TEF Canada speaking format
This is where TEF differs most from the Canadian English tests. You take part in a live role-play with a human examiner. Section A is five minutes of information gathering; Section B is ten minutes of persuading a friend who raises objections.
Speaking
Expression orale
15 minutes · 2 role-plays with a live examiner
How it works
- Section A (5 min): obtain information from a representative, using vous. Ask questions, react to answers and clarify details.
- Section B (10 min): persuade a friend, using tu. Develop your arguments and respond to their concerns.
- The exam is recorded so a second assessor can mark it independently.
- The examiner is instructed to resist your position in Section B. Handling objections is part of what is being scored.
What goes wrong
- Delivering a rehearsed monologue. Section B is interactive by design; a script that ignores the examiner's objection scores badly.
- Asking one question in Section A and stopping. Build a chain: broad question, react to the answer, ask for detail, confirm conditions.
- Optimising for zero grammar errors at the cost of fluency and engagement. The grid rewards communication too.
Where your score needs to land
For NCLC 7, speaking needs at least 456 on the 0–699 scale - well above the 400 that counts as generic CEFR B2. Convert your score.
Practise for TEF Canada with AI feedback
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- One writing assessment
- One five-minute Section A speaking conversation
Further live conversations use speaking credits.