicative purpose rather than a minor detail. After practice, explain why your choice follows from the document.
Original lesson and examples by TEF Practice. Exam format checked September 11, 2026 against CCI preparation materials.